Breaking down barriers
RUB breaks down barriers, thus giving everyone the chance to nurture and apply their talents at the university.
RUB strives to provide everyone with the most accessible study and work environment. If, despite the ongoing improvement of accessibility and inclusion at our university, individual hurdles or needs arise, everyone receives support in order to work and study with as few barriers as possible. To this end, RUB members with disabilities can take advantage of targeted guidance and services.
The Service Centre for Disabled Students offers advisory services for prospective and current students.
The Inclusive University funding programme, with which the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is financing the accessibility for students and faculty in 2021/22, was developed at RUB by members of various institutions (including BZI, IT-Services, Psychological Study Counselling and RUBel) and is coordinated by Department 2 – Student Services and International Office.
The project team continuously improves inclusion and accessibility at RUB for specific target groups. The accessible nature of courses and digital accessibility are as important as the competent and easy accommodation of students with disabilities in exams; RUB also provides support tailored to specific target groups and offers assistance when they first take up their degree course.
By developing a university-wide inclusion plan that is to be adopted by the university bodies, RUB will also define the next steps towards an inclusive university in a transparent and binding manner.
RUB enables its students to study in a way that meets their individual needs. It provides services for students with disabilities so that they can focus fully on their studies. It also provides advice on how their disabilities can be accommodated in courses and exams.
Studying with a disability or chronic illness is particularly challenging and requires considerable effort in terms of both management and organization. The BZI advises prospective students and students with health impairments on all matters relating to studying with a disability and chronic illness. At the annual taster course for hearing-impaired and deaf students, the BZI introduces the university’s guidance services and offers a wide range of relevant information on housing, finances, accommodation of disabilities and other social and legal entitlements in group and individual advisory sessions.
RUB supports and assists employees and researchers with disabilities all the way from setting up the workplace to strategic career planning.
Inclusion officers represent RUB as an employer in all matters concerning employees with severe disabilities and ensure that the university complies with all obligations to protect and support these employees.
They work closely with the respective employees as well as all interest groups, advise their line managers, and provide information on support and integration measures. To this end, the inclusion officers report to the Rectorate on the implementation of measures relating to severely disabled persons.
Michaela Kusal
Officer for the interests and needs of students with disabilities and chronic illnesses
Phone: 0234 32 11530
E-Mail: Beauftragte-behinderte-Studierende@rub.de
