From the Board of the University: UG signs UN convention for students with a disability

At the initiative of the Advisory Committee for Students with a Disability and the Diversity and Inclusion Office, the UG will sign the declaration of intent for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities after the summer. In doing so, our University will contribute to the global efforts being made to achieve inclusive teaching, with special attention being paid to students with a disability. The declaration’s principles are: personal autonomy, full participation, equal opportunities, accessibility, and respect.

Rector Magnificus Cisca Wijmenga: ‘In signing this, we are repeating that the UG strives to be an inclusive educational institution, where each student participates in teaching on an equal footing with the other students and every student feels welcome and accepted, regardless of their background. This will boost our strategy and running activities in the area of student wellbeing and inclusion.’

Over the coming years, the UG hopes to make its teaching more accessible and inclusive through flexible curriculums, improving the expertise of all staff members, information provision, and internationalization. The aim is to ensure that staff members are sufficiently equipped, for example in the area of didactics and attitude, to contribute to an inclusive teaching climate. Another area of focus is the preparation of students for the labour market. A member of the Board of the University will sign the UN declaration during a special ceremony that will take place in September or October.