Accessibility

Training course "Accessible documents in Microsoft Excel" on 15.04.2026

2026-03-19T09:51:34+01:00

Editing and creating Excel files is an integral part of everyday administrative work. However, many Excel documents are often not barrier-free and therefore not accessible to all staff.

For this reason, the Competence Centre for Accessible Digital University Administration.NRW is organising an online training course on "Accessible documents in Microsoft Excel" on 15 April 2026 from 10:00 to 11:30. The consultant for the training is Martin König from the German Centre for Accessible Reading (dzb lesen). The training course is held in German.

In the training course, participants will learn how to create accessible spreadsheet documents in Microsoft Excel. Individual work steps and testing tools will be demonstrated.Participants can then ask their individual questions.

All university employees in NRW can participate free of charge. Registration is possible via the Zoom registration link. If you have any questions, please contact the competence centre by email.

A reason to celebrate - publication of the DACHS portal

2026-03-12T12:43:10+01:00

After a project duration of three years, the interactive portal DACHS (Digital Accessibility CHecking and Simulation) is finally going online.

Teaching staff now have access to comprehensive information on designing accessible teaching. In addition to demonstrating selected barriers that can arise when using digital materials in connection with various impairments, DACHS offers prepared knowledge about studying with impairments, chronic and mental illness. Instructions and implementation aids are provided to give teaching staff a low-threshold introduction to designing accessible courses. In the "Testing" section, teaching staff can also carry out demanding tests of their LMS courses independently - both automatically and manually.

In the coming weeks, all teaching staff at Bielefeld University will receive the brochure "Barrierefreie Lehre gestalten" in the post. It summarises all relevant information about the interactive DACHS portal.

Further information on DACHS

Rare Disease Day on 28 February

2026-02-26T11:11:36+01:00

28 February is International Rare Disease Day. It aims to raise awareness of the 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease and to bring about change for those affected, their families and carers.

People living with rare diseases often face particular challenges and obstacles. The lack of scientific knowledge and reliable information about these diseases often leads to delays in diagnosis. In addition, the need for specialised, high-quality healthcare makes equal access to treatment and care more difficult. Due to the wide variety of rare diseases and the fact that many symptoms initially appear unspecific, misdiagnosis is also common.

The long-term goal of the Rare Disease Day campaign is to ensure equal access to diagnosis, treatment, healthcare, social support and opportunities for all those affected by rare diseases.

The Accessibility Services (ZAB) supports the campaign to raise awareness of rare diseases and sensitise people to the needs of those affected. We support members of Bielefeld University with disability-related challenges and are committed to the visibility of all people with a disability or chronic illness in the university context.

Source: https://www.rarediseaseday.org/what-is-a-rare-disease/

Storage options for equipment on campus

2026-02-19T10:19:54+01:00

The Accessibility Services (ZAB) provide students with disabilities or chronic illnesses with 20 lockers on campus for the storage of disability-related equipment or to facilitate their studies. Ten lockers are located in the UHG and ten in the X building.

Students who fulfil the usage authorisation can use the lockers if there is sufficient capacity, e.g. for storing aids or learning materials. An enquiry can be sent to zab@uni-bielefeld.de to clarify usage authorisation.

Note: It is not permitted to pass on access to the locker or to use the locker for any other purpose. The lockers are used exclusively to fulfil disability-related storage requirements in everyday student life. There is a limited contingent of lockers. Students have no legal claim to the provision of a locker. The ZAB accepts no liability for items stored in the locker.

ZAB offers during the lecture-free period in the winter semester 2025/26

2026-02-13T14:38:06+01:00

The Accessibility Services (ZAB) will continue to be available during the lecture-free period of the winter semester 2025/26.

We support prospective students and students from the start of their studies to doctoral studies with all questions relating to studying with a disability, chronic or mental illness. Information on our counselling services, on studying, on support for participation in studies and on student financing can be found on the ZAB student portal.

Our counselling services and student workspaces with stimulus-reduced working environments or assistive technologies can be used as usual during the lecture-free period.

The UniMaps app is also available as usual and enables barrier-free navigation on campus, even during the lecture-free period.

We wish all students good luck with their exams and a great summer break!

"Inclusive University NRW" funding programme extended until the end of 2028

2026-02-05T09:53:38+01:00

The Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW NRW) is extending the "Inclusive University NRW" funding programme for a further two years. The universities and universities of applied sciences under state sponsorship as well as the state art and music universities in North Rhine-Westphalia will continue to have around 3.3 million euros per year at their disposal until the end of 2028.

The funding from the programme can be used flexibly by the universities to support students with disabilities or chronic illnesses as required, in particular for personnel, tools, services, materials and equipment. The state is thus committed to equal opportunities and accessibility in the North Rhine-Westphalian higher education landscape.

The funding programme has been running very successfully since 2020. The funds made available have been used to support numerous measures to date. In October 2025, the new website of the funding programme was presented at the annual presence event of the network of the Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Studium und Behinderung NRW (LAG SB NRW). The website was designed and implemented by ZAB - Accessibility Services of Bielefeld University. It makes the impact of the funding programme visible by presenting over 97 measures that have been implemented with the funding.

Further information on the extension of the funding programme on the MKW NRW website

ZAB - Forum Accessibility at the art/science festival "hören"

2026-01-22T10:51:56+01:00

As part of the ZAB - Forum Accessibility, the ZAB is taking part in the art/science festival "hören" from 29th to 31st January 2026 in the Wissenswerkstadt Bielefeld.

In everyday life, we often don't realise how central the sense of hearing is for us humans: we need it for communication, for orientation and to perceive warning signals. What does it mean for language acquisition when a child is born with impaired hearing or deaf? And what challenges do you face if you suddenly become deaf in the middle of life or gradually lose your hearing as you get older? What do people with hearing impairments want from their hearing peers?

At the event "What to do if your hearing doesn't work?" on 30th January 2026 from 17:00 - 19:00, experts will give entertaining talks on the topic and be available to answer questions from the audience. The ZAB is taking part with a contribution on the topic of "(Listening) - Communicating better with each other in private, working and learning environments".

Admission is free and registration is not required. The event will be held in German.

Comedian Okan Seese will then perform from 20:00 - 22:00 with his programme "Lieber Tomaten auf den Ohren als ein Brett vor dem Kopf". Okan Seese can't hear. But he has all the more to say - or rather: to sign! He takes the audience on a humorous journey through his everyday life and talks about his life between two cultures as a deaf, gay man, about fun dates and the challenges of visiting doctors without an interpreter.

Registration is required for the event (admission price: 5 euros). The event will be held in German.

Four years of SHUFFLE - A project coming to an end, the impact remains

2026-01-08T11:46:36+01:00

The SHUFFLE - University Initiative for Digital Accessibility for All project officially came to an end at the end of 2025. An intensive, insightful and pioneering phase came to an end. The four universities involved in the project - Stuttgart Media University, University of Education Freiburg, Heidelberg University of Education and Bielefeld University - worked on the project goals for four years. Together, didactic, technical and strategic innovations for the implementation of digital accessibility in teaching were developed, tested and sustainably integrated into the university context. It is now the end of a period that has moved a lot - in structures, in people's minds and in cooperation.

When SHUFFLE was launched in August 2021, many questions arose: How can digital accessibility be integrated into digital and hybrid teaching and learning scenarios in a didactically meaningful way? Which technical solutions really support teaching staff and students? And how can universities strategically anchor these developments in the long term?

Clear answers were found over the course of the four years of the project. Not only theoretical, but also practical, tested and further thought solutions were developed on three different levels:

Didactic concepts that provide new impulses for accessible, activating and flexible learning settings,
technical tools and standards that make digital teaching processes more stable, intuitive and accessible,
strategic models and recommendations for action that help universities to implement digital transformation in a planned and sustainable way.

These results form a diverse overall package that considers digital accessibility at universities as a cross-cutting issue.

The results have already been presented at numerous national and international symposia, workshops and conferences during the course of the project. Through various lectures, poster presentations and publications, the results were disseminated to the specialist community and valuable impulses for exchange and cooperation were created. The feedback repeatedly showed that the challenges addressed in the project are highly relevant and the solutions developed make real contributions to the further development of accessible digital university teaching.

The conclusion of SHUFFLE marks the end of a chapter that was characterised by commitment, openness, creativity and a willingness to learn. The materials, guidelines, technical solutions and strategic recommendations developed in the project will remain in place and continue to be available to universities and the specialist community for use and further development.

At the same time, the project has left its mark on structures, competences, networks and a strengthened culture of digital accessibility in the university context. We would like to thank all those involved, contributors, supporters and interested parties who have accompanied SHUFFLE over the past four years. Together, we were able to create something that can continue to have an impact on studying and teaching beyond the project period.

ZAB annual review 2025

2025-12-19T16:58:31+01:00

The year 2025 is drawing to a close - a good opportunity to look back on the diverse activities of the Accessibility Services (ZAB). Numerous services were created and further developed, new measures were implemented and innovative projects were launched.

We look forward to more exciting activities in 2026 and wish you happy holidays and a happy new year!

IT and software development

In May 2025, the desktop application "Bielefelder Barrierefreie Gesetzessammlung" was used for the first time in a legal state examination. The application, which was approved as disadvantage compensation, enabled two blind students from Bielefeld University and the University of Münster to work independently with the examination questions. The software project is being implemented in cooperation with the Chair of Civil Law, Civil Procedure Law, Methodology, Digitalisation Law and Legal Tech of the Faculty of Law.

With the update to UniMaps 2.0 in September 2025, all functions such as barrier-free navigation on campus, the cafeteria menu or the departure times of the light rail were given a new design and new functions such as reading out the UniCard and navigation in the new part of the building were integrated.

The ZAB Language Compass was published to on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December 2025. The Language Compass helps you to check your own German texts for possible ableist formulations and is not intended as a rigid, complete collection, but as a learning and open tool.

Studying and teaching

The student workrooms with a stimulus-reduced working environment (Theresia Degener Room) and assistive technologies (Louis Braille Room) have moved and have been located in UHG B1-241 and UHG B1-243 since the beginning of 2025. The ZAB offices have also moved and are now located on corridor B2. To mark the move, the ZAB held an Open Doors event on 7th May 2025, during which students were able to visit the student workspaces, among other things.

The ADHD networking group was launched in cooperation with the General Student Advisory Service (ZSB) in the winter semester 2025/26. The networking group for students with ADHD and ADD meets in an appreciative atmosphere in which experiences and challenges in dealing with ADHD in everyday student life can be discussed openly and tips and tools can be shared.

Three Moodle self-study courses for teaching staff were developed in the SHUFFLE project and included in the Personnel Development Program for Researchers and Teachers (PEP) at the end of 2025. The Moodle courses support teaching staff in a flexible, practical and time-independent manner in considering digital accessibility in everyday university life.

Communication and events

On 5th May 2025, the ZAB took part in the European Day of Protest for Equality of People with Disabilities in Bielefeld's Old Town with an information stand on anti-discriminatory and accessible everyday communication under the motto "You (don't) have the choice".

At the start of the 2025/26 winter semester, the ZAB's Instagram account is back with a new design and now bears the name: zab.unibielefeld. In future, a large number of posts on various topics will be published there. These include, for example, offers and event information as well as insights into various ZAB groups and projects. The contents are written in German.

In addition, the new portal for the Inclusion and Diversity Action Plan was published in October 2025 with a comprehensive collection of measures. The action plan identifies challenges in the areas of inclusion and diversity and develops and implements measures for an accessible and diversity-sensitive Bielefeld University.

Representative Council for Severely Disabled Employees

In March, representatives of the ZAB were elected to the board of the State Working Group of Representatives for Severely Disabled Persons at Colleges, Universities, University Hospitals and University-Related Institutions in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (LASH NRW). LASH NRW represents a total of 42 institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia and around 5,000 employees with severe disabilities.

The Competence Centre for Accessible Digital University Administration.NRW published three handouts in August 2025 to provide an overview of the legal framework and laws on digital accessibility compliance and to support procurers in taking accessibility into account when purchasing.

The new website for the "Inklusive Hochschule NRW" funding programme was published in October. The website makes the impact of the funding programme visible by presenting over 90 measures as examples of good practice that have been implemented with the funding.

Training on accessibility in IT procurement

2025-12-11T12:46:00+01:00

In order to ensure the participation of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses in University administration, the accessibility of software and apps is a basic requirement. As early as the procurement process, it must therefore be ensured that digital accessibility is taken into account when purchasing, selecting and using software and apps.

But what are the legal requirements for accessibility at federal and state level? What public procurement law requirements exist for the binding implementation of accessibility requirements? To answer these questions, the Competence Centre for Accessible Digital University Administration.NRW invites you to the "Accessibility in IT Procurement" training course. Participants will receive information on how to organise the awarding of contracts as well as reports from procurement practice.

The training is aimed at university employees in NRW who are involved in the awarding or purchasing of software and is free of charge.

Date: 19th January 2026, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. via Zoom.

Registrations are possible via the Zoom registration link. The event will be held in German.

The ZAB Language Compass for recognising ableist language is here!

2025-12-03T10:03:04+01:00

To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we are introducing a new tool: the ZAB Language Compass (German). With this tool, we are contributing to a more inclusive use and handling of language at the university.

Language shapes our reality - it moulds how we talk about people, how we perceive and encounter them. Reflective and respectful language plays a crucial role, especially in the context of disability, mental illness or chronic illness. That's why we, the Accessibility Services (ZAB), have developed a new tool that is available to everyone: the ZAB Language Compass.

The Language Compass helps you to check your own german texts for possible ableist wording. Ableist language refers to terms, phrases or descriptions that discriminate against or devalue people due to a disability, mental or chronic illness or reduce them to their physical or mental abilities. If such wording is recognised, the tool points this out and suggests suitable, respectful and inclusive alternatives.

The Language Compass does not see itself as a rigid, complete collection, but rather as a learning and open tool. Language is dynamic, as is the social debate on ableism. This is why users can submit their own suggestions in the tool via an anonymous survey. These include terms or phrases that they encounter as ableist or that they would like to see added to the tool. These are only viewed and carefully checked by the creators of the Language Compass.

The aim of the Language Compass is not to lecture or condemn. Rather, it is intended to create an awareness of language, invite reflection and promote inclusive language practice - respectfully, learning-orientated and together.

Get active now and test the Language Compass, check your texts and help to further develop the tool.

SHUFFLE at Bi.teach 2025: self-study courses for the staff development programme

2025-11-27T11:59:52+01:00

The SHUFFLE project presented three new Moodle courses developed within the project at this year's Bi.teach - Day for Teaching on 26th November under the title "Rethinking Exams - How do we want to learn and examine?". In future, the Moodle courses will enrich the Personnel Development Program (PEP) for Researchers and Teachers as an asynchronous training offer.

Three Moodle self-study courses on digital accessibility

The Moodle courses presented here provide teaching staff with flexible, practical and time-independent support in incorporating digital accessibility into everyday university life. All three courses are designed as self-study courses and are based on modern didactic standards. They enable participants to deal independently with key issues of digital accessibility in teaching and to further develop their skills. The courses contain the most important basics on the topics of creating accessible documents, accessible Moodle courses and accessible examinations and can be worked through independently at any time. Successful completion of an assignment in the course is confirmed by a certificate of attendance.

The asynchronous nature of the course offers significant advantages for participants. They can work on the content when it best suits their individual working day, regardless of fixed dates or synchronised events. They can also learn at their own pace, pause as required and dispense with content they already know. This creates a learning process that adapts to personal needs and prior knowledge and makes the programme more accessible to everyone.

The three Moodle courses will soon be officially listed in the PEP and will be available to all teaching staff. The Moodle courses can already be accessed via the ZAB project website. In addition, short introductory videos of all Moodle courses and their content can be found on YouTube.

The Bi.teach - Day for Teaching provided the ideal setting to visualise the new offerings. The poster session provided the opportunity to present the content and learning objectives of the courses, answer questions and engage in dialogue with representatives from various faculties.

Bi.teach has once again shown how valuable the exchange of innovative teaching formats is and how important low-threshold and flexible continuing education formats are for everyday university life. The Moodle courses as a new asynchronous learning offer can help to sustainably strengthen teaching and work processes.

New handouts available: Accessibility in Procurement

2025-11-13T14:20:28+01:00

The digital accessibility of softwares and websites is essential to ensure the active participation of all staff in the administration. This includes taking the issue of accessibility into account when purchasing software.

In order to provide an overview of the legal framework and laws on compliance with digital accessibility and to support procurers in taking accessibility into account when purchasing, the Competence Centre for Accessible Digital University Administration.NRW has created several handouts.

These contain two checklists with points that should be considered before and during the procurement of software as well as when obtaining and reviewing offers. In addition, a self-disclosure form is available that can be submitted to manufacturers so that they can provide information on the accessibility of their product. An overview of the most important legal framework conditions has also been compiled.

All handouts have been legally reviewed by a lawyer. They are available on the website of the Competence Centre. The handouts are available in German.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the competence centre by e-mail at any time.

New website for the "Inclusive University NRW" funding programme

2025-11-06T10:30:39+01:00

The new website of the "Inclusive University NRW" funding programme was presented at the annual presence event of the network of the state working group study and disability in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (LAG SB NRW) on 27th October 2025.

The website makes the impact of the "Inclusive University NRW" funding programme of the Ministry of Culture and Science of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia visible by presenting over 90 measures of 22 universities that have been implemented with the funding. As examples of good practice, these measures show how social, digital and structural barriers can be removed, study conditions improved and students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses can successfully complete their studies as a result. In addition to documenting good practice, the platform makes it clear that inclusion at universities is transferable, effective and forward-looking.

The website was created on the initiative of and in close cooperation with the Inclusive Universities NRW network, the LAG SB NRW and the state working group of representatives for severely disabled people at colleges, universities, university hospitals and university-related institutions in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (LASH NRW) and promotes the continuation of the "Inclusive University NRW" programme beyond December 2026.

Start of the winter semester 2025/2026: zab.unibielefeld on Instagram

2025-10-16T12:27:13+02:00

The Accessibility Services (ZAB) welcomes all students (back) to the winter semester!

Just in time for the start of the new winter semester, our Instagram account is back with a new design and now bears the name: zab.unibielefeld.

In the future, we will publish a variety of posts on different topics there. These include current offers and event information as well as insights into various ZAB groups and projects. We will also provide information about action days and important topics and give users the opportunity to take part in surveys and share their opinions.

We offer a comprehensive range of counselling and support services for students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses. An overview with lots of important information about studying with a disability, chronic or mental illness in Bielefeld is available on the ZAB student portal. Our ZAB student counselling service can be contacted at zab@uni-bielefeld.de.

Offers for students in the winter semester 2025/26: AccessAbility and Coffee & Talk

2025-10-09T10:12:25+02:00

The peer mentoring programme "AccessAbility" for students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses is entering its seventh round this winter semester 2025/26. In addition, the "Coffee & Talk" event for international students will take place for the first time on 23rd October 2025 in cooperation between the Accessibility Services (ZAB) and the General Student Advisory Service (ZSB).

AccessAbility is aimed at students who would like support in their everyday student life or would like to exchange ideas with fellow students who are also studying with a disability, chronic or mental illness. Interested students are cordially invited to register by 16th October.

As part of the programme, participants will receive all the information they need to make their studies as accessible as possible. There will also be space for open dialogue on topics that are important to students. To enable participants to get to know their fellow students better, we also organise games and pizza evenings.

We look forward to seeing new faces! Please register directly using the registration form!

The "Coffee & Talk" event will take place on 23rd October 2025 from 2 pm in B2-271. The ZAB and the ZSB invite international students to talk in a relaxed atmosphere about topics such as studying with a disability, chronic or mental illness, compensation for disadvantages and support services for mental stress.

The event is part of the orientation week organised by the International Office and will be held in English. No registration is required.

‘My hands are tied!?’ - Network meeting on refuge, migration and disability

2025-10-02T11:06:48+02:00

From 18 to 19 September 2025, Flüchtlingshilfe Lippe e.V and the Nationwide Network on Flight, Migration and Disability, the Accessibility Services (ZAB) and the AG ‘Uni ohne Vorurteile’ held their annual Germany-wide network conference at Bielefeld University. Stakeholders and experts from public administration and science, counselling and welfare services, and civil society came together for two days of respectful and productive exchange on the topics of refuge and migration of people with disabilities.

In lectures and workshops entitled ‘My hands are tied!?’ the legal situation of refugees with disabilities who fall under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act (AsylbLG) was examined in detail. On the first day of the event, participants were given an overview of the distribution of responsibilities, the scope of benefits and the procedure for providing benefits in contrast to the group of persons covered by the Second Book/Twelfth Book of the Social Code (SGB II/SGB XII). A panel discussion on the reformed definition of disability in accordance with the Federal Participation Act of 2018 rounded off the first day. On the second day of the event, the topics were explored in greater depth in individual workshops and practical solutions were discussed together.

UniMaps 2.0 with updated maps, design, and meal plan for SOWLS now available

2025-09-24T10:12:14+02:00

On September 18, 2025, UniMaps 2.0 officially left the beta phase and will be distributed to all users. UniMaps 2.0 is a completely new development based on the latest technologies on both iOS and Android. In addition to the technical innovations, there are updated maps including the new buildings and the new construction phases. The new technical infrastructure will enable us to develop new features more quickly in the future and will serve as the basis for UniMaps for the next few years. On Android, the user interface has also been completely redesigned.

A few highlights of the new Android app are:
- Modern MaterialU interface
- Support for tablets
- Design adapted to system colors
- Pre-designed layouts for extra high contrast
- Automatically aligned map during navigation
- Reading of the amount of money on the student ID

For iOS, the existing modern interface has been spruced up and expanded with animations and new design elements. We hope you'll give the new app a try. If there's anything you don't like, feel free to send us an email or use the feedback section in the Android app. In the future, you can look forward to faster maps and further improved search functionality. Would you like to test these new features as soon as possible? Sign up for the beta in the Play Store and help us make UniMaps even better with your feedback.

Exchange with the Örebro University within the NEOLAiA network

2025-09-19T10:51:15+02:00

From 22nd to 25th September 2025, representatives of the Accessibility Services (ZAB) will travel to Örebro, Sweden, as part of the NEOLAiA network to exchange ideas with representatives of the Örebro University on the cross-cutting topics of accessibility, inclusion, diversity, equality and health as part of the "Diversity & Inclusion" work package.

Within a varied programme that includes interactive workshops, networking opportunities and cultural events, experiences and knowledge will be exchanged and international cooperation strengthened. Topics will include the coordination of projects and programmes, best practice examples, research projects on disabilities, digital accessibility, IT development, action plans and public relations.

The Örebro University will present its campus and its programmes and measures, including services for students with disabilities, the accessibility tool Ally, the Social Impact Lab, the student health centre and the topics of equal rights and equality at Örebro University. The ZAB will also have the opportunity to present its work and services at Bielefeld University and engage in dialogue.

We are looking forward to exchanging ideas with the representatives of Örebro University, making international contacts and taking away new ideas for our work!

Lecture on the topic of software ergonomics

2025-09-11T15:07:30+02:00

Who hasn't experienced this? New software is introduced, but its use does not run smoothly. Malfunctions occur, the application is not intuitive to use or the operating menu is confusing. Such problems often arise if the software is not ergonomically designed.

Software ergonomics not only affects IT, but also occupational health and safety. Unfortunately, the topic is often neglected in procurement and occupational health and safety. This is why we will be discussing the requirements for software ergonomics and their verifiability at the next procurement network meeting of the Competence Centre for Accessible Digital University Administration.NRW.

After all, work at VDU workstations can be well organised with appropriate IT applications and provide valuable support at work.

Date: 15th September 2025

Time: 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Location: Online (Zoom)

The lecture is aimed at all university employees in NRW who are interested in the provision or procurement of IT at universities.

If you would like to attend, please register for the event using the Zoom registration link.

Results of the 2024/25 student survey on disability and chronic illness

2025-08-29T09:00:02+02:00

Every winter semester, Bielefeld University's general student survey captures the current opinions and attitudes on various topics of students enrolled at Bielefeld University. Every two years, this also includes questions on the topic of disability and chronic illness.

In the winter semester 2024/25, 3181 students took part in the survey on disability and chronic illness. 28% of students reported at least one disability or chronic illness. In comparison: In the winter semester 2022/23, 25% of students did so.

The largest group of participating students (16%) reported a mental impairment/illness. The second and third largest groups indicated attention deficit/hyperactivity and/or developmental disorders (8%) and chronic somatic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, rheumatism or MS (8%).

Further information on disability or chronic illness:

Other: 3.4%
Visual impairment/blindness: 1.4%
Mobility and movement impairment: 1.1%
Partial performance disorder (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia): 1.1%
Hearing impairment/deafness: 0.6%
Speech or language impairment: 0.5%

38% of students with a disability or chronic illness feel that their studies are impaired to a (very) high degree and 28% to a medium degree. In comparison: In the winter semester 2022/23, 40% of students felt that their studies were impaired to a (very) high degree and 23% to a medium degree.

Further information on the student survey at Bielefeld University and a summary of the results of previous surveys can be found here.

Services offered by the ZAB

The Accessibility Services (ZAB) offers prospective students and students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses various support services from starting their studies to doing a doctorate. In order to enable more people to access our services, we are constantly communicating, developing and expanding them. Further information can be found on the ZAB student portal.

The ZAB student counselling service offers students and prospective students voluntary, confidential and independent advice on all topics relating to barrier-free study.

With its student workrooms, the ZAB supports independent study for students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses who are dependent on assistive technologies or a particularly low-impact environment.

The ZAB's peer mentoring programme supports first-year students in finding their feet at Bielefeld University, getting to know students in a similar life situation and exchanging experiences during their studies.

The networking group for people on the autism spectrum at Bielefeld University offers students and staff the opportunity to exchange ideas with other people on the autism spectrum on the Bielefeld campus.

Testing of the DACHS portal enters the second round

2025-07-24T15:44:28+02:00

Thanks to the dedicated support of volunteers, the DACHS portal is entering the exciting beta testing phase.

Until the end of August, the volunteers now have the opportunity to intensively test functions and initial content. This will be followed by the feedback phase, in which valuable suggestions, constructive criticism and initial assessments will be collected. This feedback will form the basis for further developing the portal and optimising it to meet the needs of users.

We would like to thank the participating volunteers for their support and look forward to this important milestone in the course of the project.

Further information on the DACHS project

ZAB offers during the lecture-free period in the summer semester 2025

2025-07-17T11:04:50+02:00

This week sees the end of courses for the current summer semester 2025 at Bielefeld University. Until the start of the new semester in October, the accessibility services (ZAB) will continue to be available.

We support prospective students and students with all questions relating to studying with a disability, chronic or mental illness, from starting their studies to completing a doctorate. Information on counselling services at Bielefeld University, on studying, on support for participation in studies and on student financing can be found on the ZAB student portal.

Our counselling services, student workrooms and other services can also be used as usual during the lecture-free period.

We wish all students good luck with their exams and a great summer break!

Presence meeting of the SHUFFLE project in Freiburg

2025-06-12T10:03:11+02:00

From 26th to 28th May 2025, the SHUFFLE project held its final joint face-to-face meeting in Freiburg. With 20 committed participants, two and a half intensive and enriching days were organised to reflect on and celebrate the results of several years of collaboration and to look to the future together. In a balanced mixture of concentrated work phases and active leisure elements, the participants worked productively and strengthened the sense of togetherness that characterised the entire duration of the project.

The meeting focussed on the presentation and reflection of the results developed in the SHUFFLE project as well as the upcoming final report. A large number of milestones were achieved during the project ending date, which can advance digital accessibility in university teaching on a technical, strategic and didactic level. Another central topic of the meeting concerned the sustainability of the project results developed. By anchoring and disseminating them on existing platforms, the content should remain in place even after the end of the project period. The joint reflection on past symposia, presentations and lectures made it clear that the SHUFFLE employees were already able to disseminate the results widely during the project period.

The last meeting in Freiburg was an important milestone on the way to the conclusion of the SHUFFLE project - but not yet a final farewell. With new ideas, a clear focus and strengthened cohesion, the final six months will begin, in which the results will be further developed, disseminated and firmly anchored.

Bielefelder Barrierefreie Gesetzessammlung used for the first time in legal state examinations

2025-06-05T15:35:23+02:00

The new desktop application "Bielefelder Barrierefreie Gesetzessammlung" (BBG) is a software project in the field of digital accessibility of the Accessibility Services (ZAB) in cooperation with the Chair of Civil Law, Civil Procedure Law, Methodology, Digitalisation Law and Legal Tech of the Faculty of Law. The BBG enables law students to use all exam-relevant texts free of charge and independently.

As a pilot project, the collection was used for the first time in a legal state examination last April. The application, which was approved as disadvantage compensation, enabled two blind students from Bielefeld University and the University of Münster to work independently with the examination questions. The ability to take exams without barriers is a central component for real equal opportunities in education.

In addition to the exam version, which is currently the most advanced for MacOS, a customised version for teaching will also be created in the near future. With additional functions and an expanded database, this should give all students access to any law.

Access to the open beta of the application is possible via the project website. We ask for bug reports, accessibility tips and requests via the public Gitlab or the ServiceDesk.