29.10.2024
The Medical University of Gdańsk has launched the “MUG without barriers” project. At a cost of more than PLN 5 million, many facilities for people with disabilities will be created at the University. Particular emphasis will be placed on eliminating the barrier associated with too little awareness among staff about how people with disabilities function.
According to the Central Statistical Office, as of December 2023, there were just over 4 million people with a valid disability certificate in Poland. This is according to official statistics. However, unofficial estimates say that there could be as many as 7-8 million people with various types of disabilities in our country. And it is for these people that the Medical University of Gdańsk will change. Raising awareness of disabilities will positively influence changes within the University’s structures. In addition, it will signal to the environment, especially to university candidates, that the Medical University of Gdańsk is open to people with special needs. And it is precisely this openness that is emphasized by the coordinator of the project, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs Prof. Aleksandra Gaworska-Krzemińska, PhD – The “MUG without Barriers” project is primarily a response to the needs of people with disabilities among students and employees of our University, as well as a series of training courses that will allow academic staff and administration employees to raise awareness and gain knowledge of the functioning and current needs of people with disabilities and those with special needs.
In preparation for the project, barriers in the area of accessibility at the University were identified and needs were determined based on them. Emphasis will be placed on eliminating the barrier of insufficient staff awareness of how people with disabilities function. This will be achieved, among other things, by training staff and organizing study visits. Support within the framework of the project is planned to cover 450 people (including 315 women and 135 men), i.e. 190 administrative staff (133 W and 57 M) and 260 academic teachers (182 W and 78 M), which is slightly more than 20% of the staff. The target group will consist of management, teaching and administrative staff, including employees of the Accessibility Unit employed at the Medical University of Gdańsk. The participation of representatives of institutionalized student structures is also allowed. – We are committed to ensuring optimal access to learning for people with disabilities and facilitating the communication process, so we are successively removing architectural barriers in the University’s buildings, installing appropriate devices and introducing improvements that facilitate movement around the University’s campuses and the use of accessible infrastructure. We are systematically adapting software and installing equipment to facilitate learning for people with disabilities. We are also creating a dedicated office to serve people with disabilities, where, in addition to information or equipment support, psychological support will be available – adds the project coordinator, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs Prof. Aleksandra Gaworska-Krzemińska.
The project entitled. “The MUG without barriers” is co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus within the framework of the European Funds for Social Development 2021-2027 program. The budget of the entire project is 5,364,430.50 PLN, of which 5,196,130.50 PLN includes the subsidy. 4,426,728.05 PLN is European funding, and 769,402.45 PLN is a targeted grant.
As part of the “The MUG without barriers” project, the University will change in 8 areas. These are:
1. organizational structure (separation of the Office for Persons with Disabilities in the structure of the University, extending more psychological support to students and employees of the University, appointment of an expert team, creation of an information bulletin for university candidates)
2. architectural accessibility (based on the analysis of the current architectural condition, implementation of two investments at the Faculty of Pharmacy, such as the construction of an elevator and a ramp for wheelchairs)
3. information and communication accessibility (conducting an analysis of information and communication accessibility and improving the accessibility of materials, engaging a sign language interpreter for events organized by the Medical University of Gdansk, purchasing equipment necessary for the proper operation of transcription software)
4. digital accessibility (audit and adaptation of the websites and services of the Medical University of Gdansk)
5. technologies (creation of an accessible workstation in the Main Library, installation of induction loops in two lecture halls, adaptation of the recruitment department to serve people with disabilities – the purchase of touchscreen computers, creation of an auto responder program on the university’s website, improvement of evacuation procedures for people with disabilities through the purchase of evacuation chairs)
6. procedures (adaptation of existing documents to accessibility requirements, creation of new procedures related to the needs of people with disabilities)
7. services supporting education (purchase of a night drop box, which will allow the return of books at any hour, for the Main Library, retrofitting the university’s equipment lending library)
8. awareness-raising activities about disabilities (organization of study tours and specialized training of a BON employee, organization of trainings to raise awareness of the University staff about the needs of people with disabilities, organization of specialized trainings, such as:
· accessibility of events
· communication with people with special needs in crisis situations
· digital accessibility
· accessibility of information and teaching materials
· communication with people with disabilities
· library accessibility for people with disabilities
· support for students with disabilities in the teaching process
· architectural accessibility and universal design
· evacuation of people with disabilities in an emergency situation
· accessibility of lectures
· accessibility of sports activities
· accessible promotional activities)