Studying with a disability
Around ten per cent of students have some form of functional disability, varying from ADHD or dyslexia to a physical handicap. Under a UN treaty, the Netherlands is obliged to provide better facilities for these students. What does Leiden University do for this group? Watch the video on Studying with a disability.
Accessibility of lecture halls
Are all our lecture halls accessible with a wheelchair? What kind of support can you get if you are seriously dyslexic? The Fenestra Disability Centre at Leiden University provides support for students who need extra help. At a symposium on 20 September students shared their experiences with the members of staff of the University who organise facilities for this very diverse group.
Support
There are many different ways in which support can be organised. Blind students, for example, can have someone who will take them to their exam room, and the study adviser can help with making a study plan. Law student Jiska Stad-Ogier is reliant on a wheelchair. In the video she explains what she thinks is necessary to make the Netherlands and Leiden University more accessible.
UN treaty
The Netherlands adopted the UN Treaty in April 2016 that obliges governments to make companies andn institutions accessible for people with a functional disability. In 2017, the University organized two major conferences on this issue for students, staff and societal organisations. One was about studying with a disability, the other about finding work after graduation.
Ask Fenestra for help
Are you a student at Leiden University, or will you be one soon? And are you coping with a disability in any form, ranging from adhd to a physical handicap or dyslexia? You can ask for advice at the Fenestra Disability Centre.