Inclusion and Diversity Action Plan

Bielefeld University is actively involved in the network 's activities, represented by the Diversity Department and the "University without Prejudice" group.

A large number of (web) applications and digital systems are used in university administration. These must fulfil the requirements of the North Rhine-Westphalia Disability Equality Act (BGG NRW), the Barrier-free Information Technology Ordinance of North Rhine-Westphalia (BITV-NRW) and the E-Government Act (EGovG). The core objective of the new competence centre is to make digital administration at universities accessible and to ensure implementation of the legal provisions.

Project duration: 01.04.2024 - 31.12.2026

Volume: 991,058 €

Funded by: Ministry of Culture and Science in North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW NRW)

The guideline against sexualised harassment, discrimination and violence (SBDG) has been updated and expanded. The guideline defines forms of sexualised harassment, discrimination and violence, specifies counselling, reporting and complaint channels and lists measures and sanctions that can or should be taken in the event of incidents of sexualised harassment, discrimination and violence.

Further information on support and counselling in cases of sexualised harassment, discrimination and violence.

The project is developing an interactive portal for teaching staff that sensitises them to the requirements of barrier-free teaching and provides them with the skills to implement it. The portal consists of sensitisation, simulation, testing and instruction components. A core functionality of the portal will be the testing and accessible design of Moodle and Ilias learning spaces.

Project duration: 01.04.2023 to 31.03.2026

Project volume: 493,282.80 €

Funded by: Foundation for Innovation in University Teaching

Health Management (P/O.6), the Diversity Department (P/O.6), the Family Service (P/O.6), the ZAB, the Equal Opportunities Office and the Sustainability Office meet once or twice a semester in the "Round Table of Cross-Cutting Issues". The aim of the round table is to network and strengthen the cross-sectional areas at Bielefeld University.

The implementation of the action plan is accompanied by a monitoring group. In the monitoring group, the project team presents the structure of the action plan and agrees on future needs for action and measures.

At its 447th meeting, the Senate decides to implement the action plan.

At its 27th meeting, the Commission for University Development decides to implement the action plan. The Commission expressly welcomes the implementation of the action plan and also suggests making offers for students more visible and expanding them.

The Rectorate decides to implement the action plan. This makes Bielefeld University the first university in Germany to bring together the cross-cutting issues of inclusion and diversity in a strategic action programme.

The joint strategic management of the action plan is carried out by the responsible Vice-Rectorate, the Representative Body for Severely Disabled Persons, the Diversity Department from Department P/O.6 Health, Family, Diversity (Department of Human Resources and Organisation) and the Central Equal Opportunities Officer.

In the course of the audit, increased efforts are made to collaborate on cross-cutting issues at the university. The inclusion action plan is therefore expanded to become the "Inclusion and Diversity Action Plan". The topic of inclusion continues to be a focus of the action plan and serves to implement the UN CRPD at Bielefeld University. Michael Johannfunke from the ZAB is the formal project management of the action plan.

The project runs from 1st August 2020 to 31st July 2025 at the ZAB with 100% TV-L E13. The project aims to support teaching staff with specific measures and offers and enable them to implement digital teaching and learning materials without barriers. Other media used in the degree programme will be tested for accessibility and adapted if necessary.

The university will receive additional state funding to implement packages of measures from the action plan in the areas of study, teaching and research. The measures are intended to strengthen and expand the opportunities for equal participation of students and teaching staff with disabilities. There is an annual reporting obligation to the MKW NRW.

The action plan will be anchored as the "Inclusion Action Plan" in the slot "Project 10.10 Establishing a format for people with special needs" of the central university project management and will run for seven years.

The "Health & Diversity" series of events is dedicated to various topics and focusses on health-related aspects of different groups.

The ZAB is taking part in the European Day of Protest for Equality of People with Disabilities in Bielefeld's historic city centre with an information stand on anti-discriminatory and barrier-free everyday communication.

At a central stand in the university, anyone interested was able to talk about topics relating to diversity and inclusion and take part in an entertaining quiz.

The open workshop programme "Racism - What does it have to do with me?" as part of the action weeks against racism gave all interested parties the opportunity to discuss and exchange their observations, experiences and positions on the topic of racism.

In the Diversity of Disabilities series, the ZAB is providing information on specific challenges faced by autistic people in a neurotypical environment to mark World Autism Awareness Day.

To mark International Women's Day, the ZAB is drawing attention to the reality of life for women with disabilities in its Diversity of Disabilities series.

In its Diversity of Disabilities series, the ZAB is taking part in the International Rare Disease Day campaigns with its own blog post and an Instagram post.

The ZAB designs and publishes postcards on the Diversity of Disability. The postcards are distributed on campus and in the city of Bielefeld. The postcards are available free of charge from the ZAB.

The ZAB sends out a quarterly newsletter about its work, the action plan and the latest news on disability and accessibility.

Training courses, workshops and lectures were organised for various target groups at Bielefeld University with the aim of strengthening counselling and support structures.

The workshops, which are organised on an ongoing basis, aim to sensitise student multipliers to the topic of mental health.

The coaching offer for student councils focused on raising awareness of diversity and discrimination, especially with regard to the diversity-sensitive organisation of orientation events for first-year students.

The Diversity Department (P/O.6) took part in the "D:E:I Forum 2024 - Perspectives on Diversity" organised by TH OWL in Detmold with an input. The forum offers an exchange and knowledge platform with keynote speeches, workshops and interactive participation formats with internal and external experts as well as students from various universities and colleges in OWL.

In a blog post on the Diversity of Disabilities, the ZAB draws attention to specific barriers faced by people with dyslexia and dyscalculia.

In the video, the ZAB publishes an experience report on the orientation of a blind person on the campus of Bielefeld University. A blind student takes viewers with him on his journey across the campus.

The ZAB is launching the public event series"ZAB - Forum Accessibility". At the ZAB - Forum Accessibility, speakers will address the topics of active participation and accessibility at universities and beyond. Contributions from science and research as well as insights into practice offer an interdisciplinary and multi-layered examination of the conditions for success for an accessible society.

The workshop focused on sensitising student council members to the topics of discrimination and awareness in preparation for the orientation events for first-year students.

The workshop focused on strengthening awareness work within the student councils, especially with regard to the diversity-sensitive organisation of orientation events for first-year students.

Campusradio Hertz is producing a programme on the topic of"Breaking down barriers in the mind - Accessibility at Bielefeld University". The guests are employees of the ZAB and students from the autonomous department for students with disabilities and other strengths (RSB) of the General Student Committee (AStA).

The ZAB publishes a blog post on the diversity of disabilities.

The ZAB publishes two videos on the Diversity of Disabilities. A blind law student talks about his experiences during his studies.

Short version and long version.

The ZAB publishes experience reports on the Diversity of Disabilities. In the video, employees with severe disabilities talk about their everyday life at the university.

The ZAB regularly posts about its work, the action plan and events relating to disability and accessibility on the Accessibility blog.

The ZAB opens and runs its own Instagram channel.

The ZAB opens and runs its own YouTube channel.

At Bielefeld University, the use of the gender asterisk is recommended as a gender-sensitive procedure for written language. A website supports university members in using gender-sensitive language and communication.

The programme gave queer employees the opportunity to network within the university.

Development of an ongoing training programme "Shaping accessibility together: Basics for accessible teaching and working environments" for employees in science and teaching as well as technology and administration.

The MAB, which was conducted from September to November 2023, included questions on the topics of diversity, discrimination, dealing with power, inclusion, disability and accessibility.

The ZAB is developing and publishing a web portal with a well-founded range of information on reducing barriers in the workplace for employees with disabilities at Bielefeld University. The portal is an example of best practice in the German university landscape.

Employees can use the PEVZ to enter or change their name for all internal systems without submitting proof. A change of e-mail address and display name is possible via PRISMA.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the funding programme, the Rectorate is revising the funding model and expanding the funding programme on the initiative of the Representative Body for Severely Disabled Employees. Bielefeld University is now funding six positions with a 32.5% funding share per calendar year for a maximum of four years. The funding period can be utilised flexibly and according to need within this time frame.

The new funding programme serves as an example of best practice for other universities.

Train-the-trainer event for internal and external trainers from Bielefeld University's academic staff development programme on the diversity-sensitive promotion of young researchers, with a special focus on the diversity aspect of disability/chronic illness. Cooperation event with the Diversity-sensitive promotion of young researchers (DiNa) working group in the Diversity Audit "Vielfalt gestalten".

Training event in the PEP network on diversity-sensitive promotion of young researchers with special consideration of the diversity aspect of disability / chronic illness. Cooperation event with the Diversity-Sensitive Promotion of Young Researchers (DiNa) working group in the Diversity Audit "Vielfalt gestalten".

Checklists for accessible event organisation in presence and in Zoom provide employees with a practical tool.

With the newly created networking group "In the Spectrum" for students and employees, the ZAB offers a space for self-help support at Bielefeld University. Designed by and for people on the autism spectrum, all participants have the opportunity to actively help shape the group. The meetings create an appreciative and confidential space in which personal experiences can be shared, mutual support can be offered and strategies for everyday university life can be developed together.

At the event, the steps that are usually required to get a place in psychotherapy will be presented. In addition, LiLiGoesMental team members will talk about their personal experiences of finding a place in therapy. A block for questions and discussion rounds off the event.

Together with the Facility Management Department, the ZAB provides lockers on campus for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses for the semester-long storage of disability-related equipment or to make studying easier for students with disabilities (e.g. storage of heavy books for students with muscle weakness).

At the LiLiGoesMental and ZAB cooperation event, students have the opportunity to make contacts and find out about volunteering opportunities at Bielefeld University. Eight different university groups will introduce themselves at the event. One aim of the event is to create networking opportunities for students to prevent loneliness.

Once a semester, the ZAB and the Career Service jointly offer an event for students on the topic of applying for jobs with a disability or chronic illness with various speakers.

The workshop for students focussed on how to deal with sexual harassment and violence at the study place. The workshop was conducted by the Frauenennotruf Bielefeld e.V. and is based on an ongoing workshop offered by the Frauennotruf Bielefeld e.V. for employees in the staff development programme for researchers and teaching staff.

The call name can be used for printing the UniCard. There are no costs for a first-time subsequent name entry/change.

Further information on changing the name and gender entry.

The ZAB develops and implements the peer mentoring programme "AccessAbility". The programme runs for one semester in a tandem structure consisting of a student mentor and mentee and offers an accompanying programme of events and low-threshold access to the ZAB counselling service. The aims of the programme are to inform and educate students about their rights and obligations as well as to network and empower them.

In the online information event, the ZSB and ZAB will present their respective counselling and support services. The event takes place as part of the information weeks for prospective students.

To strengthen financial support, the ZAB prepares scholarship opportunities for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses for the student portal.

The ZAB is developing and publishing a web portal for prospective students and students with disabilities or chronic illnesses at Bielefeld University.

The ZAB publishes a flyer about the aims and services of the ZAB for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses. The flyer is distributed in the first semester bags, among other things.

A separate counselling office (0.5 TV-L E13) will be set up in the ZAB to support the staff of the representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses.

Students can use PRISMA to enter or change their call name for all internal systems without submitting proof. It is also possible to change the e-mail address and display name via PRISMA.

Further information on changing the name and gender entry.

The Gender Equality Office has published the current version of the handout "TIN*Discrimination-aware Teaching". The handout is intended to sensitise teaching staff to the specific hurdles faced by trans*, inter* and non-binary (TIN*) students in everyday university life and show them how they can make their own teaching more gender-sensitive.

The ZAB gives a keynote speech on the topic of simple and easy language.

The workshop for researchers and teaching staff focussed on research and working in diverse teams, clarifying role expectations and questioning prejudices.

The workshop for researchers and teaching staff focussed on the topics of diversity and (cultural) sensitivity in studies, teaching and research.

The workshops for researchers and teaching staff focused on raising awareness of the issue of gender diversity.

The workshops for researchers and teaching staff focussed on the topics of critique of racism, critical whiteness and white allyship.

The SHUFFLE project publishes an introductory video on Universal Design for Learning.

At the beginning of each semester, teaching staff receive a circular email with information about acoustic barriers in teaching and instructions on how to use inductive hearing systems.

The Faculty of History, Philosophy and Theology's Department of Philosophy organises a quality session on the topic of "accessible philosophy studies". The ZAB holds a lecture on the topic of "Participation and barriers in studying".

The ZAB awards projects on digital accessibility to students on bachelor courses in Cognitive Informatics (BA) and Intelligent Interactive Systems for the acquisition of credit points.

The university publishes the legally required declaration on the accessibility of the web applications and software used at the university. The WCAG reports are listed at https://www.uni-bielefeld.de/barrierefreiheit/.

The ZAB is expanding its training programme for employees in science and teaching as well as technology and administration with the two events "Accessible document creation with PowerPoint and Word" and "Accessible websites with the university content management system".

The representative is trained by the ZAB in the area of digital accessibility. The student office provides accessible PDF documents and integrates accessible online forms into its website.

In the summer semester 2022, 110 computer science students from the Faculty of Technology are working in ten teams to develop prototypes of a testing platform that teaching staff can use to check their digital learning spaces for accessibility. A mixture of automated and manual checking options gives teaching staff feedback on the accessibility of their respective learning spaces in both Moodle and ILIAS and shows solutions for eliminating digital barriers. Gamification approaches enhance user-friendliness for teaching staff. The three best prototypes will be honoured with cash prizes of up to 5,000 €.

The ZAB publishes the following three videos on its own YouTube channel:
Using the Web Disability Simulator
Website accessibility test with the Wave Evaluation Tool
Video explaining the concept of digital accessibility

The ZAB trains employees of the university library in digital accessibility. The library then develops a new, accessible interface for Katalog.plus. The interface is checked for accessibility by the ZAB.

The ZAB supervises bachelor theses on digital accessibility that are written at the Faculty of Technology.

The Communication Unit takes into account the requirements for digital accessibility in the template of the university portal. The ZAB advises the Communication Unit and supports the process.

The ZAB checks the EvaSys software for accessibility. The programme manufacturer receives an error report and documentation on the accessibility of the programme.

The ZAB is developing and publishing a web portal for the removal of digital barriers at the university. The portal provides information and instructions for implementing digital accessibility.

In the ZAB project Digital Accessibility in Studies and Teaching, a guest teaching programme on the basics of digital accessibility is being developed and implemented at various faculties.

The criteria for digital accessibility are taken into account when adapting the ekVV to the university's new corporate design. The ZAB is testing the new template for accessibility.

The ZAB offers presentations, lectures and short inputs on digital accessibility on request.

The ZAB continuously offers the training course "Fundamentals of digital accessibility" for employees in science and teaching as well as in technology and administration. The content is adapted to the specific institution as required.

The ZAB creates a video for its own video channel to demonstrate the lack of digital accessibility on the internet. A screen reader reads out a non-accessible page (voice-over).

The ZAB publishes the following video instructions on its own YouTube channel:
Integration of alternative texts for images
Implementing sufficient contrast on websites
Making links accessible

The seminar "Inclusion meets digitalisation" at the Faculty of Educational Science will be accompanied by the project Digital Accessibility in Studies and Teaching in the winter semester 2020/21. In addition to a guest lecture, the digital learning space will be checked for accessibility and suggestions for improvement will be made. Students will be guided in implementing the suggestions for improvement.

The ZAB provides a poster with contacts for dealing with acute emergencies and crises.

The UniMaps team supports visitors to the Night of Sounds. All artistic stations are integrated into the app in advance and corresponding QR codes are created for the programme booklet.

The ZAB publishes two videos on assistive technologies for people with visual impairments. A blind student presents the workstation for the blind and the reading device in the ZAB's Louis Braille Room.

The representation of severely disabled persons is organising the workshop on accessible building with a tour of the university campus for representatives of university committees. An external specialist planner has been invited as a consultant.

At the suggestion of the representation of severely disabled persons, the Communication Unit, together with the Facility Management Department, develops and publishes a campus map showing all disabled parking spaces.

Together with the Facility Management department and the TIL team, the ZAB produces stickers with the words "Inductive hearing system". The stickers are distributed on doors throughout the university campus and mark all rooms in which induction systems are permanently installed.

The ZAB provides information about barrier-free infrastructure on campus in its own web portal.

The ZAB has two workrooms for self-study and examinations for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses. One room is equipped with assistive technologies, while the other is designed to minimise stimuli. Students can book the rooms via the ZAB.

The ZAB presents the app for barrier-free campus navigation - UniMaps - in a video.

The ZAB publishes a demo video on the possibilities of the free UniMaps app.

At the suggestion of the representation of severely disabled persons, Facility Management Department has planned and created a barrier-free route to the new South Campus.

Since 2019, dispensers for free period products have been made available at Bielefeld University on the initiative of the student body. Care has been taken to ensure that people of all genders, as well as people who use barrier-free toilets, have easy access to the dispensers. Where the dispensers can be found on campus can be found on the Gender Equality Portal.

Since 2018, existing toilets at Bielefeld University have been converted into all-gender toilets on the initiative of the student body and all-gender toilets have been considered in the planning phase of new buildings. You can find out where the all-gender toilets are located on the Gender Equality Portal.

Various aids and assistive technologies can be tested in the ZAB's aid pool and borrowed on a temporary basis if required.