In order to protect and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with all other citizens, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 13 December 2006 (Poland ratified this document on 6 September 2012).
Based on the social model of disability and the notion of human rights, concepts such as universal design or reasonable accommodation, among others, were defined. Accessibility is the focus of Article 9.
Ratification of the Convention implies a commitment to introducing standards of conduct that will lead to the realisation of these rights. In the spirit of the Convention and bearing in mind Articles 30–32 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, national laws are being drafted which regulate accessibility in whole or in part. Examples are the following laws:
- Act on Ensuring Accessibility of Public Entities to Persons with Specific Needs of 19 July 2019, where the obligations of universities with regard to physical (architectural), digital as well as information and communication accessibility and the complaint procedure are formulated
- Act on Digital Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of 4 April 2019, as amended, i.e. the Act Amending the Act on Digital Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Entities of 9 March 2023, under which universities are obliged, among other things, to create and update their accessibility statements
- Act on Polish Sign Language and Other Means of Communication of 19 August 2011, which does not apply directly to higher education institutions, but is referred to in the Act on Ensuring Accessibility in Means of Supporting Communication contained in Art. 3(5)
- Higher Education and Science Act of 20 July 2018, as amended, where Art. 6(1)(6) emphasises that one of the basic obligations of higher education institutions is to create conditions for persons with disabilities to participate fully in the process of admission to them for the purpose of education, training and scientific activity
- Public Procurement Act of 11 September 2019, where in Art. 100(1) the legislator stipulates that in the case of contracts intended for the use of individuals, including employees of the contracting authority, the description of the subject matter of the contract shall be drawn up, taking into account accessibility requirements for persons with disabilities and design for all users, unless this is not justified by the nature of the subject matter of the contract.
With reference to acts of international and national law and with a sense of responsibility, the Jagiellonian University’s Development Strategy until 2030 has been formulated, where accessibility is defined as a social value.
In order to create conditions for ensuring accessibility at the Jagiellonian University, acts of internal law are updated and created:
- Ordinance No. 20 of the Rector of the Jagiellonian University of 22 February 2023 on the principles for the implementation of the Jagiellonian University’s accessibility policy towards the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with specific needs
- Ordinance No. 150 of the Jagiellonian University Rector of 22 December 2020 on adapting the process of education and research to the needs of persons with disabilities and in specific health circumstances
- Ordinance No. 64 of the JU Rector of 23 May 2023 on the principles of drawing up Individual Evacuation Plans
- Communication No. 7 of the JU Deputy Rector for Development of 21 March 2023 on the publication and updating of accessibility statements for websites and mobile applications
- Circular letter No. 9 of the JU Provost of 29 April 2015 on the rules for evacuation of persons with disabilities from Jagiellonian University facilities.
The substantive units of the Jagiellonian University develop regulations aimed at ensuring accessibility within their areas of responsibility, e.g.:
- Rules for the submission of content for publication on the University’s social media and on the JU website - section ‘Obligation to provide transcription of video material’
- Regulations for publishing information in the Jagiellonian University Public Information Bulletin - Article 1(3)(5) and (6).
Ensuring accessibility is a process in which it is useful to refer to guidelines and good practices. These include:
- Włącznik (Includer): barrier-free design)
- Standards for the design of buildings for persons with disabilities
- Bilet dostępu (Access Ticket): a guide to organising accessible events at the Jagiellonian University
- Accessibility knowledge database of the JU Public Procurement Office
- Annex 2: Accessibility Standards for the Cohesion Policy 2021–2027
The Jagiellonian University endeavours to ensure accessibility for persons with diverse needs not only in terms of meeting the minimum requirements set out in the legislation, but to compete with the best universities in Europe and the world in the area of accessibility provision.