Disability Support Services

Sakarya Sakarya University is committed to inclusivity and equal access to education for all students, including those with disabilities. Disability-related activities are coordinated under the Barrier-Free Life and Support Coordinatorship (Engelsiz Yaşam ve Destek Koordinatörlüğü), which ensures the academic, social, and cultural participation of students with disabilities. The unit operates in cooperation with faculty-based Accessible Life Representatives, who monitor accessibility practices within their departments and report regularly to the Coordinatorship. This structure aligns with the university’s inclusive education policies and contributes to national initiatives such as the Council of Higher Education’s (YÖK) “Accessible University Flag” Program.

The Coordinatorship provides a comprehensive portfolio of services addressing academic, administrative, physical, psychological, and social needs. These services are designed not only as reactive accommodations but as proactive, year-round mechanisms for empowerment and equal participation. Through its integrated approach, the university ensures that students with disabilities can take part in every aspect of university life.

These services include, but are not limited to:

• Barrier-Free Life and Support Coordinatorship: This dedicated unit identifies and addresses the academic, administrative, physical, psychological, accommodation, and social needs of students with disabilities. It develops and implements tailored programs—such as orientation sessions, mentoring schemes, and inclusion training—to ensure equal participation in all university activities.
• Assistive Services and Technologies: The university provides access to various assistive devices and digital tools, including screen readers, magnifiers, and braille materials. Collaboration with the Visually Impaired Support Unit enables the conversion of learning materials into accessible formats and supports students through adaptive technologies for inclusive learning. To ensure that students with disabilities can pursue their education on the basis of equal opportunity and that their academic performance is not adversely affected, the provisions of the Accessible Living and Support Coordination and Accommodation Services Directive are implemented across all academic programs of the university.
• Personal Assistance: Depending on individual requirements, Sakarya University offers personal assistants, peer note-takers, sign language interpreters, and mentoring support to help students engage effectively in both academic and social contexts. Guidance is also provided for scholarship opportunities and part-time employment positions reserved for students with disabilities.
• Accessible Facilities: Campus infrastructure is equipped with ramps, elevators, tactile surfaces, induction loops, and accessible restrooms to ensure full physical accessibility across all faculties and administrative buildings. The Green Campus initiative systematically documents and upgrades these features to meet evolving accessibility standards.
• The university provides physical accessibility for hearing-impaired individuals through induction loop systems in the Medico Health Center and the Cultural & Congress Center. In addition, 120 hours of Turkish Sign Language training was delivered to healthcare staff to ensure accessible communication in clinical services. Children requiring special care are prioritized for outpatient or general anesthesia treatment in the Pediatric Dentistry Department.

In 2024, Sakarya University maintained an active and structured disability-support agenda that demonstrated both institutional maturity and innovation. During the first quarter, preparations for the YÖK Accessible University Flag Awards were carried out, involving internal evaluations and coordination meetings with faculties. In June 2024, the university received Green, Blue, and Program Badge (Nişan) recognitions from YÖK for its achievements in educational, social, and cultural accessibility. In August, the Faculty of Law hosted the Accessible Summer School, an orientation and engagement event that brought together students, faculty mentors, and peers to promote inclusive academic interaction. In September, Sakarya University earned the Accessible Informatics Education Award for leadership in digital accessibility and inclusive online learning practices. By October and November, unit-level Accessible Life Representatives meetings were convened to evaluate progress and plan further improvements in both academic and physical accessibility. Throughout the year, the university also promoted Erasmus+ Inclusion Support grants for students with disabilities, helping them to participate fully in international mobility programs.

Complementing these services and initiatives, the university’s physical infrastructure supports full accessibility. The Green Campus program records and continuously enhances features such as ramps, elevators, tactile pathways, induction loops, and accessible toilets. Student housing includes rooms specifically adapted for students with disabilities, while the network of academic units ensures that accessibility standards are implemented consistently across faculties and institutes.

Communication and awareness are central to Sakarya University’s inclusive culture. The Barrier-Free Life and Support Coordinatorship regularly disseminates news and updates through the official university portals, highlighting projects such as the Accessible Summer School, YÖK Flag Awards, Erasmus+ Inclusion Activities, and accessibility awareness training sessions. These digital communications, together with in-person programs, foster a university-wide culture of empathy, equality, and shared responsibility for inclusion.

Through its integrated coordination framework, specialized units, assistive technologies, inclusive infrastructure, and award-winning engagement programs, Sakarya University demonstrates a lasting institutional commitment to barrier-free education. Its holistic model—balancing policy, infrastructure, technology, and human-centered support—ensures that all students with disabilities can learn, participate, and thrive within an equitable and accessible academic environment.

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