Accessibility and Inclusive Higher Education at Sakarya University
Sakarya University adopts accessibility as an institutional priority to ensure the full and effective participation of individuals with special needs in education, research and social life. Through the Barrier-Free Life and Support Coordinatorship, the University provides a comprehensive framework of targeted support, accessible campus infrastructure, accommodation opportunities and institutional policy measures for disabled individuals. The Coordinatorship supports students with special needs through individualized academic accommodations, psychosocial counselling services, scholarship opportunities, part-time employment possibilities, and accessible campus practices, enabling their full participation in academic, social and cultural life. In the 2025–2026 academic year, 95 students with special needs were enrolled at the University, including 61 in formal education and 34 in distance education.
Access programmes for disabled people, including mentoring or other targeted support
Sakarya University provides targeted support mechanisms for disabled individuals through its Barrier-Free Life and Support Coordinatorship. These include individualized academic accommodations, support for converting course materials into accessible formats, psychosocial counselling, scholarship opportunities, part-time employment support, and accessible digital and physical learning environments. The University also improves digital participation through the Accessible Sakarya University Information System (SABİS) and accessible content practices, including accessible announcements, accessible interfaces, and in-service training to ensure that digital communication is shared in accessible formats. In addition, the University’s Accessible Lifelong Learning Project, implemented with SAÜSEM, improved website and application accessibility, added keyboard shortcuts for visually impaired users, provided short and clear lecture notes, and added subtitles to pilot distance education videos for hearing-impaired participants.
Campus is easily accessible by people with disabilities
Sakarya University states that all physical and digital structures across campus, from information systems to social spaces, are organized in accordance with accessibility principles. This commitment is reflected in extensive recognition under the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Barrier-Free University Awards. In 2022, the University received 13 Orange Flags for accessibility in physical spaces, 20 Green Flags for accessibility in education, and 3 Blue Flags for accessibility in socio-cultural activities. Additional awards were received in 2023 and 2024, including new Orange, Green and Blue Flags for multiple faculties and units. In the 2025 Program Badge applications, Sakarya University ranked first in Türkiye with 40 programs, demonstrating broad academic accessibility across disability groups. Furthermore, in 2025 the University allocated TRY 2.5 million to accessibility initiatives, including accessible ramps, Braille signage, tactile guiding paths and accessible restrooms.
On-campus accommodation for people with disabilities
Sakarya University provides on-campus accessible accommodation through its Barrier-Free Guesthouse, which was established to meet the accommodation needs of individuals with special needs. This service is provided by the Dormitories Branch Directorate under the Health, Culture and Sports Department.
Policy or strategy outlining reasonable adjustments and provisions for disabled people, including adequate funding
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy:
Sakarya University has a publicly available Disability Policy that aims to ensure the full and effective participation of individuals with special needs in education, research and social life, based on principles of equality and accessibility. The policy commits the University to establishing an inclusive, accessible and sustainable university environment, developing rapid and effective solutions to challenges encountered, and designing projects and programmes that support the academic, psycho-social, cultural and professional development of individuals with special needs. This institutional strategy is supported by dedicated funding: in 2025, the University allocated TRY 2.5 million for architectural accessibility improvements across campus.
Sakarya University’s accessibility efforts are also reflected in its digital and educational inclusion systems. The University received the Barrier-Free Informatics Education Award in 2024 through its Accessible Lifelong Learning Project, and it continues to improve the accessibility of SABİS and other digital systems. These actions demonstrate that accessibility at Sakarya University is not limited to physical access, but extends to academic delivery, digital access, socio-cultural participation, accommodation and institutional policy.
