BeAble – Studying Without Barriers

Everyone deserves the same opportunities – on campus and beyond

Studying at a university means exploring new possibilities, new avenues, and new perspectives. However, for students with disabilities, everyday student life can seem much like an obstacle course – whether it’s physical barriers, a lack of support, or uncertainties in their academic pursuits. At WU, we don’t want anyone to fail because of structural obstacles or a lack of equal opportunities. The BeAble program was set up precisely to help break down these barriers.

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BeAble gives students the support they need to fully develop their potential. More than 120 students have already taken advantage of our BeAble services – from individual counseling sessions to special exam arrangements and social networking. But BeAble is about more than just providing hands-on support to students during their studies – it aims to create an environment where everyone has the same opportunities and no one is held back by barriers because of an impairment.

Eliminating physical barriers is important, but true accessibility means so much more. At WU, it starts with an inclusive infrastructure: 1.5 kilometers of tactile guidance systems, 90 induction loops for hearing aids, 650 automatic doors, and barrier-free sanitary facilities and first-aid rooms. Campus WU is designed to allow as many people as possible to move around freely and independently. But there’s more to true inclusion than that – it also requires mutual understanding, an awareness of different life realities, and a university community that doesn’t exclude anyone.

That’s why BeAble not only offers personalized support but also advisory services to help WU’s faculty and staff to take barrier-free teaching and working to the next level. The experiences of BeAble participants are also incorporated into a long-term analysis of the academic and professional success rates of students with disabilities. After all, equal opportunities not only matter on campus but also in professional life.

For WU, equal opportunities are more than just a buzzword or mere lip service. The BeAble program ensures that equal opportunities are a principle and a practice we all live by at WU.

Studierende mit und ohne Beeinträchtigung lernen in der WU-Bibliothek

“I finally enrolled in BeAble when I realized that I had major problems and needed help. The first two years of study were an adjustment phase for me in which I felt lost. In the beginning I was embarrassed to ask someone for help. I was always afraid of looking stupid and showing that I couldn’t do something.”

Student enrolled in the BeAble Program

Key Facts

  • Currently, more than 120 students are supported by the BeAble Program.

  • 1.5 kilometers of tactile paving on Campus WU

  • 90 audio induction loop systems on Campus WU

  • 109 accessible restrooms and showers on Campus WU

  • 43 elevators with voice announcements on Campus WU

  • 650 automatic doors on Campus WU

  • 13 accessible first-aid rooms on Campus WU

SDGs