Barrier-free ETH – a change of perspective and podium discussion
In April and May, interested ETH members will have the chance to navigate the ETH campus in a wheelchair or with a white cane to gain a different perspective. This is one of the various events offered as part of the “Design for all” awareness campaign. ETH has now also published an accessibility statement.
How do I find the seminar room if I have very limited vision? How do I negotiate the ramp and cobblestones at HPH in a wheelchair? And how does it feel in general to navigate your way around ETH if you have a disability?
The “Change of Perspective” awareness-raising workshops in April and May this year will provide answers to these questions and offer many new experiences. Using either a wheelchair or a white cane and an eye mask or simulator goggles, interested ETH members can “experience” and “view” the University from a completely new perspective.
The workshops are part of a wider “Design for all” campaign at ETH. Switzerland ratified the external page UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) back in 2014. Nevertheless, people with disabilities continue to face obstacles on a daily basis, in things like accessing buildings, getting information and attending events.
To highlight this situation, raise awareness and share information, ETH Zurich will be launching the “Design for all” campaign on 17 April. Because accessibility affects us all. Every day, we all encounter obstacles – some easier, others harder to overcome. The limitations imposed on us by our surroundings vary depending on our physical condition.
An accident, an illness or simply getting older can mean things like a steep flight of stairs, tiny print or poor room acoustics can suddenly present insurmountable barriers that exclude people with limited mobility or with disabilities.
ETH Zurich is striving to minimise these barriers, or better yet eliminate them altogether. The aim is for the University’s design to offer everyone the fullest possible access to buildings and services – according to the “Design for all” standard (see box).
Accessibility statement
ETH published an accessibility statement in late 2022 as part of the “Accessible Communication” project. It sets a clear goal: “The ETH Zurich website should be as accessible as possible for everyone. In the sections below, ETH Zurich provides a transparent overview of what is already accessible, where there are still obstacles, and which content cannot be made accessible and why.”
What does this mean in specific terms? One example: the user should be able to zoom to 400% without problems and to navigate by keyboard only, without a mouse or other pointing device. Learn more on compliance status, ongoing optimisations, and exceptions in the accessibility statement.
Design for all
Did you know? “Design for all” is an international design concept that focuses on creating environments, equipment and processes that can be used by everyone, or as many people as possible, without the need for adaptations or specialisation.
You can find more information on the campaign, awareness-raising workshops, and other events on the website ethz.ch/designforall.
Barrier-free at ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich is committed to accessibility. The aim is that over the next few years, people with disabilities or people with special needs – whether students, lecturers, researchers, staff or visitors – will benefit from greatly improved access to ETH buildings and services.
The proposed measures will be implemented in 14 sub-projects under three categories: “Construction, Building Usage and Architecture”, “Organisation and Culture” and “Technology, Communication and Teaching”.
You can find more information about the programme and the 14 sub-projects on the programme website.
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