A S U

As part of its commitment to fostering an inclusive university environment, the Education and Student Affairs Sector at Ain Shams University, represented by the Center for Students with Disabilities Services, organized a specialized orientation seminar for faculty staff titled “Disability Equality and Educational Accessibility.”

This seminar formed a central component of the wider “Tamkeen” Initiative, which is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, with the kind hosting of Prof. Amira Youssef, Dean of the Faculty of Women.

The seminar was held on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Faculty of Women, and witnessed notable attendance from the college leadership and faculty staff, led by Prof. Rana El-Hilaly, Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities Services, and Prof. Asmaa Zaazaa, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Women for Education and Student Affairs.

The four-hour seminar focused on shifting the perception of disability from the “medical model” to the “social and rights-based model,” emphasizing that disability arises from environmental and behavioral barriers rather than from the individual.

The seminar consisted of two main components:

1. The theoretical component: It introduced the concept of “accessibility” in all its dimensions—academic, digital, and architectural—highlighting that it is a shared responsibility across all components of the educational institution.

2. The practical component: It included intensive training on digital accessibility tools and on preparing digital documents and files (Word, PDF, PowerPoint) that are compatible with screen-reader software for students with visual disabilities, ensuring their full access to educational content.

The seminar also stressed the importance of academic empowerment in higher education in accordance with the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, including supporting the academic inclusion of students, ensuring educational services for all disabilities, particularly visual impairment—and enhancing the quality of support provided to them.

The event saw positive and notable engagement from participants, who expressed great interest in integrating accessibility practices into their daily teaching.

At the conclusion of the seminar, the Center issued several key recommendations to ensure the sustainability of inclusion efforts. These included continuing awareness seminars and specialized workshops across all university faculties, preparing a simplified training guide for faculty staff on designing digitally accessible instructional materials, coordinating with the IT Unit to embed accessibility standards into university e-content development policies, and documenting activities to publish them on media platforms in support of the “Tamkeen” Initiative.

Prof. Rana El-Helaly affirmed that such seminars represent a fundamental step toward establishing Ain Shams University as a model of an inclusive university that ensures equal educational opportunities for all.

This took place under the administrative supervision of Mr. Ibrahim Saeed Hamza, Assistant Secretary for the Education and Student Affairs Sector at the university.