Aalto University

Accessibility

Diversity and accessibility are the guiding principles of equality at Aalto University. Accessibility of tuition and services with digital accessibility support the Aalto community in making sure that everyone has the opportunity to access the university’s knowledge, ideas, and resources.

diversity of aalto people — Diversity of Aalto people and partners

Accessibility and a barrier-free campus

Diversity and accessibility are the guiding principles of equality at Aalto University. This article provides an overview of the background and policy principles related to the Accessible Aalto. In addition, other additional details and resources are included as links on this page.

Accessibility refers to convenience of use and access to education, research and related support services regardless of the diverse qualities of individuals. The accessible operating environment of Aalto is enabling and inclusive as our operations reflect the interactions, learning, research and work of all members of the Aalto community. Through its work on accessibility, Aalto University creates high-quality, barrier-free and efficient services and related support systems for research, education and academic management (Aalto University strategy).

The enabling environment of the Accessible Aalto will be executed with the following principles:

We are proactive developers in accessibility issues.
We improve equality in all our functions and teams.
Aalto community members are encouraged to suggests improvements to the obstacles and hindraces they observe in daily activities.
We will favour positive attitudes to accessibility and augment the know-how by discourse and continuous learning.
We apply the principles of sustainable development to the accessible Aalto.

The terms accessibility and barrier-free design are commonly used interchangeably. However, they differ to some extent:

Accessibility refers to the degree to which the environment, products, and services are accessible to people with different abilities.
Barrier-free describes the effort of removing physical barriers from the "built environment" for people with disabilities. Barrier-free design addresses the issue of access. Barrier-free design focuses on disability and accommodating people with disabilities in the physical environment.

Servicemap (external link)

All the services in the metropolitan area within your reach. Search for services, units or addresses, including Aalto University premises at Otaniemi

Aalto University schools and units on Servicemap

Otaniemi campus to develop into a lively neighbourhood

The university's campus is in Otaniemi, home of the lively community that supports innovations. The goal of the campus development is to mix valuable history and new ways of planning.

Accessibility in AYY rental facilities (external link)

AYY has paid more attention to the accessibility and reachability of rental facilities. Some of the facilities are nearly accessible, and we also now provide more information on accessible facilities in advance.

Barrier-free environment (external link)

Barrier-free environment takes into account the diversity of people in designing and implementation (in Finnish).

Pyörätuolilla liikkuva matkustaja siirtymässä metroon

News

Hearing loops

Assistive technology - an important part of enabling environment

New university websites

New university websites created on or after 23 September 2018, must meet accessibility standards and must publish an accessibility statement by 23 September 2019.
Review and update your statement regularly.

Existing websites and videos

Most existing websites that were published before 23 September 2018 need to comply with the accessibility regulations by 23rd September 2020.
Note, that intranets and extranets need to comply from when there are significant changes to them.
Pre-recorded video or audio content published on or after the 23^rd of September 2020 must be accessible.

Accessibility and students

At Aalto University, all students can focus on their studies with the highest degree of equality possible. For individual reasons, students can receive an extension to an examination period or use aids in their studies, for example. Such individual solutions are agreed upon, during a confidential meeting, with the school’s student affairs planning officer or course teacher. Advice on accessibility matters can also be requested from the university’s accessibility specialist, study psychologist, or tutor.

Accessibility and accessibility of studies are laid down in Section 24 of the Aalto University General Regulations on Teaching and Studying:

Section 24 Accessibility of studies

Should the student, due to an impairment restricting his/her ability to study or other health condition, be unable to complete courses as provided in the curriculum or on the course, the school is obligated to take reasonable measures to organise an alternative mode of completing the study attainment. Such students are required to demonstrate the same level of knowledge and skills as the other students.

Further provisions on the accessibility of studies shall be given by the Aalto University Academic Affairs Committee.

The guide for diverse learners

Diverse learners (into.aalto.fi)

Study at Aalto

Do you want to study in the Nordics in Finland? At Aalto University science and art meet technology and business. We believe in the power of curiosity and encourage our students to explore the unknown as well as to learn and do things in a whole new way.

Admission Services

Aalto University organises several admissions. On this page you can find instructions for applying to Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral programmes.

People

Aalto University has six schools with nearly 12 000 students and 4 000 employees of whom about 400 are professors. While our new People page is still under development visit our current Aalto People site. Get to know our experts in technology, business and art.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Aalto

We aim to be a diverse and inclusive community where all students, faculty, staff and stakeholders feel a sense of belonging and can fulfill their professional, educational and social aspirations fully.

Kuvassa eri-ikäisiä ja erimaalaisia ihmisiä työskentelemässä yhdessä. Kuva: Aleksi Poutanen

Individual study arrangements

Each Aalto student has a right to reasonable individual study arrangements due to an impairment restricting his/her ability to study or other health condition.

Aalto University's management: We call everyone to take action against racism and discrimination

There's no place for racism in the scientific community says the management of Aalto University in its statement. As a university, Aalto is working hard to develop an open and diverse community.

Aalto University flags. Photo: Aino Huovio

Code of Conduct

The Aalto Code of Conduct summarises the principles of fair play and integrity that govern our activities and sets out guidelines for the kind of behaviour that we expect of each other. It is based on Aalto’s values and establishes a common operational culture.

Digital Accessibility

Digital accessibility guidance for Aalto web sites, e-services, mobile applications and documents to implement the national Act on the Provision of Digital Services (306/2019).

Student at laptop. Photo by Aalto University / Aino Huovio

IT Help

Here you can find instructions related to IT Services and current news.

Digital accessibility is a shared community practice

Web accessibility enables everyone to perceive, understand, navigate and interact with our web content and services regardless of individual differences. Making Aalto websites and apps more accessible results in an overall better user experience for everyone, not only for users with disabilities. Virtual learning (E-learning) accessibility involves both the content and the platform to be accessible, in order to be effective in the long run.

Technical standards for accessibility stands for issues like an option to use our university websites easily with assistive technology.
Accessible content stands for comprehensible, adoptable and usable web pages and other information.

Practical promotion of the accessibility requirements is quite simple:

Save your word, powerpoint, excel and pdf files in accessible format by the built-in tools of the programmes
Use styles in headlines and write simple and clear headlines dividing the body text in sections with logical subheadings
Write helpful link texts with a meaning
Learn to writhe good alt texts: Describe the image as specifically as possible. Alt text provides text explanations of images for users who are unable to see them.
Write subtitles/captions for your video presentations

Thus, it is quite easy to follow accessibility requirements in daily work. Learn to use built-in styles in your Word of PowerPoint documents. This simple change in personal writing makes a big difference if somebody needs to use assistive technology while reading or listening your content.

Aalto University Accessibility Coordination Group

Diversity and accessibility are the guiding principles of equality at Aalto University. Accessibility of teaching and other academic activities, campus, and services both physically and digitally support the Aalto community in making sure that everyone has the opportunity to access the university’s knowledge, ideas, and resources.
Aalto University’s Accessibility coordination group is formed to improve coordination across domains.

Aalto University Accessibility Coordination Group members from May 1st, 2021

AccANet - Accessible Aalto Network for collaboration

Accessible Aalto Network (AccANet) is for collaboration and knowledge building to improve our main processes and quality at Aalto University. AccANet members are volunteers who have agreed with their directors to promote accessibility in schools and units. Network members serve as human nodes for different kinds of accessibility issues met in our daily activities. In addition, AccaNet updates the tri-annual Aalto University Accessibility Implementation Plan with the help of their peers.

Enabling environment (all possible accessibility issues): Antti Raike
Dyslexia; specific reading and writing difficulties in the mother tongue and in foreign languages; (foreign) language learning and teaching: Signe-Anita Lindgrén
Mappings, plans and surveys for barrier-free environment: Ilpo Korhonen
Students and social life on campus: Esa-Pekka Mattila, kokemusasiantuntija, AYY.
Harald Herling Learning Centre: Risto Maijala
AV equipment services and development: Peter Simontschuk and Janne Lummaa
Coordination of the equality work: Anna Hynynen
Lawyer Anni Tuomela