Support Services for People with Disabilities

Boğaziçi University provides comprehensive support services to ensure the full participation of individuals with disabilities in university life. These services aim to meet the academic, social, and physical needs of students and ensure that all individuals with disabilities have equal opportunities on campus.

Services for Visually Impaired Students

• Reading, Note Taking and Auxiliary Services: Audio and electronic books, braille materials and other resources are provided through GETEM (Technology and Education Laboratory for the Visually Impaired).
• Library and Laboratory Support: Materials are available in alternative formats, as well as braille reading rooms and audio study spaces.
• Campus Orientation and Independent Movement Training: Training and orientation services are provided for independent movement within the campus.
• Ease of Physical Access: There are audible traffic lights at two important intersections on the North Campus, campus maps and building access facilities are provided.

Services for Students with Physical Disabilities

• On-Campus Access and Transportation: Campus buildings have ramps, elevators and accessible toilets. In addition, classrooms can be relocated to accessible buildings.
• Laboratory and Note-taking Assistance: Students with physical disabilities are provided with the assistance they need in laboratories and classes.
• Accessible Parking Spaces: Accessible parking spaces are available throughout the campus.

Services for Hearing Impaired Students

• Note-takers and Tele-conferencing Systems: Note-taking and video recording support is provided during lectures.
• Visual Fire Alarms: There are visual fire alarms in the buildings on campus.

Services for Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities

• Note-taking and Tape Recording Support: Arrangements are made for these students during exams and classes.

Services for Students with Psychiatric and Psychological Problems

• Psychiatrist Support: Psychological and psychiatric support services are provided through Mediko Social Structure and BÜREM (Guidance and Psychological Counseling Center).

In addition to all these services, Boğaziçi University organizes various programs and activities that support the participation of students with disabilities in social and cultural activities, and organizes events such as the White Cane and Access Festival every year to raise awareness about disabilities.

• Disabled Students Unit
• Disability Commission

These services reflect Boğaziçi University's commitment to providing full access to education, social life and campus facilities for people with disabilities.

Why should disabled applicants choose Boğaziçi University?

Boğaziçi University emphasises that it offers an accessible, inclusive and supportive academic environment for disabled applicants in its guide. The main advantages highlighted by the University's Disability Student Advisory and Coordination Unit and GETEM are as follows:

• Accessibility and Protection Against Discrimination: Students are provided with the opportunity to receive education without facing discrimination due to physical, cognitive or mental differences.
• Individual Support: Personalised support is provided from admission to graduation.
• Appropriate Accommodation and Transportation: Dormitory rooms are arranged according to the type of disability, and transportation support is provided within the campus.
• Course and Exam Adaptations: Course materials and exam conditions are adapted according to the type of disability (e.g. Braille, tactile materials, note-taking support).
• Technological and Educational Support: Training is provided on topics such as independent movement and computer use.
• Psychosocial Support: Guidance and support are provided by expert instructors.
• Disability Representation and Participation in Decision-Making Processes: Mechanisms are in place for students to make their voices heard.
• Access to Employment and Internship Opportunities: Students are informed about current opportunities.
• Accessible Social Areas: Common areas such as the cafeteria and sports hall are made accessible to everyone.
• Awareness and Inclusion: A more sensitive campus environment is encouraged through courses such as sign language.

Boğaziçi University works with a holistic approach that aims to remove barriers not only in education but also in social life. With its infrastructure that supports the full participation and individual development of students with disabilities, its expert staff, and its highly aware student body, it is a model university in Turkey.

Boğaziçi University Disability Services Unit website or GETEM resources can be visited. For detailed information, click here.

https://haberler.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/news/kampus/2/engelli-adaylar-neden-bogazici-universitesini/2852

Boğaziçi University Contributes to Accessible Culture: ‘Books to Voice’ Application

Boğaziçi University provides academic and technological support to Türk Telekom's ‘Accessible Theatre’ project. As part of this initiative, the ‘Voice of Books’ application, developed in collaboration with Boğaziçi University's Technology and Education Laboratory for the Visually Impaired (GETEM), enables volunteers to narrate books via their mobile phones, thereby facilitating access to cultural and literary content for visually impaired individuals.

The project encourages volunteer-based production of audiobooks, while Boğaziçi University's technological infrastructure and academic expertise contribute significantly to the widespread availability of accessible cultural content. This collaboration serves as a fine example of sustainable and socially beneficial cooperation between the private sector and academia.

https://haberler.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/news/diger/6/bogazici-universitesinden-erisilebilir-kultur/2912

2024 Sustainability Report SDG-10 (Related Section)

Support Units and Services for Persons with Disabilities

Boğaziçi University offers a variety of services to support the full and equal participation of individuals with disabilities in university life with the contribution of support units for disabled individuals and other university units. These services aim to eliminate the difficulties faced by students with disabilities, meet their needs and ensure their unhindered participation in campus life.

Disabled Students Counselling and Coordination Unit

Boğaziçi University Disabled Students Advisory and Coordination Unit carries out activities to ensure that all undergraduate and graduate students at our university benefit from academic, social and physical facilities in a full, equal, barrier-free and accessible manner. The unit identifies the obstacles faced by students with disabilities in their education processes, develops solutions to eliminate these obstacles and implements the necessary arrangements.

• Academic Arrangements: Collaborating with faculty members, departments and faculties to adapt course and exam practices in accordance with the student's disability status.
• Support Services: Determining the needs of students with disabilities in matters such as dormitories, scholarships and health services and developing solutions.
• Individual Adaptation: Preparing individual adaptation letters (compiling information about the organisation of educational environments and methods according to the needs of the student, taking into account the disability status) in coordination with the instructor and the student,
• Auxiliary Tools and Equipment: According to the types of disabilities of students with disabilities, to determine the auxiliary tools and equipment that would be beneficial for disabled students to acquire individually or that can be directly acquired by the university, and to carry out research and co-operation studies on their procurement.

Click here to go to the web page of the Disabled Students Counselling and Coordination Unit:

https://engelliler.bogazici.edu.tr/

Technology and Education Laboratory for the Visually Impaired (GETEM)

Boğaziçi University Technology and Education Laboratory for the Visually Impaired (GETEM) provides e-library services for visually impaired individuals across Turkey, enabling them to access audio and electronic books. In addition to approximately 400 thousand visually impaired individuals in Turkey, individuals with limited access to printed resources (paralysed, dyslexic) can also benefit from this project. The library collection mainly includes works in Turkish and English; in addition to literary genres such as stories, novels and poems, there are also textbooks, articles, lecture notes, lecture and conference recordings and scientific studies used in various educational institutions. In addition, a wide variety of content such as radio theatres, mp3 versions of audio-described films, audio computer and smart device user guides are also offered in the GETEM catalogue.

GETEM also supports the academic studies and personal development of visually impaired students at Boğaziçi University by providing special laboratory services. In addition, GETEM also undertakes the executive and secretariat activities of the Disabled Students Counselling and Coordination Unit. The main purpose of the Centre is to increase access to information for visually impaired individuals, to ensure equal opportunities in education and to play a pioneering role in barrier- free access to information.

Click here to visit GETEM e-library:

https://getem.boun.edu.tr/

Student Assistant Support

In order to minimise the difficulties faced by students with disabilities in education and campus life and to support their learning process, they are entitled to receive at least 8 hours of support per week from students working part-time at the university. This support is aimed at meeting the various academic and social needs of students with disabilities and helping them to participate more actively in campus life.

Psychosocial Support

For students with disabilities who need psychosocial support, professional psychological support services are provided through BÜREM (Student Guidance and Psychological Counselling Centre), BÜSÖD (Sarıtepe Student Support Unit) and BÜPAM (Psychology Research and Application Centre).

These services are designed to help students cope with emotional and social difficulties, facilitate their adaptation to university life, and enhance their psychological well-being. The support includes various services such as individual counselling and group work.

At Boğaziçi University, there is a strong communication and cooperation between the disability support units and other university units in order to ensure the full participation of individuals with disabilities in education and social life. These efforts aim to create an inclusive campus environment and provide equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Click here to go to the relevant web pages:

BÜREM: https://burem.bogazici.edu.tr/

BÜSÖD: http://saritepe.test.boun.edu.tr/?q=content/busod

BÜPAM: https://bupampsi.bogazici.edu.tr/