On Tuesday, 3 February 2015, the Salas Foundation renewed its commitment to the UIC's Postgraduate Programme in Accessibility and Design for All, which is run by the ESARQ School of Architecture and will celebrate its fifth anniversary in October. The signing of the renewal agreement was attended by UIC Rector Dr. Pere Alavedra and architect and Programme Director Enrique Rovira-Beleta.
The programme is the first formal academic initiative to take a comprehensive approach to exploring accessibility and place it within a cross-cutting framework. It is of great value in helping to ensure that “design for all” is both universal and versatile, given that accessibility requirements vary from country to country.
“This course presents an opportunity to discover the abilities of the disabled and to show that accessibility is beneficial to all citizens, not just a necessity for the disabled”, said Rovira-Beleta, the Programme Director. The programme aims to develop a standardized design for everything that can make cities, buildings, homes, transport networks and communication systems convenient and safe for everyone, especially those with reduced mobility and/or communication skills.
The programme, which includes theory as well as practical elements, comprises virtual, interactive online work sessions that enable students to study from anywhere in the world. The teaching staff includes professionals of renowned prestige from around the world, drawn from the various sectors related to the field of “design for all”, and representatives of organizations for the disabled and institutions that offer services related to universal accessibility.
