Representative for Students with Disabilities and/or Chronic Illnesses

Universities in Germany generally have a representative for students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses. This person acts as the central point of contact for students who wish to seek advice due to a disability or a long-term health condition.

Their responsibilities include, amongst other things:

• Advice on disadvantage compensation (e.g. regarding examinations, deadlines or the organisation of studies)
• Support with access to accessible study materials and digital accessibility
• Information on legal entitlements and financial support (e.g. BAföG regulations, assistive technology)
• Referrals to other service and advisory centres within and outside the university

The representative also frequently plays a role at a structural level within the university by advocating for the removal of barriers, raising awareness amongst teaching staff, and promoting the implementation of inclusive structures within the degree programme.

The legal basis includes, amongst other things, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), which calls for equal access to higher education, as well as the respective higher education laws of the federal states, many of which provide for the establishment of such a representative's office.