Experts stress the need of an accessible educational ecosystem in Europe in AccessibleEU workshop

The workshop “Enhancing an Accessible Educational Ecosystem” was co-organised with European University Cyprus and the Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technologies in Europe (AAATE) on 9 September 2025. 

Stakeholders from higher education, assistive tech development, government, and advocacy sectors identified specific gaps and discussed how curricula and institutional policies lag behind the expectations set out under the European Accessibility Act, especially regarding assistive technologies’ adoption and inclusive pedagogies. 

Concrete ideas emerged from the debates among experts for improving collaboration, including partnerships between educational institutions and technology providers, and better integration of universal design and assistive tech training for educators

Jose Luis Borau, Deputy Director of AccessibleEU, said: “Accessibility in education is not just about compliance with the law—it is about equity and dignity. By embedding universal design principles and embracing assistive technologies, we empower students with disabilities to thrive, and we enrich the entire learning environment for everyone.”

AccessibleEU will make available the recording of the event soon to ensure that the discussions and insights can reach a wider audience across Europe.