Higher Education Accessibility Guide (HEAG)

Welcome to the Higher education Accessibility Guide (HEAG) web area – a guide to disability support services in Higher Education Institutions across Europe.

To view these pages in other languages, please select your preferred language from the navigation box on the right. 

The HEAG project began in 2009, with 26 Agency member countries in addition to Croatia and Slovakia participating. The overall goal of the project is to provide the best possible information relevant for students with disabilities who are considering Higher Education study abroad possibilities. The intention is that this information will help students with disabilities and the professionals that support them to make decisions about possibilities for study programmes and exchange activities.

Project experts from the 28 countries have collaborated to collect focused information, which can be accessed:

• via country pages, offering country specific information on Higher Education in the National language and in English;
• via the HEAG database that allows users to search specialist services and accessibility support for students in higher education in each of the countries.

From these country pages you can access information regarding support for students with disabilities, the national approach to higher education and disability, as well as contact information of key people – including the project experts who act as national HEAG representatives – in the country you have selected. 

In addition you can search for specific institutions and the availability of specific disability support services in the language(s) of the country you have selected as well as in English using the direct links to the searchable database.

The information available in the database will be updated every two years.

If you would like to give us feedback on how useful this information is for you as a student, please contact your national HEAG representative. Their contact details can be found on the country pages.

Study abroad opportunities in Europe

Supporting opportunities for people with disabilities to travel and/or study abroad is recognised at international and European levels as being a matter of personal rights. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006 has a number of articles that refer to mobility opportunities for people with disabilities: 

- Article 18: Liberty of movement and nationality:

... the rights of persons with disabilities to liberty of movement, freedom to choose their residence and to a nationality on equal basis with others ...

- Article 20 - Personal mobility:

... take effective measures to ensure personal mobility with the greatest possible independence for persons with disabilities ...

The European Union has a number of strategic objectives guiding all of its work - mobility for all citizens and supporting lifelong learning opportunities are seen as two crucial aspects for promoting European social inclusion. The role of higher education in this process is fundamental and the involvement of 46 countries in the Bologna Process work aims to create a European Higher Education area, where mobility for students is a cornerstone.

In 2007 the European Ministers of Higher Education said in the London Communiqué that:

Higher education should play a strong role in fostering social cohesion, reducing inequalities and raising the level of knowledge, skills and competences in society … We share the societal aspiration that the student body entering, participating in and completing higher education at all levels should reflect the diversity of our populations. … We therefore continue our efforts to provide adequate student services, create more flexible learning pathways into and within higher education, and to widen participation at all levels on the basis of equal opportunity …

The 2009 Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communiqué re-emphasises the importance of student mobility:

We believe that mobility of students, early stage researchers and staff enhances the quality of programmes and excellence in research; it strengthens the academic and cultural internationalization of European higher education. Mobility is important for personal development and employability, it fosters respect for diversity and a capacity to deal with other cultures.

Within the European Union, there are different instruments – activities, programmes and initiatives - to achieve the goals relating to student learning mobility.

At a basic level, there are general European Community programmes designed to promote mobility in different areas. Promoting possibilities for students to study aboard within the higher education is a major focus for European Community work and financial support. The Erasmus programme has a number of different objectives, but a major focus is upon student mobility. 

This includes mobility for students with disabilities and the European Commission offers additional support for students with disabilities to study aboard.

Specific information about the possibilities and procedures for applying for study abroad grants and financial support can be found from the Lifelong Learning National Agencies in your country. 

HEAG Disclaimer: The information in the HEAG database reflects the views of the Higher Education Institutions supplying the data. The Agency cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the information supplied by third parties.