Studying with a disability - is that possible in Emden?

Field report

When I got into my car and drove to Emden on 15 September 2000, my positive expectations of my future student life were mixed with uncertainty and a few fears. Leaving familiar surroundings may give anyone a queasy feeling, but due to my short stature I was also confronted with many difficulties, the extent of which I could not foresee. But my fears were to be allayed a little every day. In the first two weeks of my student life, I made the most of the free time and the beautiful weather to explore the surrounding area, and I also got to know the East Frisian loneliness.

However, my timetable filled up when the lectures in the social work department began and the time I spent at the UAS increased. Many new faces that I only knew from the introductory days finally got names and quickly became "personalities". It is an advantage that the Social Management degree programme is young and the group of students is still manageable. While professors and lecturers practised friendly restraint, my fellow students and other students became more and more accommodating.

I am currently enjoying all facets of student life, especially the good ones. Fortunately, I could and can rely on my independence and the support of other students and am not dependent on special help from the university. The mills there work slowly and still need to be set in motion in many areas in order to make studying easier for disabled people and to ensure independence, e.g. in the canteen, cafeteria and library. But: "Hope dies last", and I trust that suggestions will be accepted and checked for their feasibility.

I am pleased that there is also a department for the disabled and chronically ill in the AStA at Emden University of Applied Sciences. It can be contacted at the e-mail address asta-behinderte@agent.fho-emden.de. Wiebke Hendeß (wiebke.hendess@sw-ol.de), the counsellor for the disabled and chronically ill at the Oldenburg Student Union, also provides competent information. Although she is not on site, she always gave me suggestions and tips on upcoming problems, e.g. finding accommodation, by telephone or e-mail.

Studying with a disability is feasible in Emden. The campus is manageable, the distances are not too long and after a semester you can find the lifts without any major problems. But you can't do it without your own initiative! You have to ask for help and allow it and occasionally fight your way through the organisational chaos to get a key for the car park, for example, where there are designated parking spaces for wheelchair users. New arrivals are advised to organise their accommodation in good time and to register any special requirements in advance.

Equipped with a good dose of humour, tenacity and the will to face new challenges, I believe that living and studying in Emden with a disability is not only feasible, but also recommended.