The University of Barcelona creates a new chair to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities

The chair will address common issues that people with disabilities commonly encounter. Among the main research actions that will be developed are the creation of a compilation guide of good inclusive practices for people with disabilities in the university context; the design of the process of adapting the tests for university service assistants to the group of people with intellectual disabilities, and the development of guides to facilitate the integration of teaching staff, students and technical, management, administration and services staff with disabilities in the university context or the promotion of the psychological wellbeing of young people with intellectual disabilities.

In terms of training, the university diploma in User, Citizen and Customer Service for young people with intellectual disabilities will continue to be taught, with the aim of improving the incorporation of this group into the labour market; organizing a summer campus for young people with intellectual disabilities; and promoting an Erasmus+ mobility programme for people with intellectual disabilities.

Finally, in the field of awareness-raising, courses will be held as part of the Els Juliols de la UB programme, and the prizes for the bachelor’s and master’s degree final projects and doctoral theses that promote awareness-raising or integration of people with disabilities will be awarded.

Marina Romeo, lecturer at the UB’s Faculty of Psychology and director of the UB Chair Cassià Just-Cuina Justa Foundation on Integration of People with Disabilities, Marina Romeo, said that “with this new Chair we want to deepen our understanding of the specific needs of people with disabilities and develop effective strategies for their full inclusion in all aspects of working and university life”.

The Rector of the UB, Joan Guàrdia, said that “inclusion is an enormous social challenge”. “We institutions must work to make people’s lives easier, fairer and happier. The University cannot fail to be an actor present in all initiatives of this kind because it is our responsibility”. Guàrdia put the Chair as an example of a successful model of public-private collaboration.

Josep Lluís Cleries, president of the Cassià Just - Cuina Justa Foundation, stated that “the importance of having a chair that promotes research, innovation and knowledge transfer between the university and our organization is paramount, and I am sure that it will be a useful instrument to continue to constantly improve the work of social inclusion for people with mental fragility that we promote”.

Joan Puigcercós, director of ENTI, considered the university as “a tool for community integration, as a social and human lift and equal opportunities”. In this sense, he expressed his conviction that this chair will be an “enriching experience to give the same opportunities to everyone and to put technology at the service of people”.  

Finally, Joan Castells, President of the Board of the FIATC Foundation, welcomed the understanding between all the institutions and wanted to highlight “the social role of FIATC, a company that will soon be 100 years old”. “Thanks to our foundation, we have been able to help disadvantaged people in both the health and cultural fields”, said Castells.

From left to right, Joan Castells, Josep Lluís Cleries, Joan Guàrdia, Joan Puigcercós and Marina Romeo.