UNIDIS was established in 2007, although our university's commitment to disability has been
a reality almost since its inception. In 1995, UNED implemented free tuition fees for students
with disabilities, becoming the first university in Spain to do so. Ten years later, the Disability
and Volunteering Unit was created, followed by the Integration Unit for Students with Disabilities.
The arrival of UNIDIS surpasses the concept of integration, highlighting the need to support
any member of the university community with a disability, students, professors, researchers,
tutors, and administrative and service staff. At UNIDIS, or more precisely, through UNIDIS,
we work to normalize the university life of the entire UNED community, coordinating and developing
specific actions to promote, advise, and support a sense of equitable and recognized belonging.
Our team includes eight people, six specialized technicians with accredited training in disabilities
and two administrative staff. Objectively, we are a small team with limited resources, but
efforts are being made to grow our team. Regardless, we are determined and convinced that what
we do is essential for the institution and for advancing inclusion, which is our ultimate goal.
Before me, some outstanding directors helped shape UNIDIS into what it is today.
In this new phase, we are working to introduce disability in a cross -cutting manner across
all areas of the university, ensuring the rights of all members of our community with disabilities
are respected. UNED is the university chosen by nearly 40 % of students with disabilities in
the Spanish university system. This is due to our university's... ...unique characteristics,
our blended learning methodology and a network of affiliated centers across Spain and beyond
its borders. Our presence in small, sometimes rural areas with limited transportation options
for people with disabilities makes us a viable choice for students who would otherwise lack
educational alternatives. And allows them to experience university life at local centres without
having to relocate, enabling them to stay in places where they have care, a supportive environment,
and essential social networks. This is particularly important since data show that in rural
areas, the number of students with disabilities accessing higher education is very low. At
UNED, technology and our platforms allow them to communicate with others and participate in
virtual forums, creating meeting spaces in cyberspace where labels are left behind and complementing
in -person attendance at local centres. This 40 % equates to approximately 9%. The UNED has
over 11 ,000 students with disabilities or specific learning needs currently studying at UNED.
In 2003, there were 2.554 such students, representing 1.65 % of the total
student population. By 2023, this percentage had risen to 5.72%. This increase is also
reflected in the number of graduates with disabilities, a source of great satisfaction
as it highlights the effort and talent of our diverse student body. Disability itself
is diverse, and failing to address that diversity is another form of discrimination.
While it can be tempting to standardise adaptation processes due to the increasing number of
students and limited resources, we know that proper support requires addressing individual
needs and considering the specific requirements of each course. In 2010,
700 adaptation requests were submitted. Today, that number exceeds 2.000, representing a significant
effort and workload. To handle this correctly and on time, the commitment of everyone involved
is essential, from affiliated centres, the Vice Secretariat for On -Site Exams, the General
Secretariat, faculty secretariats, and, of course, the dedication of teaching teams responsible
for complex adaptations. Without these adaptations, some students would be excluded from the
system. However, accessibility and universal design should not depend solely on personal goodwill
or activism. We must guarantee the rights of people with disabilities, as mandated by various
laws, from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to national regulations
like the Loge, Organic Law on the University System, the Student Statute, and the General Law
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At UNED, we aim to convince stakeholders that
compliance with these regulations is legally essential and the only path to a more equitable,
fair, and inclusive world. These principles guide us to the future. These principles guide
my leadership project and are aligned with how UNED, under the leadership of our Rector, values
inclusion. This is evident in renaming the Vice -Rectorate for Students and Entrepreneurship
to the Vice -Rectorate for Students and Inclusion, which oversees UNIDIS. This demonstrates
that addressing disability requires a focus on education, awareness, and visibility. UNIDIS
is not limited to processing adaptation requests. We manage hours of interpretation for deaf
students, provide accessible books for visually impaired students, maintain a volunteer pool,
and work to extend reasonable adjustments across the entire learning process, not just during
evaluations. Our main goal, aligned with the Vice -Rectorate, is to raise awareness and visibility
by creating inclusive spaces for both virtual and in -person participation. We also contribute
to broader social and cultural change by promoting a culture where disability does not lead
to discrimination and the talent of people with disabilities is recognized. We aim to foster
an inclusive citizenship. Studies show that many students with disabilities do not disclose their
condition when entering university due to fear of prejudice, which prevents them from accessing
necessary adaptations. We work to prevent this, to ensure that stigmas and ignorance are not
the most significant barriers, and to empower our students through programs that promote societal
participation.
We are especially committed to addressing the needs of particularly vulnerable groups, such
as women with disabilities.
Academia has historically overlooked these women in both gender and disability studies. Last
summer, when we resumed summer courses in collaboration with CERMI and Fundación once, the
first course was dedicated to them. Our commitment is to continue amplifying their voices through
projects that we hope will soon take shape. Visibility is key, what isn't seen doesn't exist.
We collaborate with third sector organizations and associations to create inclusive and critical
dialogue spaces highlighting our students' needs. At UNIDIS, we also support projects initiated
by colleagues that create value and positively impact their intended audiences. One example
is INTECCA's project on AI -based subtitling, which provides a quality solution for tutoring
sessions and recordings for deaf students while benefiting others, such as students who study
on the go or at night. This reminds us that universal design benefits everyone while in school.
We are also committed to ensuring no one is left behind. In essence, UNIDIS embodies the core
values of this university. We are a team of people committed to making our institution a place
where students with disabilities are, first and foremost, students with the same rights and
opportunities as everyone else. We work to break down both tangible and intangible barriers,
contributing to a future where today's students, whether with or without disabilities, become
professionals who recognize the diverse abilities of individuals and reject stereotypes. We
believe that progress and inclusion go hand in hand, and we must not waste the talent of those
with disabilities. That is part of UNIDIS' mission. Thank you.