Accessibility Center for individuals with disabilities at the University of Thessaly is an evolution of “PROSVASI-Accessibility center for students with disabilities and/or special educational needs”. In 2010, a program was approved as part of the targeted actions of the Research Committee of the University of Thessaly and financed with scientific manager Ms. Magda Nikolaraizi, Associate Professor of Special Education-Deaf Education at the Department of Special Education, entitled “The access of students with special needs to the physical and learning environment of the University of Thessaly”. The program highlighted the need for the systematic support of the students with disabilities and/or special educational needs of University of Thessaly in terms of accessibility and led in 2012 to the creation of “PROSVASI- Accessibility center for students with disabilities and/or special educational needs” by decision of the Senate of University of Thessaly (meeting minutes No 05/11-5-2012). Responsible for PROSVASI was the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs and Personnel, Mr. Ioannis Theodorakis, Professor of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Science. The scientific manages of PROSVASI was Ms. Magda Nikolaraizi. Additionally, an 8-member committee of faculty members was also created. More specifically, the committee consisted of the scientific manager, 3 members of the teaching staff of the Departments of Education, 1 member of the Faculty of Medicine, 1 member of the School of Engineering, 1 member of the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, and 1 member of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
From 2012 to 2019, PROSVASI provided services to students with disabilities and/or special educational needs, the teaching and administrative staff of the 18 Departments of the University of Thessaly. In 2019, new Departments were created at the University of Thessaly. In 2021, the committee was reorganized by decision of the Senate of the University of Thessaly (meeting minutes No 255/30-7-2021). More specifically, the committee consisted of 11 faculty members, one regular and one substitute member from each School of the University of Thessaly. From 2019 until today, the accessibility center provides its services to students with disabilities and/or special educational needs and to the teaching and administrative staff of 35 departments of the University of Thessaly based in 5 cities (Volos, Larissa, Trikala, Karditsa, Lamia).
In 2024 in accordance with the provisions of Law 4957-2022 (Government Gazette 141/τ.Α ́/21-07-2022), PROSVASI was renamed to Accessibility Center for individuals with disabilities at the University of Thessaly (Government Gazette 1571 τ. Β’ 08-03-2024). The Accessibility Center for individuals with disabilities is an independent department of the University of Thessaly, and has various responsibilities in accordance with the provisions of Law 4957/2022 (Government Gazette 141/τ.Α ́/21-07-2022). The mission of the Accessibility Center for individuals with disabilities is to ensure the full participation of the members of the university community, who are people with disabilities and people with special educational needs, in all the educational, research and administrative activities carried out by the University of Thessaly. In particular, the aims of the Accessibility Center for individuals with disabilities concern the strengthening of academic and electronic accessibility as well as sustainable mobility at the University of Thessaly.
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