Bridging the Higher Education Gap: Exploring the Integration of Accessibility and Universal Design in Higher Education Curricula

Curricula shape students' awareness, priorities, and values and act as political documents that reflect societal expectations. Additionally, they reveal what society expects, including the 'hidden curriculum' (Snyder 1979), which refers to unwritten attitudes and expected behaviors. Accessibility and universal design are crucial for independent living and participation in various aspects of society. Although accessibility and universal design have a proven positive impact on business and society, these principles are often not integrated into core higher education curricula. Currently, only a few elective courses cover these topics. This higher education gap hinders inclusion, innovation, and the realization of the potential of digital inclusion. The Erasmus+ ATHENA project analyzed the curricula of study programmes across different fields of knowledge in four European countries to determine whether and how accessibility and the universal design approach were incorporated. The findings will be used to advocate for increased inclusion and diversity within higher education. Furthermore, these characteristics will serve as a basis for formulating recommendations to integrate accessibility and universal design principles into higher education curricula.