The topic of digital accessibility of information and study materials is a widely discussed topic not only in the Czech Republic, but also internationally. The German project SHUFFLE, whose representatives visited the UO at the beginning of December, deals with this particular issue. The eleven-member group consisting of academics, doctoral students, teachers, psychologist as well as representatives of, for example, visually impaired students, was interested in the digitalization of materials at the UO as well as the overall work of the Pyramida Centre, which focuses on support of students with specific needs.

Our guests were impressed at how much work the Pyramida Centre staff can do with its current personnel.

“We presented the history of the University of Ostrava together with the activities of the Pyramida Centre to our colleagues from Germany and we also introduced them to the work of individual faculty diagnosticians. We also organized sessions directly with the students that the Pyramida Center supports. They got to talk about how they perceive their studies at the UO, how our staff helps them, what challenges they face and what helps them in their studies,” says Kamila Hýbnerová, Head of the Counselling and Career Centre, adding that it was a very pleasant and enriching meeting for everyone. The foreign delegation was also introduced to the work of Dr. Renata Kovářová and Dr. Edita Satinská from the Department of Special Education at the Faculty of Education UO, who cooperate with the Pyramida Centre.

Overall, foreign visitors and local representatives evaluate the visit very positively. “Our guests were impressed at how much work the Pyramida Centre staff can do with its current personnel,” adds Kamila Hýbnerová. The newly opened, welcoming premises of the Pyramida Centre in the Welcome Centre of the UO were also a success.

In order to make the findings of the SHUFFLE project useful in the long term, its results will be summarized in a maturity model. It will enable higher education institutions to measure, evaluate and systematically improve their digital accessibility. All the results of the project will be made available to the public free of charge.