OUR MISSION

The mission of the Aksaray University Disadvantaged and Disabled Students Unit is to support the equal and active participation of students with special needs and disadvantaged backgrounds in education and training processes, as well as social, cultural, and academic life; and to contribute to the development of an accessible, inclusive, non-discriminatory university environment that respects individual differences. In line with this, our primary duties are to identify students' needs, coordinate the provision of appropriate academic accommodations and support services, enhance physical and digital accessibility, strengthen collaboration with relevant stakeholders, and foster a culture of equal opportunity and inclusion across the university.

OUR VISION

To be an innovative, sustainable, and exemplary student support unit that pioneers the creation of a university environment where disadvantaged students and students with special needs can fulfill their individual potential, participate in all aspects of academic and campus life with equal opportunities, and where accessibility and inclusion become integral parts of the institutional culture.

UNIT VALUES The Aksaray University Disadvantaged and Disabled Students Unit adheres to the following core values in its activities:

• Equality and Equal Opportunity: Ensuring that all students have equal access to educational processes, university life, and support services.
• Accessibility: Strengthening accessibility across physical, digital, academic, and social environments, and developing solutions to eliminate the barriers students face.
• Inclusivity: Supporting an inclusive campus environment that considers the individual needs of students with disabilities, chronic illnesses, as well as international, migrant, and other disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Rights-Based Approach: Viewing students not as passive recipients of aid, but as university stakeholders who possess equal rights to education, access, and participation.
• Respect for Individual Differences: Assessing each student's needs on an individual basis, independent of medical diagnoses or group categorizations.
• Confidentiality and Ethics: Protecting the confidentiality of students' personal information and application processes; adhering strictly to ethical standards in all services.
• Participation: Incorporating the perspectives of students, academic and administrative staff, and relevant internal and external stakeholders into the unit's work.
• Collaboration and Coordination: Working in partnership with university units, public institutions, non-governmental organizations, and relevant stakeholders to effectively address student needs.
• Promoting Independence: Ensuring that provided support fosters students' independence, self-efficacy, and active engagement in campus life.
• Continuous Improvement: Systematically monitoring and enhancing unit operations through feedback, application outcomes, and performance metrics.

UNIT OBJECTIVES

• Support the equal and effective participation of disadvantaged and disabled students in education and training processes.

• Systematically identify students' individual needs and ensure their access to appropriate academic accommodations, advising, and support mechanisms.

• Contribute to improving physical, digital, academic, and social accessibility across the university.

• Increase the efficiency of academic accommodations, note-taking, peer study partnerships, and advising services, and monitor these services on a regular basis.

• Strengthen support and referral mechanisms tailored to the needs of students with chronic conditions, international students, migrants, and those in disadvantaged situations.

• Enhance the social, cultural, and academic engagement of disabled and disadvantaged students within university life.

• Develop service delivery models that nurture students' independence and self-efficacy.

• Raise awareness and deepen the knowledge of academic and administrative personnel regarding accessibility, inclusive education, academic accommodations, and disadvantaged student groups.

• Strengthen the unit’s operational capacity and community outreach by expanding collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

• Regularly monitor service usage, application outcomes, satisfaction rates, and performance indicators to implement data-driven improvements.

• Enhance the participation of student representatives and student voices in the unit's decision-making and quality assurance processes.

• Contribute to advancing an institutional culture that is accessible, inclusive, and grounded in equal opportunity.