Recognition of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences for its commitment and its action plan to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

On 19 and 20 November 2018, this year's Inclusion Days of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) took place in Berlin, one of the largest annual conferences organized nationwide for policies for people with disabilities. Under the motto "inclusive - digital", around 500 guests from social, welfare and disability associations, academia, companies, the federal states, federal ministries and, above all, people with disabilities discussed the opportunities and risks of digitalization for people with disabilities at the Berlin Congress Center.

As part of a network meeting on the fringes of this conference, Parliamentary State Secretary Kerstin Griese also recognized the commitment of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences to the Inclusion 2025 "HSZG for All" action plan. She presented a corresponding certificate in the presence of local authorities, state institutions, universities, chambers and other institutions. At the network meeting, those present shared their experiences in implementing their action plans.

Back to the conference: The Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Hubertus Heil, said in his address that digital progress must be used "to open up further opportunities for participation for people with disabilities - also and especially in the workplace. Because that is precisely the prerequisite for a self-determined life."

This indirectly addresses all administrations to provide services for people with disabilities in an uncomplicated and timely manner on the basis of digital administration. Education providers are also being asked to further develop their online-supported learning opportunities.

Like many other speakers, Jürgen Dusel, Officer of the Federal Government for the Interests of Persons with Disabilities, stated that people with disabilities should be integrated even better into decision-making processes and development projects as experts in their own field. "Accessibility in the digital sector must be considered from the outset, it cannot be added as an afterthought. In addition, people with disabilities must be included in the development processes of software and hardware, for example, because they are the experts in their own right."

Raul Krauthausen, a well-known blogger and "inclusion activist", warned against a digitalization mania during a panel discussion. He said he could no longer hear this word, because "even a shitty process that is digitized remains a shitty process". In simple language, he was referring to the everyday disadvantages and additional costs faced by many disabled people due to their limitations. In his opinion, things need to be thought about from a human perspective, otherwise they would quickly miss the actual need.

(Text modules from the BMAS were also used for this article)