A warm welcome to BliZ Study Center for Blind and Disabled Students!
„Successful academic life without barriers“
– our motto for 25 years now. We have been achieving it ever since for numerous students of Technical University Middle Hesse, THM, in Germany. Our University with its sites in Gießen and Friedberg with BliZ calls a unique study centre founded by strategic means and complementary to students. Through the help of our 13 staff, visually impaired, people with hearing disability, mobility impaired and students with all kind of all disabilites are able to participate in all subjects of THM. These subjects revolve around STEM and economics and range from architecture and business management to health management.
Why students decide to study with THM, supported by BliZ?
- Our impaired students complete their studies successfully, at rates even far superior as our non-disabled students.
- Campus studies offer a variety of possibilities. Disabled students are enabled to live more autonomously and are integrated into a lively community. Again and again, we are positively surprised at how circumspectively and comprehensively students with disabilities are included into learning and leasurely activities by their fellow students.
- We facilitate studies abroad with comfortable subsidies for students with disabilities.
What can BliZ do for incoming students from abroad?
We are dedicated to international exchange. Our unit is one of Germany’s most internationalized study centre for disabled students. We are members of Diversity Abroad, collaborate with numerous universities and trade chambers around the globe, and look back on several successful years of counselling and receiving incoming students. Our faculties contribute in providing guaranteed modules in English for incoming students.
How does BliZ contribute to the international research community?
Technological change creates new opportunities for academic inclusion. This is why we maintain an impressive international research network for digital accessibility and accessible STEM didactics. Our annual special track at IARIA conference and our publications on digital accessibility are some of the more prominent scientific activities.
How do German scholarship programmes support incoming students with disabilities?
Particularly for disabled students, a term abroad offers the possibility to get to know foreign countries and cultures, find new friends for life and acquire some language skills. THM offers a range of English-taught subjects which can be credited towards incoming students‘ records. Under the roof of Erasmus Plus, memoranda of understanding waive mutual fees for incoming students coming from partner Universities.
If received in Erasmus Plus, disabled students are eligible for additional grants from the German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD. These grants cover all disability-related costs of up to 15.000 Euros (equivalent to 15.000 US-Dollars) per term. This sum covers preliminary exploratory travels, all expenses of a personal assistant, such as a relative or fellow student, including visa, travels, cost of living. Additionally, accessible housing, taxi and transportation costs, and rent or transport of assistive tools. BliZ is carrying through all application procedures and accompanies to authorities, if necessary. All services of BliZ are free for incoming students.
Under these conditions, a successful term abroad is enabled. Students with disabilities are particularly empowered and opened up additional professional perspectives. If desired, BliZ also brokers an internship in the world-leading German industry. This is again subsidised, if the student remains enrolled at THM.
How does BliZ collaborate with partner universities?
In 2024, we are hosting an international inclusion week for administrative staff of universities from other countries. Information and application can be accessed through go.thm.de/iiw.
Where can I obtain further information for international studies?
We are dedicated at counselling individually. Our international inclusion officer, David Smida, can be contacted at david.smida @ bliz.thm.de.
Where can I obtain further information as to BliZ‘ research activities?
Research and development in the realm of digital accessibility and inclusive didactics are our dedication. Please contact us by bliz @ thm.de.
Our BliZ team - Inclusive research: here a delegation at a scientific conference, is looking forward to hosting you in Germany!
