The Center for Blind and Visually Impaired Students at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen , BliZ, has a new director: Prof. Dr. Monika Maria Möhring has been elected managing director. She succeeds her predecessor, BliZ founder Prof. Dr. Erdmuthe Meyer zu Bexten, who, among other things, will now focus on digital accessibility in Hesse as the state commissioner for accessible IT. Andreas Deitmer remains deputy director, as he has for the past several years. As a blind master's graduate of THM , he is familiar with potential barriers for students with visual impairments and, together with the BliZ team, advises and supports the university in removing them.

Möhring has been a professor of logistics, supply chain management, and innovation at THMsince 2013. Previously, she held IT and management positions in industry, focusing particularly on innovations in the context of Industry 4.0. She represents her field in international research publications and in close collaboration with industry. Furthermore, Möhring has been involved in representing severely disabled employees at THMsince 2014.

Prof. Monika Maria Möhring's focus is on maintaining close relationships with upper secondary schools in Hesse that educate blind and visually impaired students. The eleven current staff members of the BliZ (Center for Blind and Visually Impaired Students) have many years of experience advising prospective students with visual impairments on which degree programmes at THM (Technical University of Central Hesse) would be suitable for them and what career prospects they offer. During their studies, THM provides a wide range of technical and organizational aids for blind and visually impaired students. The BliZ team, among other things, prepares materials in an accessible format and designs examinations to be accessible and individualized. The BliZ works closely with lecturers to ensure that the curriculum and learning experience are indistinguishable from those of other students. Finally, the BliZ team's services also include arranging internships and assisting with job searches after successful completion of studies. The large number of visually impaired alumni of THMwho now hold demanding positions testifies to the center's track record and the commitment of its staff.

Based on her research and industry experience in the field of Industry 4.0, the new managing director is deeply committed to the further development of modern assistive technologies for blind and visually impaired people. Contrary to popular belief, PDF documents and web content are still too rarely truly accessible. "A great deal of development and advocacy work is needed to ensure that at least the most important teaching materials are made accessible to blind and visually impaired students," says Monika Maria Möhring. New technologies also offer the potential for assistive technologies that enable visually impaired people to lead more independent lives. Therefore, Further the collaboration on technological research projects with other institutes and industry partners is a key pillar of Möhring's future work at BliZ.