 A Collaborative Agreement Relating to Tempus Programme –TEMPUS UK-TEMPUS-JPGR

Tempus ( Trans-European Mobility Programme for University Studies( Tempus is the European Union’s programme which supports the modernisation of higher education in the developing countries (Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean region), mainly through university cooperation projects. 9/19/20152Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments

 Coventry University (UK)  Alicante University (Spain)  Bologna University (Italy)  Forth Elements (Greece)  AAST (Egypt)  Alexandria University (Egypt)  Ibn Tofail University, Morocco  Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Morocco 9/19/20153Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments

 5-7% of world population are disabled individuals who face educational difficulties.  48% of individuals who face learning difficulties cannot finish their university education and are disqualified from work nominations.  According to World Health Organization statistics, disabled individuals in Egypt are 10% of the population which is approx. 8.5 million people.  34% of the disabled population in Egypt are children (according to Egypt CAPMAS statistics – 2005) 9/19/20154Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments

 AAST disabled students (Alexandria): o 16 students in College of Management and Technology o 6 students in College of Language and Communication o 3 students in College of International Transport and Logistics o 3 students in College of Engineering and Technology 9/19/20155Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments

 Project is provided in partnership with EU universities in order to: 1. Create applicable policies to grant disabled students access to an appropriate environment and modern education programmes through establishing a special unit for disabled students in the participant universities premises. 2. Develop IT and assistive equipment for disabled students 3. Provide a training program for academic staff and university employees to reach international standards for dealing with and serving disabled students. 9/19/2015Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments6

9/19/20157Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments 1. Establish support unit for disabled students and provide a suitable premises which meets the needs of such students in order to facilitate monitoring tasks (preferably chaired by a disabled resource) 2. Provide assistive equipment to be used in the educational process for disabled students (hearing and visual aids, etc.) 3. Create integrated database for disabled AAST students for better communication with these students in order to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of the educational process and take the necessary actions to update AAST programmes (admission and registration, library, etc.)

9/19/20158Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments 4. Update AAST admission data entry system to accommodate the admission of disabled students and allow the submission of disability documents into AAST system. 5. Add further duties to deputy dean for disabled students. 6. Prepare Add further duties deputy academic staff and employees. 7. Provide an alternative for traditional academic syllabus to match the disability type

9/19/20159Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments 8. Recommend forming a committee for disabled students support which is chaired by AAST Vice President for Students and Education Affairs and includes Students Affairs Dean, Colleges Deputy Deans for Students Affairs and representatives from finance, medical care, library and procurement departments. 9. Develop AAST website to facilitate access to disabled students

 Egyptian constitution guarantees equal access to educational opportunities both for disabled and nondisabled students across the official educational institutions.  Child law no. 12 for the year 1996 includes a dedicated chapter for disabled children care outlining the role of the State, civil societies and NGOs for providing educational services to disabled children.  In May 2014, a law has been issued by Parliament stipulating that 5% of published jobs shall be dedicated for disabled candidates while highlighting the severe penalties for any breach thereof by companies owners who refuse to employ such individuals. 9/19/201510Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments

 Approval of HE AAST President to participate in the project in order to establish a special unit for disabled students support.  Issued laws by the Arab League and Egypt with regards to disabled individuals rights.  Requirements identified by the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education regarding the necessity to enhance the role universities to serve disabled students.  Enforce AASTMT role in community service based on its belief in the importance of civil community organization participation, especially universities in developing educational skills for disabled students. 9/19/201511Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments

9/19/201512Sustainable ways to increase higher education students' equal access to learning environments  Requirements identified by the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education regarding the necessity to enhance the role universities to serve disabled students. These requirements include the following: o Library equipment for students with visual, hearing and mobility impairment o Lectures halls equipment o Computer labs equipment o Language labs equipment o Education technology and multimedia labs equipment