Hawking Erasmus

📢 HAWKING Project Conference in Tuzla

On 13 and 14 October 2026, partners of the HAWKING project will gather at Hotel Salis in Tuzla to present the results of three years of work dedicated to making higher education more inclusive and accessible for students with disabilities.

The two-day conference will focus on:
🔹 digital accessibility
🔹 assistive technologies
🔹 barriers faced by students with disabilities
🔹 opportunities for more equal participation in higher education

The programme will also include a visit to the Assistive Technology Laboratory at the University of Tuzla.

The HAWKING project brings together 15 partner institutions from the region and across Europe, including the Organisation of Amputees UDAS of Republika Srpska.

As the project enters its final phase, the Tuzla conference will provide an opportunity to share results and experiences and discuss how the achievements of HAWKING can continue to contribute to more accessible and inclusive higher education.

Together, we are building a more inclusive future through knowledge, technology and cooperation.

Univerzitet Crne Gore
Univerzitet u Tuzli - University of Tuzla

🎓 New Academic Year – New Opportunities for All Students

Ahead of the 2026/2027 academic year, we would like to remind students with visual impairments that informative brochures in Braille, developed as part of the Erasmus+ HAWKING project, are available at partner universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania.

The brochures provide useful information about universities, study programmes, inclusive education and available forms of support during studies. Their aim is to facilitate access to information, promote independence and support students in making informed decisions about their education and professional development.

📍 The brochures are available at the University of Montenegro, Adriatic University Bar, University of Tuzla, University of East Sarajevo, University of Bijeljina, University of Vlorë and Fan S. Noli University.
Univerzitet Crne Gore
Fakultet za Menadžment
Univerzitet u Tuzli - University of Tuzla
Univerzitet „Bijeljina“
Универзитет у Источном Сарајеву
Universiteti "Fan S. Noli", Korçë - UNIKO
Universiteti i Vlorës Ismail Qemali

Accessible education is not a privilege – it is a right and the foundation of a society based on equal opportunities.

🌐 Digital accessibility matters.

✔️As part of the Erasmus+ CBHE project HAWKING, Western Balkan partner higher education institutions are enhancing the accessibility of their websites through a customized Accessibility Tool, making online content more accessible and user-friendly for everyone.

👏 This initiative improves website accessibility and inclusiveness, enabling a wider range of users to access digital content. It also supports compliance with internationally recognised web accessibility standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), representing an important step towards a more inclusive and professional digital environment.

The tool enables users to personalize their browsing experience through features such as:

✔ Adjust Font Size

✔ Contrast Modes

✔ Dyslexia Font

✔ Speak Mode

✔ Hide Images

✔ Pause Animations

The HAWKING project continues to promote digital transformation through accessibility, innovation and inclusion, helping partner institutions across the Western Balkans create learning environments where no one is left behind.

👍 Congratulations to our partners for their efforts and the final results:

https://www.ucg.ac.me/

https://www.ubn.rs.ba/

https://www.ues.rs.ba/en/ues/

https://www.fm-hn.com/

https://untz.ba/en/home/

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🎯 Looking to make your own website more accessible?

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) provides practical guidance for implementing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the internationally recognised standard for accessible web content.

🎯 Find practical guidance on implementing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

📎 https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/

👉 Braille Information Brochures Facilitate Access to Higher Education for Students with Visual Impairments

📍📍Ahead of the upcoming university enrolment period, we would like to remind students with visual impairments that Braille information brochures are available, providing information on universities, study programmes, inclusive education and available forms of support throughout their studies.

👏 The brochures are available at the University of Montenegro, Adriatic University Bar, University of Tuzla, University of East Sarajevo, University of Bijeljina, University of Vlora and Fan S. Noli University.

🍀The brochures were developed within the Erasmus+ HAWKING project, a three-year initiative aimed at improving the accessibility of higher education and promoting equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.

📢 The brochures represent an informational resource and an additional form of support for students with disabilities, contributing to greater independence, better access to information and more equitable access to higher education.

DisabilityInclusion

Universiteti "Fan S. Noli", Korçë - UNIKO organized its third Virtual Open Day under the framework of the Erasmus+ CBHE Project HAWKING (Task 2.7). The event aimed to promote inclusive and digitally accessible higher education pathways for students with disabilities and other potential applicants transitioning from secondary to higher education.

🔥The 3rd Virtual Open Day successfully fulfilled its objectives by informing, engaging, and empowering students and parents from rural communities through digital and inclusive means.

📢The event not only showcased UK’s educational offer but also strengthened the bridge between rural secondary schools and higher education, addressing a gap that had been identified following the 2nd Virtual Open Day.

👉The demonstration of brochures adapted for students with visual impairments represented a tangible outcome of the HAWKING project’s commitment to accessibility.
Future actions will include further capacity-building activities for staff on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), expanded distribution of accessible materials to rural schools, intensified cooperation with
regional secondary education institutions, and improvements to the virtual platform experience based on participant feedback.

🥇As part of the Erasmus+ HAWKING project, a Virtual Open Day was organized for students with disabilities and their parents, with the aim of presenting study opportunities at the Univerzitet Crne Gore, as well as the various forms of support available to future students.

👏During the third segment of the event, Danilo Leković, Head of the Office for Support to Students with Disabilities - Kancelarija za podršku studentima sa invaliditetom, presented the work of the Office, its role within the University of Montenegro, and the development plans envisioned for the upcoming period.

📌Speaking about the importance of inclusive higher education, Leković emphasized that it is important for every student to feel a sense of belonging within the academic community and to have the opportunity to participate equally in all aspects of university life. Special attention was given to the transition period from secondary school to university, which for many students and their families represents a challenging and uncertain step.

🗣 During the presentation, attention was given to the ways in which KAPSIN provides support to students — from information and counselling services, through communication with faculties and teaching staff, to defining reasonable accommodations and connecting students with relevant services and institutions. It was also emphasized that many prospective students often do not have sufficiently clear and accessible information about procedures, rights, and forms of support during their studies, which is why activities focused on earlier information-sharing and direct communication are of particular importance.

❤️The discussion also included participation from Uroš Joksimović from Berane, a student at a Mixed Secondary School, and Ines Tuzović, a student at the Secondary Medical School, who shared their experiences, plans, and expectations regarding the continuation of their education.

💯The Virtual Open Day was organized as part of the activities of the HAWKING project, which is focused on improving support for persons with disabilities in accessing higher education and strengthening inclusive practices at universities across the Western Balkans region.

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Univerzitet Crne Gore hosts Lectures on Inclusive Education and Accessibility👏

https://www.ucg.ac.me/objava.php?blog_id=10&objava_id=211294

🎯At the University of Montenegro yesterday, May 12, lectures were held by Dr. Mikele Mele, Deputy Director of the Academy of Blind Scientists and Research Associate at the University of Sannio in Italy, dedicated to inclusive education, accessibility, and the history of mathematics.

🔗The lectures were organized at the University of Montenegro Rectorate as part of activities aimed at improving inclusive practices and developing support for students with disabilities. Dr. Mele spoke on the topics “Blind Mathematicians Throughout History – A Success Story” and “MathSpeak – Verbalizing Mathematics in the Inclusive Classroom.”

📢Vice-Rector for Education, Prof. Dr. Veselin Mićanović, reminded attendees that the University of Montenegro is a partner in the HAWKING Erasmus+ project, through which activities aimed at improving accessibility have been developed, including the establishment of the Office for Support to Students with Disabilities.
👏Head of the Office, Danilo Leković, stated that the goal of the newly established office is to become the central mechanism for the development of inclusive practices at the University of Montenegro and to contribute to greater accessibility in higher education.
“We believe that inclusion is not a matter of goodwill, but of the quality of education and the responsibility of all of us. We do not view accessibility as an addition to the system, but as its inherent value,” emphasized Leković.

💯HAWKING partners remain committed to creating more accessible, inclusive, and supportive universities across Europe.

📣Virtual Open Day for Students with Disabilities and Their Parents

💡The University of Montenegro, as the coordinator of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project HAWKING (Harvesting (Digital) Alternation in Ways that Knock Down Inaccessibility for New Generations), is organizing the third Virtual Open Day for students with disabilities and their parents.

🎯The aim of the event is to present accessible study opportunities, admission requirements, and the support available to students with disabilities at the University of Montenegro.

👩‍🦼The Virtual Open Day is part of the continuous support that the University of Montenegro provides to future students with disabilities, with the goal of making the transition from secondary to higher education as accessible, simple, and inclusive as possible.

👉The event is intended for future students with disabilities and their parents, who will have the opportunity to learn more about:
✔️ study programmes
✔️ accessibility of infrastructure
✔️ digital support
✔️ student experiences
✔️ available support services

🗓️ Monday, 11 May
🕘 10:00 AM – 04:00 PM
💻 Online via Zoom platform

▶️During the event, participants will have the opportunity to communicate directly with lecturers and representatives of student support services.

Join us via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82585521528?pwd=12bGKkfVmroCLwdbcsvrKfC04Ortsv.1

👉 The second working day of the HAWKING project meeting brought valuable opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and experiences.

⏰ The day began at the Rectorate of the University of Banja Luka followed by visits to the Center for Support for Students with Disabilities and the Faculty of Philosophy Филозофски факултет Универзитета у Бањој Луци

✨✨ As the faculty that enrolls the largest number of students with disabilities, the Faculty of Philosophy presented its study opportunities, with the Dean introducing participants to inclusive practices and available support systems.

✅ These visits offered meaningful insights into good practices and highlighted the importance of accessibility and inclusion in higher education.

🏤 Our joint engagement and collaboration concluded with a visit to the Museum of the Republic of Srpske.

🤝🤝 While partner organizations regularly meet online to coordinate and plan ongoing and future activities, in-person meetings bring an added value—strengthening connections, deepening cooperation, and enhancing international collaboration, which is of great importance for education and future generations.

🌟 Last night, we proudly began the sixth work meeting of partner organizations in the HAWKING project, hosted by Organizacija UDAS.

👉 Today marks the start of the work sessions as the project enters its third year of implementation. We are excited to showcase the results achieved and the numerous training sessions organized for seven universities in the region. This gathering allows us to share our successes and jointly plan future activities that will encompass all we've accomplished so far.

💯 One of the significant activities of the project was the printing of informational brochures in Braille, which we collaborated on with the Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired RS.

🍀Additionally, our partners from various universities are getting acquainted with existing resources for students with disabilities in Banja Luka and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

✨We look forward to today’s productive sessions and our visit to the University of Banja Luka tomorrow!