Page - 108 - in Radical Solutions and Open Science - An Open Approach to Boost Higher Education

114 J.Cullen 2011.7Theseshowthatdisabilityisakeyfactorinshapinginequalitieswithineduca- tion,with63%oftheEU16–18agegroupreportingsomeformofphysicalormental restrictions in education, compared83%reportingno restrictionand inhigher edu- cation 48% reporting some form of physical or mental restrictions in education, comparedwith85%reportingno restriction. The literature shows a number of commonalities with regard to the situation andneeds of studentswith disabilities inEUcountries. In general, youngdisabled people have less chance to access higher education than their non-disabled peers. For example, in Norway, 9% of young disabled people entered higher education compared to21%of thegeneral populationof this age. InMalta, 4.4%ofdisabled peoplereachedhighereducationagainst10%ofnon-disabledpeople,whilstinSpain, only5.4%ofdisabledpeoplehadauniversityeducationcomparedto19.1%fornon- disabledpeople.IntheUK,only28%ofdisabledyoungpeopleenterhighereducation bytheageof19compared to41%ofnon-disabledyoungpeople,yetamongst those studentswhodeclaredisabilityandcompletetheirfirstdegree(Bachelor),56%attain at leastan‘uppersecond’classdegree,almost thesameasfornon-disabledstudents (59%).8 Youngdisabledpeoplearealsomorelikelythannon-disabledyouthtoexperience disruptiontotheirstudies.AccordingtotheOECD,disabledstudentstendtobemore likely to followpart-time courses than non-disabled students, to drop out after the first year and are less likely to graduate (OECD, 2016). The OECD research on youngdisabledpeople’ transition to tertiaryeducationandemployment also shows thatdisabledyoungadults are less likely than theirnon-disabledpeers toaccess the most professionally promising courses.TheANEDreport shows that, inGermany, disabledstudents tendtohavemoreerraticpathwaysduringtheirstudies;needmore time for their studies, are more likely than non-disabled students to change their coursesand/oruniversityandarelesslikelytogainauniversitydegree.Intheabsence ofappropriatesupportsystems,suchdifficultiesimpactmoregreatlyonstudentswith more severeorcomplex impairments. Because education systemshave largely remained subject to theparticular legal normsandpracticesofmember states, rather thandictatedby trans-national institu- tions,supportfordisabledstudentsvariessignificantlyacrosstheEU.Somecountries implementpreferentialenrolmentprocedures.Portugalimposesanadmissionsquota for disabled students; inGermanydisabled applicantsmaybe granted a privileged accessbythenationalauthorityresponsiblefor theallocationofuniversityplaces; in Greece,5%ofallplacesarereservedfordisabledstudents; inHungary,disabledstu- dentsaregiven50pointsmorefortheirentryexam;inNorwaydisabledyoungadults whodonot have anupper secondary school diplomacanaccess tertiary education, onconditionthattheyobtainthisdiplomaduringthefirstsemesterofuniversitystud- ies; in theUKfurthereducationCollegesandUniversitiesmayalsoprovide ‘access 7DirectorateGeneralEmployment,Socialaffairsandequalopportunities,UnitIntegrationofPeople withDisabilities (2010). 8Source:ANED,2011.