A university training and employing students with intellectual disability as education professionals

Solution
Bildungsfachkräfte (Education Professionals)
Organization
University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, Competence Center for Inclusive Education Saxony-Anhalt
Country of Implementation
Germany
Region
Europe
Subregion
Western Europe
Start Year
2018
First published
03.12.2024

Inklusive Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt trains people with disabilities as educators. Since 2018, 5 educators were employed and 4 new trainees began in 2024, delivering inclusive education across Saxony-Anhalt.

In a classroom setting, a person shares a personal story to an attentive audience. The presentation includes childhood photos, creating an atmosphere of empathy and understanding. The interaction reflects educational efforts toward inclusivity and respect, as attendees listen and learn from the speaker's experiences with disability.
In Saxony-Anhalt, students with intellectual disability conduct regular educational events.

Solution details

People

Matthias Morfeld Website
“If inclusion was a foreign language, we would be native speakers.” Fiene Herkula, Bildungsfachkraft (education professional), Kompetenzzentrum Inklusive Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal

The project Inklusive Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt began in August 2018 at the campus of Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal, in Stendal, Germany. By March 2019 six individuals who previously participated in workshops for people with disabilities were trained as education professionals. Five have been employed at the university since July 2022. They conduct regular educational events on inclusive didactics, the basics of inclusion and participation, and accessibility across Saxony-Anhalt. The project has since been established as the Kompetenzzentrum Inklusive Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt at the university, and four more education professionals began their trainings in 2024.

Problems Targeted

There is a lack of employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to transition from sheltered workshops to higher education institutions.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Inklusive Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt began in August 2018 as a project at the Stendal campus of Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal, and is based on the pilot models of the University of Kiel and the Drachensee Stiftung. Initially, six individuals with disabilities were trained as education professionals, and by spring 2022 five of them had completed their training and began working at the university. The project was formalized into Kompetenzzentrum Inklusive Bildung Saxony-Anhalt, which now operates as a permanent part of the university, providing educational services on inclusive didactics, inclusion, and accessibility across Saxony-Anhalt. The specialists then conduct educational events at universities and public institutions, sharing their experiences and knowledge to foster inclusive practices. For example, they engage in co-teaching with full-time teachers and provide practical insights into the lives of people with disabilities. In 2024 another cohort of four students began training as education professionals.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The Inklusive Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt project was initially funded by the Ministry of Science, Energy, Climate Protection, and Environment of Saxony-Anhalt with nearly €800,000 over 3.5 years (August 2018 to February 2022). Since October 2022 the Kompetenzzentrum Inklusive Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt has been receiving annual funding of nearly €700,000 from the same ministry. Additionally, employment of the five education professionals is supported through the social welfare programme Budget for Work, covering 75 per cent of the total cost. Kompetenzzentrum Inklusive Bildung cooperates with other universities in Saxony-Anhalt and the German network of Institutes for Inclusive Education. (Zero Project Awardee 2025)

Media

Pictures

In a classroom setting, a person shares a personal story to an attentive audience. The presentation includes childhood photos, creating an atmosphere of empathy and understanding. The interaction reflects educational efforts toward inclusivity and respect, as attendees listen and learn from the speaker's experiences with disability. In Saxony-Anhalt, students with intellectual disability conduct regular educational events.
In a classroom setting, a person shares a personal story to an attentive audience. The presentation includes childhood photos, creating an atmosphere of empathy and understanding. The interaction reflects educational efforts toward inclusivity and respect, as attendees listen and learn from the speaker's experiences with disability. In Saxony-Anhalt, students with intellectual disability conduct regular educational events.

Related information

Solutions with the same:

Country of Implementation

Germany

Region of Implementation

Europe