The Law to Eliminate Discrimination against People with Disabilities took effect in April 2016. Along with other public organizations, national university corporations in Japan are obligated to comply with "handling guidelines", which lay out appropriate measures for faculty and staff to take in an effort to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities.
Following its guidelines, Kyoto University held a workshop for faculty and staff to deepen understanding about disabilities discrimination, taking place in the Symposium Hall of the International Science Innovation Building. The workshop attracted 103 participants, including faculty, staff, and students.
In the first part of the workshop, Professor Kazunori Takeda of Tsukuba University's Faculty of Human Sciences and Director of the Office for Students with Disabilities, delivered a lecture entitled, "Actions universities should take and challenges facing them in complying with the Law to Eliminate Discrimination against People with Disabilities—Considerations on providing support based on 'reasonable accommodation'". Professor Takeda explained the history of the subject, from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through the Law to Eliminate Discrimination against People with Disabilities. He also talked about ways of understanding disabilities, and some important points of the law, referring to specific actions taken at Tsukuba University, as well as some actual cases at universities abroad, as in supporting students with disabilities.
In the second part, Professor Tatsuya Hayashi of the Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University's Director of the Disability Support Office of the General Student Support Center, and Assistant Professor Jun Murata of the Disability Support Center delivered lectures on KU's support system for students with disabilities, and discussed some actual cases.
The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for participants to renew their awareness of eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities.
Professor Takeda delivering his lecture
Professor Murata delivering his presentation
