Accessibility
Everyday features of the university environment, such as steps, large lecture theatres with many distractions, or small font sizes, can present significant barriers for people with disabilities. The University of Lucerne is therefore continuously working to improve accessibility in line with current standards and to ensure that all facilities comply with applicable regulations.
Below you will find information on buildings and infrastructure for people with visual or hearing impairments, as well as for those with reduced mobility.
Responsibility for the structural and organisational implementation of accessibility at the University of Lucerne lies with Facility Management.
The Equal Opportunities Office provides advice and support to people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. It also welcomes reports of structural or technical obstacles, as well as digital barriers.
Contact: Fleur Weibel, fleur.weibel@unilu.ch
To the right of the main entrance, and directly in front of the night-time entrance, there are three designated accessible parking spaces marked in yellow. These are reserved exclusively for visitors, students and staff of the UNI/PH building. If these three spaces are occupied, no alternative parking spaces may be used, as the remaining spaces are leased from Swiss Post and managed by Securitas.
Lifts
The university building is equipped with three accessible passenger lifts located in the North, South and East wings.
A goods lift is also available; however, it can only be operated with a key. Please contact Facility Management at the information desk to the right of the main entrance for access.
In addition, there is an external lift on the east side of the building. This connects the ground floor with the second floor (PH Lucerne break area and access to the car park).
Accessible toilets are available on every floor of the building. These facilities are equipped with tilting mirrors, door-closing aids and grab rails.
On the third and fourth floors, there is an accessible toilet on the east side of the building, each with a shower in the same room. In total, the building provides 16 accessible toilets.
All toilet locations are indicated on the university’s floor plan.
Accessible toilet with Eurokey on the ground floor
The accessible toilet (E.105) on the ground floor is fitted with a Eurokey lock and can be accessed using a Eurokey. This system helps ensure that people with disabilities have reliable access to a clean and available facility.
Eurokeys can be obtained, for example, from Pro Infirmis.
The university building was constructed in accordance with the accessibility guidelines in force in 2007. Any identified defects were subsequently rectified in 2012.
In principle, all rooms, seminar rooms and lecture halls are accessible without barriers. Further information on the tiered lecture theatres 1, 9 and 10 is provided below.
Detailed floor plans of all rooms at the University of Lucerne, including their facilities, can be viewed here: Floor plans
Ramps on the 3rd and 4th floors
On the third and fourth floors, two corridors connect the different sections of the building. The corridor on the east side (lake side) is step-free and slopes gently along the entire length of the stairwell. The second corridor, on the west side (station side), includes three to four steps in the middle of the route.
Barrier-free access to the tiered lecture theatres 1 / 9 / 10
The tiered lecture theatre HS 1 on the ground floor, as well as HS 9 and HS 10 (which extend from the first basement level to the second basement level), can be accessed without barriers via two different routes:
Access on the first basement level
Lecture theatres 1, 9 and 10 can be accessed barrier-free from above via the entrances on the ground floor or the first basement level. The back row is accessible without steps. Seats in the back row are reserved for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses and are clearly marked. In the middle of the row, chairs are movable, while the outer seats are fixed.
Access on the 2nd basement level – badge required
Lecture theatres 1, 9 and 10 also have emergency exits on the second basement level, which are accessible without barriers. These entrances allow access from below to the front rows of the lecture theatres.
Barrier-free seating with wheelchair-accessible tables is available in the second row from the front and is reserved for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. These seats can be reached via a short ramp.
The second basement level and the lower entrances to the lecture theatres can be accessed via the passenger lift in the North stairwell (night access) and through the emergency corridors.
Access via the second basement level requires a key badge, which can be requested from Facility Management. This badge enables alarm-free entry and exit via the emergency exits. The lock is located at the level of the door latches.
When issuing the badge, Facility Management will provide instructions on its use and on available access routes.
Access to the library
The entrance and exit to the library are equipped with a book security system. The entry and exit gates, the spacing between bookshelves, and the circulation desk all comply with the requirements for barrier-free design.
Protective films on glass doors
The corridors of the University of Lucerne contain a number of glass entrance doors and fire-rated doors. These glass doors and panels are marked with a patterned film to improve visibility. Individual glass surfaces with wide frames, or those not located in direct passageways, are not marked. This applies, for example, to the windows in the canteen and those leading to the library.
Markings for lecture halls (raised lettering)
Digital timetable displays are located outside the lecture halls, to the right of each door. Beneath these, an analogue board indicates the lecture hall names. In the bottom right-hand corner of each board, the lecture hall designation is provided in raised lettering.
Signage for Student Services and the Student Shop
Student Services (4th floor) and the Student Shop are identified by signage with embossed lettering. The signs are positioned to the right of the doors, with the lettering located in the bottom right-hand corner.
Numbering of staircases
At the end of each staircase, the corresponding floor is indicated by a raised number.
Marking of lift controls
At the lift entrances and within the lift cabins, the call and control buttons are raised to facilitate use.
Induction loops
Induction loops are installed in the floors of 15 lecture halls and seminar rooms.
For the system to function, lectures must be delivered using a microphone connected to the audio system. The microphone signal is received by the amplifier and transmitted both to the loudspeakers and to the induction loop. The signal is then carried through the floor loop, where it can be received and transmitted by compatible hearing aids.
Rooms equipped with an induction loop are marked with the relevant symbol in the timetable overview.
Here you will find a list of all rooms equipped with an induction loop:
- Basement 1: Lecture halls HS 9 and HS 10
- Ground floor: All lecture halls (HS 1 – HS 8)
- 3rd floor: Seminar rooms 3.A05 and 3.B58
- 4th floor: Seminar room 4.A05
