The Unit for Disadvantaged Groups at Karadeniz Technical University (KTU) operates under the Vice Rector responsible for education and training and functions within the Department of Health, Culture and Sports. The unit works in coordination with all other university departments and academic advisors for disadvantaged groups.

KTU carries out comprehensive efforts to create an accessible campus for individuals with disabilities and to ensure their full participation in all academic, social, and cultural opportunities. The university provides various support services, infrastructure improvements, and awareness activities to guarantee equal opportunities for students, academic and administrative staff, and visitors with disabilities. Accessibility arrangements are implemented in physical spaces across the campus, reasonable accommodations are provided in education, and the use of assistive technologies is encouraged. With this inclusive approach, KTU strengthens the full and effective participation of individuals with disabilities in university life.

Within the scope of the Barrier-Free Universities Awards organized by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), KTU’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry received the Orange Flag Award for certifying that all facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. The Faculty of Letters was also nominated for the Orange Flag Award in the “Spatial Accessibility” category and the Green Flag Award in the “Educational Accessibility” category.

Valuing the concept of an “Accessible University,” KTU continues its efforts with a visionary perspective to eliminate challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. In this direction, the university implements projects under the themes of “Barrier-Free Access” and “Barrier-Free Education” to ensure that individuals with disabilities can independently and safely reach any service they need. The annual action plan prepared to realize this concept is also submitted to YÖK.