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Exemplary Accessibility Project for the Visually Impaired: “Işık Breaks Through Barriers”

Işık University has launched an important initiative aligned with its vision of accessibility and social contribution. Led by Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Bülent Kahraman and carried out by the Information Center in coordination with the Impaired Student Unit, the project “Işık Breaks Through Barriers” focuses on converting Işık University’s master’s and PhD theses into formats compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies used by visually impaired individuals.

Once converted, the theses are delivered to the Visually Impaired Technology and Education Laboratory (GETEM) at Boğaziçi University, where they are added to the GETEM catalogue and made accessible to visually impaired users across Türkiye. The project distinguishes itself as the first and only example of its kind in Türkiye.

To date, the Information Center has rendered more than 160 theses readable and submitted them to GETEM. The goal is to ensure that all theses produced at Işık University are fully accessible to visually impaired individuals.

Notably, 10% of all materials uploaded to GETEM in Türkiye in 2025 were provided by the Işık University Information Center, an impressive indicator of the university’s strong commitment to accessibility.

In recognition of these efforts, the Information Center team was invited to GETEM’s Volunteering Readers Certificate Ceremony and awarded a certificate of appreciation and contribution.