Admitting students with disabilities must be followed by providing an accessible academic environment. Inclusive services require a consistent system. We need to ensure that every faculty and department has the capacity to provide accommodations suited to students’ needs. (Prof. JJ, Unhas Rector)
*MAKASSAR* — Access to higher education for people with disabilities requires an academic environment able to accommodate students’ diverse needs. Hasanuddin University (Unhas) is responding by strengthening equal and inclusive access to education as part of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.
In 2026, Unhas admitted 20 new students with disabilities spread across 12 study programs. These students come from various regions of Indonesia, both within and outside Sulawesi. This is the fourth time since 2023 that Unhas has systematically made room for students with disabilities.
The admission of students with disabilities shows consistent progress. Since the Unhas Disability Center was established in 2023, 70 students with disabilities have been admitted to various faculties and study programs, including at the master’s level.
Unhas Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc., stressed that admitting students with disabilities must be followed by providing an accessible academic environment.
“We open access to education for students with disabilities, then make sure their learning proceeds with appropriate support, for Unhas as an Inclusive campus,” said Prof. JJ at the Unhas 2026 new student admission event on Tuesday (11 August),
Unhas’s commitment to becoming an inclusive campus is being realized through improvements to physical accessibility, learning, and academic services. Various facilities have been equipped with ramps, accessible toilets, dedicated parking areas, and accessibility signage. The Unhas Disability Center has also initiated sign language learning to broaden communication skills on campus.
In teaching, some lecturers use real-time closed captions through Zoom and Google Teams for Deaf students, and adjust class hours to suit students’ needs.
Systemically, the Institute for Quality Assurance and Educational Development (LPMPP) at Unhas is drafting inclusive learning guidelines as a reference for lecturers.
Unhas now has three sign language interpreters and 10 sign language volunteers. These services continue to be strengthened so that communication access is available in the learning process in every department. This step reflects Unhas’s effort to build an academic environment that is accessible and equal for all students.
“Providing inclusive services requires a consistent system. We need to ensure that every faculty and department has the capacity to provide accommodations suited to students’ needs,” Prof. Jamaluddin explained.
Unhas continues to improve in providing an inclusive academic environment by developing more adaptive learning methods for students with intellectual disabilities and improving physical access between academic spaces. These efforts include developing horizontal and vertical access routes and facilities such as elevators in multi-story buildings to support the mobility of students with physical disabilities.
“We build this inclusivity through policy, facilities, learning, research, and academic culture; we even have a TRG (Disability Research Group). With this approach, we want students with disabilities to have equal opportunities to grow and contribute at Unhas,” Prof. JJ concluded.
The admission of 20 students with disabilities in 2026 affirms Unhas’s step in opening access to higher education for all talent. The Unhas Rector pinned the alma mater jacket on Muhammad Ali Syariati, a student with cerebral palsy from Pinrang.
The pinning is a symbol of acceptance and of Unhas’s commitment to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to learn and grow in an academic environment that is accessible, equal, and dignified. The step also reinforces Unhas’s direction in building an inclusive campus on the path to becoming a World Class University. (*/aya)
Unhas New Student Data 2026
By Type of Disability:
– Physical disabilities: 12 students (cerebral palsy, crutch users, wheelchair users, amputation, and polio)
– Hearing sensory disabilities (Deaf/Hard of Hearing): 6 students
– Psychosocial mental disabilities: 1 student (social anxiety disorder)
– Developmental mental disabilities: 1 student (autism spectrum)
By Distribution across Faculties/Study Programs:
– FISIP: 5 students (Public Administration, Government Studies, Political Science, Anthropology, Communication Studies)
– Faculty of Economics and Business: 4 students (Development Economics, Accounting, Management)
– Faculty of Cultural Sciences: 3 students (Indonesian Literature, English Literature, Tourism)
– Faculty of Animal Science: 1 student (Animal Science)
– Faculty of Medicine: 2 students (Veterinary Medicine, Psychology),
– Faculty of Law: 1 student (Law)
– Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries: 1 student (Fisheries)
– Faculty of Vocational Studies: 1 student (Digital Communication)
By Admission Pathway:
– Mandiri Disability Affirmation Pathway: 13 students
– SNBP/SNBT Pathway: 7 students
Editor: Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.