News archive

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority is supporting a new Universal Design category in this year’s Irish Architecture Awards, run by the RIAI.

Entries for the RIAI Universal Design Award will be judged in relation to their achievement of excellence in architectural design that responds to the diverse needs of users, and enables people to access and use an environment with ease and comfort, to the greatest extent possible, regardless of their age, size, abilities or disabilities.

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design is currently developing two complementary documents on customer engagement in the Tourism services

1. A draft Irish Standard “I.S. 373: Universal Design for customer engagement in tourism services” to inform and guide those involved with the design and management of customer communication based services for tourism in Ireland. This standard is being developed in conjunction with the National Standards Authority Ireland (NSAI).

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design is currently developing two complementary documents on customer engagement in the Tourism services

1. A draft Irish Standard “I.S. 373: Universal Design for customer engagement in tourism services” to inform and guide those involved with the design and management of customer communication based services for tourism in Ireland. This standard is being developed in conjunction with the National Standards Authority Ireland (NSAI).

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design is currently developing two complementary documents on customer engagement in the Tourism services

1. A draft Irish Standard “I.S. 373: Universal Design for customer engagement in tourism services” to inform and guide those involved with the design and management of customer communication based services for tourism in Ireland. This standard is being developed in conjunction with the National Standards Authority Ireland (NSAI).

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design is currently developing two complementary documents on customer engagement in the Tourism services

1. A draft Irish Standard “I.S. 373: Universal Design for customer engagement in tourism services” to inform and guide those involved with the design and management of customer communication based services for tourism in Ireland. This standard is being developed in conjunction with the National Standards Authority Ireland (NSAI).

On Saturday 23rd February 2013 a joint seminar was held by the National Disability Authority in conjunction with the European Disability Forum entitled "Accessibility of Public Websites – legislative and practical perspectives".

On Saturday 23rd February 2013 a joint seminar was held by the National Disability Authority in conjunction with the European Disability Forum entitled "Accessibility of Public Websites – legislative and practical perspectives".

On Thursday 29th November 2012, the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) at the National Disability Authority (NDA) had a free seminar on "Universal Design for Digital Document Creation and Publication".

This practical half-day seminar examined the current state-of-the-art of accessible document creation and publication. It focused on the process of document creation and publication, looking at the most commonly used formats and practices in the public and educational sector and what can be done to ensure these formats are usable and accessible.

"Shared Space, Shared Surfaces and Home Zones from a Universal Design Approach for the Urban Environment in Ireland" explores contemporary national and international practices and thinking on Shared Spaces, Shared Surfaces and Home Zones and to investigate these concepts from a Universal Design approach in the Irish urban environment.

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) at the The National Disability Authority (NDA) in the presence of Mr Phil Hogan T.D, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, launched the revised Building for Everyone series on 23rd February 2012.

Below please find the agenda for this event as well as presentations by some of the speakers.

The NSAI and NDA/CEUD Forum took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Northwood on the evening of Wednesday, 14th March 2012.

The National Disability Authority has been invited by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to nominate upto 2 candidates for consideration by the Minister in relation to appointment as Ordinary Members of An Bord Pleanala. This is a full time senior level post, based in Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 for a period of 5 years. The NDA is required to respond to the Department forwarding CVs and letters of consent from the selected nominees no later than the statutory deadline of 26 January 2011.

Every academic year, the Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities offers a 7000-euro scholarship to several European students with disabilities.

Who? Candidates must be:

• A student enrolled in a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD programme (or equivalent) in 2011/2012;
• Enrolled at a University in Europe. Citizens, permanent residents, and international students are eligible to apply;
• Studying Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Informatics, or a closely related technical field;
• A person with a disability.

“The design techniques and team building was a great experience and I would recommend anyone to get involved with future Universal Design Challenges”

(Student design team member)

“Challenging students to design products for their non-peers should be part of all college courses” (Design team mentor)

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design invites comments on draft Universal Design guidelines for Digital TV services and equipment. The period for reviewing and submitting comments is from Friday 4th November to Friday 25th November 2011. The guidelines will become part of the suite of guidelines for information and communication technologies (ICTs) that the Centre develops and maintains for the web, hardware, software, smart card services and public access terminals.

Universal Design is the design of products, services, environments or ICT so that they can be used by anyone regardless of age, size ability or disability. Innovation which builds in a Universal Design approach from the outset has the capacity to reach significantly wider markets than an approach which disregards human diversity and results in outputs suited to a narrower range of abilities.

The National Disability Authority (NDA)/Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) invites tenders to prepare and trial a module on Universal Design (UD), for use at first year degree level (equivalent to the National Framework of Qualifications level 6/7) in 3rd level educational institutions in Ireland. As defined, Universal Design is the design and composition of the environment, so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design is pleased to announce the launch of the CEN Workshop on 'Curriculum for training professionals in Universal Design'

Winning designs to improve the Grafton Street and similar urban and retail areas in Ireland.

Even in severe winter conditions, Julia Cassim (facilitator) noted that “the 24 Hour Universal Design Challenge format always delivers”. James Hubbard (director) added, “with another successful challenge, following on from 2009 we have over 100 design challenge participants excited to have been through the intense and immersive 24 hour format likely to embed Universal Deign in their future work.

A seminar by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design on Shared Spaces was held on the 6th September 2010 at Engineers Ireland. The event was attended by 130 engineers, architects, landscape architects and other professionals and advocates interested in the potential and challenges that shared spaces have to offer in the urban environment.

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design is pleased to announce its involvement in the launch of a CEN Workshop on 'Curriculum for training professionals in Universal Design'