Positively Purple: FERNFH Sets the Standard for Inclusion and Equal Opportunity
On December 3, buildings around the world will be illuminated in purple—and the Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH is also participating in the international Positively Purple Day. Through this initiative, the university is sending a clear message in support of inclusion, accessibility, and the economic self-determination of people with disabilities. Mag.ᵃ Astrid Braun and Nicole König, BA MSc, from the FERNFH’s GG&D Committee, explain the significance of this commitment.
Education as the Foundation for Self-Determination
“FERNFH stands for equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion. That’s why it goes without saying that we’re part of this important initiative,” emphasizes Mag.ᵃ Astrid Braun. She adds that the Positively Purple initiative goes far beyond symbolic gestures. “It’s not just about putting people with disabilities in the spotlight for a day. Rather, it emphasizes people’s economic self-determination—and that always goes hand in hand with education.”
As a university, FERNFH focuses precisely on this: the systematic removal of educational barriers. “When it comes to physical barriers on the Wiener Neustadt campus and digital barriers on the online campus, we’ve already come a long way,” explains Braun. But FERNFH wants to go one step further and establish a welcoming culture at all levels so it can actively reach out to potential students and employees.
Inclusion in Action in Everyday Academic and Work Life
FERNFH’s practices demonstrate just how seriously it takes this issue: The university supports students by offering flexible exam times, providing reading aids such as special lamps for people with visual impairments, and setting up individualized workspaces. In addition, FERNFH is focusing on the topic of “language” this academic year through various formats such as films, lectures, and workshops.
“When we encounter barriers, we address them in a personalized way—whether in our work with colleagues or with students,” explain Braun and König. The goal, however, is to identify barriers in advance and remove them. FERNFH’s openness and student-centered approach make this flexible and unbureaucratic support possible. The program coordinators and the GG&D Committee are available to assist at any time.
A Culture of Togetherness
On Positively Purple Day, the representatives of the GG&D Committee have one wish above all else: “That FERNFH embodies its values and a culture of openness and welcome every day, and that we take small steps together toward inclusion and accessibility so that this becomes second nature to all of us.” They say the added value will be tangible for everyone—professionally, academically, and personally.
Beyond its formal significance, the day also has a personal dimension for Astrid Braun: “We give people a voice and shine a spotlight on the challenges they face, as they are excluded or restricted in many areas of life, work, and study.” Positively Purple Day reaches out, welcomes people, and supports them in becoming full-fledged members of society. “As a society, we can only succeed if we act, think, work, and study together—in other words, if we live together.”
