Developing accessibility in university campuses: Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and the Accessibility Index
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences wanted a clear, comparable understanding of accessibility across its four campuses and a practical way to develop it further.
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences is Finland’s largest university of applied sciences. They educate future professionals in the fields of Business, Culture, Health Care and Social Services, and Technology. Metropolia has around 18,000 students and more than 1,100 experts. They have 4 campuses around Helsinki Metropolitan area.
In 2023 Metropolia partnered with Riesa to measure campus accessibility using the Accessibility Index. The goal was not just to assess compliance, but to create a shared, data-driven baseline for long-term campus development.
In 2024 Metropolia planned and budgeted accessibility improvements in areas that needed improvements based on Accessibility Index values.
In 2025 Metropolia focused on improving sensory accessibility that was identified as one of the key issues.