Call for proposal Special Inclusion Funds 2026

By ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) in 2009, Germany committed itself to actively strengthening the rights of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses and improving their lives in concrete terms. The focus is on the goal of enabling equal participation for all people - in particular by removing existing barriers and avoiding new obstacles.

A particular focus is on the right to inclusive education and work, which is a central requirement of the UN CRPD. The TUD would like to use the special funds from the SMWK to support projects in a targeted manner that promote and structurally anchor the topic of inclusion in the long term.

Larger or long-term project ideas are also welcome - in such cases, please contact the SG Diversity Management of the TUD.

Funding is available for measures and projects at TUD that improve the equal participation of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses - in their studies, working life and everyday life on campus. The projects should be based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the HRK recommendation "A University for All" and/or TU Dresden's Action Plan 2.0 for implementing the UN CRPD. Improving digital accessibility in accordance with BITV 2.0 / EU Directive 2016/2102) is also a key area of funding.

Types of costs

• Personnel resources, provided the activity directly contributes to the participation of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses or improves accessibility
• Material resources that promote the participation of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses or contribute to improving accessibility
  (Note: Investments are excluded. What counts as an investment may need to be agreed with D1. As a rule, material resources up to a maximum of €5,000 gross are eligible for funding).

Funding conditions:

• The measure or project must be completed by the end of 2026
• The funding must be spent in cash terms in the first week of December 2026 (carryover to the following year is not possible).

Evaluation criteria:

• The measure should have a sustainable effect - i.e. it should last or have an impact beyond the funding period.
• It should have as wide an impact as possible - e.g. reach several target groups.

The following are excluded from funding:

• Investments, whereby what is classified as an investment must be agreed with D1 if necessary, are mostly subsidies for material resources that are less than 
  €5,000 gross.
• Construction measures
• Measures that serve general health care at the university
• Teaching and workplace equipment as well as material resources that are part of the basic equipment
• Double funding (e.g. measures that can be applied for within the framework of SGB IX)
• Measures that are not specifically related to the inclusion of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses
• Measures and projects that do not follow the principle of sustainability in that they do not continue after funding has been provided

All members of TUD are eligible to apply and receive funding: students, teaching and research staff, and the central university administration.

Students must look for a cooperation partner (e.g. professorship or structural unit) to be assigned to a cost center.

In addition to the fully completed application (in digital form), the following criteria must be met:

• Ideally, the project should be related to or based on the areas of action outlined in TU Dresden's Action Plan 2.0 for the implementation of the UN CRPD Link: Action Plan 2.0 of TU Dresden),
• the project appears coherent and plausible, the objectives of the project are presented in a concrete and recognizable manner,
• the project serves as start-up financing and fulfills the principle of sustainability in that it continues after the funding or the project/measure has a wide range of effects,
• the measures serve to improve the participation of students and employees with disabilities in teaching and research at TU Dresden,
• the project focuses on real participation for all, away from a policy of reactive, case-by-case care,
• the project can be implemented within the given time frame,
• the project does not follow a purely personal interest, but makes a sustainable contribution to TU Dresden in the context of the inclusion of people with disabilities and chronic diseases,
• in the case of previous funding through special inclusion funds (since 2015), the implementation of the measure/project was convincing and the associated reporting was carried out on time.

Please send your application using the attached application form, including the financial calculation, by November 12, 2025 (end of business day) in electronic form by email to .

Subsequently, the Advisory Council on Inclusion will review and evaluate the applications under the direction of the Vice-Rector University Culture. In addition to the suitability for the above criteria and requirements, the quality of the implementation of previous projects funded by special inclusion funds is also included in the evaluation. Based on these evaluations, the Rectorate makes the funding decision. After the decision by the rectorate and the allocation of the special inclusion funds by the SMWK, the applicants receive a corresponding notification.

Incomplete applications or applications not received by the deadline will not be considered. There is no entitlement to funding.

As with all special allocations, timely reporting and corresponding evaluation of the measures for the use of the allocated funds is required vis-à-vis the SMWK. University-wide information on the use of the special inclusion funds will be developed and published.

Please submit an unsolicited factual report to the Unit Diversity Management within four weeks after completion of the measure, but no later than December 13, 2026. A template for this report will be provided to you by the Unit Diversity Management in due time.

The special funds for inclusion play a crucial role in promoting equal opportunities and participation for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

The measures and projects supported by the special funds for inclusion aim to break down barriers and create an inclusive environment.

Funding was provided, for example:

• Making documents accessible, including Braille printing or external services for the design and printing of accessible documents
• Costs for improving the accessibility of events, such as the use of sign language or written interpretation (in German and/or English)
• Personnel costs, such as Student Assistants (SHK), Research Assistants (WHK) or honorary staff whose activities are in the field of accessibility and inclusion or improving the participation of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses
• Material resources, such as special materials that contribute to improving accessibility can be made available for loan within TU Dresden via the Inclusion lending pool.