The Training on Universal Design for All: A Case Study from the European Higher Education Area in Spain.

The European Higher Education Area was a landmark in undergraduate and postgraduate training throughout the European Union. Despite the changes it led regarding the contents of all study programmes, there were two issues that remained unsolved. Firstly, gender mainstreaming, and secondly, training in universal accessibility and design for all. Our aim is to analyse the second issue that remains unresolved and share the solution that Spanish university education has drawn up supported by the tertiary sector. Therefore, any physical, social or virtual product must be based on universal design from a training approach. As teachers, our mission is to change the way in which each product is perceived, so that any design is based on universal design standards. In this article, we will explain the pioneering role of the University of Jaen regarding universal design training in Spain. It is essential to be supported by local and global organisations from the beginning, to create specific environments for discussion and design a study plan for all individuals. The main mission is to train but also to raise awareness regarding diversity, as well as training plurality ambassadors from a multidisciplinary approach. The Master's Degree previously mentioned is a pioneering education programme in Spain and it offers training opportunities to all Latin America. It has been on-going for six years and it is updated on an annual basis in order to reflect a changing social reality and provide any professional with online access to the set of subjects composing the programme. Until now, it has been carried out in two different plans: Master's Degree in Universal Design and Design for All, and Master's Degree in Accessibility for Smart City; the Global City. It has already trained more than 250 professionals and one of its main features is the diverse background of students and teachers, in which plurality and diversity converge in their interest for universal design.