Accessibility Statement

Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR Berlin) is committed to making its websites accessible in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

The legal basis for accessibility is the Berlin Act on Accessible Information and Communication Technology (BIKTG Bln) and the Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance (BITV 2.0), as amended from time to time.

The technical accessibility requirements are defined in BITV 2.0, which is based on the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.

This accessibility statement applies to the central website of HWR Berlin:

• https://www.hwr-berlin.de

It also applies to additional websites of affiliated institutes of HWR Berlin that are based on the centrally provided web infrastructure of the university. These include in particular:

• https://www.foeps-berlin.org
• https://www.ina.hwr-berlin.de
• https://www.ipe-berlin.org
• https://www.htmi.hwr-berlin.de
• https://www.ivvi.hwr-berlin.de
• https://www.d-cube.hwr-berlin.de
• https://www.bcee.hwr-berlin.de/en

The editorial responsibility for the content of these websites lies with the respective institutes.

However, the technical foundations of the websites (such as templates, navigation structures, components, and core functionality) are provided and maintained centrally by HWR Berlin. Therefore, the technical accessibility conditions described in this statement generally also apply to these websites.

The above-mentioned websites are partially compliant with the requirements of BITV 2.0.

Some content and functions currently do not fully meet the accessibility requirements.

Accessibility was evaluated using the BITV self-assessment test, which is based on WCAG 2.1.

The audit was conducted by an external accessibility agency and included:

• automated technical testing procedures
• manual testing by accessibility experts
• sample-based testing of different page types and functionalities

Last comprehensive technical evaluation: March 2026.

The content listed below is currently not fully accessible.

Perceivable Content

Alternative Texts for Images and Graphical Elements
Some images, graphics, or interface elements do not provide sufficient alternative text or are not correctly marked up. As a result, screen readers may not fully convey the content or function of these elements.

Color Contrast
In certain areas of the websites, color contrast between text and background does not fully meet WCAG requirements.

Videos
Most videos include subtitles. However, some videos may lack additional accessibility features such as descriptions of relevant sounds or visual information.

Structure and Semantic Markup

Semantic Page Structure
Some pages contain structural or semantic issues in the HTML code, for example:

• incomplete or inconsistent heading hierarchies
• incorrectly marked structural elements
• missing semantic associations for content elements

Form Structure
Some forms are not fully marked up correctly, for example due to missing or insufficiently linked labels for form fields.

Operability

Keyboard Accessibility
Some functions and interactive elements of the websites are currently not fully operable using a keyboard.

Focus Visibility
In some areas, the visual focus indicator used during keyboard navigation is not sufficiently visible or consistent.

Interactive Components
Some dynamic or interactive elements, such as sliders or carousel components, are not yet fully accessible.

Technical Compatibility

ARIA Roles and Technical Markup
In certain areas, appropriate ARIA roles or attributes are missing or not correctly implemented. This may prevent assistive technologies from fully interpreting some elements or functions.

Labelling of Links and Controls
Some links or controls are not sufficiently labelled or do not clearly indicate their purpose.

Documents

Many documents provided on the websites (e.g., PDF files) are not fully accessible.

In particular, older documents created before 2020 often do not meet current accessibility requirements. Due to the large number of existing documents, it is not currently possible to revise all of them retroactively.

Newly created documents are intended to be published in an accessible format whenever possible.

If you require a specific document in an accessible format, please contact the address listed below.

Due to the shared technical infrastructure, the limitations described above may also affect the affiliated institute websites listed in the scope of this statement.

This statement was created or last updated on 8 April 2026.

It is based on an external accessibility audit conducted according to the BITV self-test methodology.

The statement is reviewed regularly and updated whenever technical or content-related changes occur.

If you encounter any barriers when accessing content on our websites or if you have questions regarding digital accessibility, please contact us:

HWR Berlin
Hochschulkommunikation

Zentrale Internetredaktion
Badensche Straße 52
10825 Berlin

E-Mail: internetredaktion(at)hwr-berlin.de

We will review your feedback as quickly as possible and aim to resolve reported accessibility issues within our technical and organizational capabilities.

Enforcement Procedure

If you do not receive a satisfactory response to your request regarding accessibility within a reasonable period of time, you may contact the responsible enforcement body.

The enforcement body supports users in asserting their right to accessible digital services provided by public institutions.

Durchsetzungsstelle für digitale Barrierefreiheit im Land Berlin

Further information about the enforcement procedure and how to contact the enforcement body can be found on the official websites of the State of Berlin.