European Disability Employment Week - 16–20 November 2026
Université Paris-Saclay is an inclusive institution, founded on the belief that everyone, whatever their differences or disability, can be welcomed, valued and fully integrated into university life.
In this context, initiatives are organised throughout the year across the university’s campuses, with European Disability Employment Week (EDEW), taking place from 16 to 22 November 2026, serving as a key opportunity to raise awareness and encourage engagement.
For its 30th edition, EDEW will focus on the theme “Demystifying, simplifying and supporting: employment for everyone”. This anniversary edition aims in particular to make employment-related support schemes for disabled people clearer and more accessible, while strengthening support for both disabled people and employers. As part of this initiative, the university is organising a range of awareness-raising activities, training sessions and opportunities for discussion, primarily for staff and disabled students, but also open more broadly to anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of disability-related issues and develop good professional practices tailored to different situations.
In France, access to employment remains a major challenge for disabled people. In 2024, the employment rate among people with official recognition of disability status stood at 41%, compared with 69% for the population as a whole. Their unemployment rate reached 12%, compared with 7% for the population as a whole.
However, the situation is improving in the public sector. In 2025, the direct employment rate for disabled people reached 6.36%, exceeding the statutory target of 6% for the first time. This progress was observed across all three branches of the French public service: 5.28% in central government, 6.26% in the hospital sector and 7.68% in local government.
In 2025, 306,910 people eligible under the statutory employment obligation for disabled workers were recorded in the French public service, while 41,384 disabled people were recruited. These figures reflect progress towards greater inclusion in the workplace, while highlighting the importance of continuing efforts to promote access to employment and job retention for disabled people.
Programme
Monday 16 November
- Opening online conference marking European Disability Employment Week (EDEW), focusing on disability, with contributions from Clotilde Coron, Vice-President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Université Paris-Saclay, and Virginie Demulier, Director of Sceaux IUT and researcher at the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Digital Sciences (LISN), from 1 pm to 2 pm, followed by a session led by Mélanie Mani, hearing aid audiologist at Vivason, from 2 pm to 4 pm. (Online)
Link to join the online conference: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3305035134177246?p=i3NjY2uuQehYI6KZGE
- Inclusion Dice - An interactive awareness-raising activity on campus, run by Heyu, a training organisation specialising in diversity, inclusion, equality and social responsibility.
Staff restaurant, Cesfo, rue André Rivières, 91400 Orsay – 12 pm
Lumen, learning centre of Université Paris-Saclay, 8 avenue des Sciences, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette – 2.15 pm–4.15 pm
Les Cèdres d’Orsay university restaurant, Building 406, 91400 Orsay – 5 pm–7.30 pm
Tuesday 17 November
- DuoDay preparation and information webinar – 1 pm–2.30 pm
Link to join the webinar: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3692673227540609?p=qaqBEZbAfZHjsldYrv
- In-person training session on digital accessibility - Orsay campus – 9 am–5 pm
Registration required: Register via GEFORP
- Inclusion Dice – Interactive awareness-raising activity with the Heyu agency:
Faculty of Pharmacy, Henry Moissan Building, 17 avenue des Sciences, 91400 Orsay – 9 am–11 am
Faculty of Medicine, 63 rue Gabriel Péri, 94270 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre – 11.30 am–1.30 pm
Cachan IUT, 9 avenue de la Division Leclerc, 94230 Cachan – 2.30 pm–4.30 pm
Online recruitment fair webinar with 100% Handinamique – 10 am–5 pm
Registration link: https://www.b2match.com/e/handicafe-seeph-2026
Wednesday 18 November
- Inclusion Dice – Interactive awareness-raising activities with the Heyu agency
Sceaux IUT, 8 avenue Cauchy, 92330 Sceaux – 9 am–11 am
La Coulée Verte university restaurant, 54 boulevard Desgranges, 92330 Sceaux – 11.30 am–2 pm
Jean Monnet Faculty (Law, Economics and Management), Building G, 54 boulevard Desgranges, 92330 Sceaux – 2.30 pm–4.30 pm
- Hearing test with Mélanie Mani, hearing aid audiologist at Vivason – Registration required
Building 209D, rue Jean-Dominique Cassini, 91405 Orsay Cedex – 9.30 am–12.30 pm
La Maison de la Santé, 3 rue Joliot Curie, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette – 1.30 pm–6.30 pm
Registration link: https://admin-sphinx.universite-paris-saclay.fr/v4/s/FDOo5tB5u8
- Online webinar with 100% Handinamique – 5 pm–7 pm
Organised in connection with DuoDay, this webinar will cover professional networking, job applications and how to highlight your work experience.
Webinar link: https://meet.google.com/meet/vnj-ofju-gwb?pli=1
Thursday 19 November
- Université Paris-Saclay DuoDay
This initiative gives a disabled person the opportunity to discover a profession at Université Paris-Saclay by spending a day paired with a member of staff. It promotes professional inclusion and raises awareness among teams of employment opportunities for disabled people.
- Webinar – Training session: “Raising awareness of different types of disability through works of art” – 9.30 am–10.30 am
- Concert and discussion – Lumen Auditorium, 8 avenue des Sciences, Gif-sur-Yvette – 6 pm
This concert and discussion will provide an opportunity to discover the work of the Staff Disability Support Unit and the Diversity and Disability Unit within the Student Life and Equal Opportunities Department. Through live music and discussions with the artists and audience, the event will explore disability-related issues and raise awareness of inclusion. A selection of books on disability will also be on display to encourage further reflection and discussion.
Friday 20 November
- Webinar – Training session: “Better supporting disabled students with career guidance and access to employment” – 1.30 pm–2.30 pm
16–20 November
- “Famous and Unique” kakemono exhibition, organised by the Student Life and Equal Opportunities Department (DVEEC) – Orsay University Library, Université Paris-Saclay, 407 rue du Doyen Georges Poitou, 91400 Orsay
Discover famous and remarkable individuals whose inspiring life stories remind us that everyone is unique.