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Publisher: Peytchinski Publishing Ltd.
ISSN: 1312-773X (Online)
Issue: 2026, vol. 32, issue4
Subject Area: Medicine
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DOI: 10.5272/jimab.2026324.7171
Published online: 27 October 2026
Original article
J of IMAB. 2026 Oct-Dec;32(4):7171-7178
INCLUSION AT THE UNIVERSITY FROM A LEGAL POINT OF VIEW
Neli Gradinarova
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Department of Bioethics, Faculty of Public Health "Prof. Tzecomir Vodenitcharov, MD, DSc", Medical University - Sofia, Bulgaria.
ABSTRACT:
Purpose: This study examines the international and European legal framework governing integration in education, with a particular focus on higher education institutions and the protection of students with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. The study traces the evolution of integration from a social concept to a legally recognized principle based on equality, accessibility, participation, and non-discrimination.
Materials and Methods: The study employs a comprehensive normative, historical, and comparative legal methodology. International legal instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNESCO and UNICEF standards, European Union law, and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union, were analyzed to assess legal standards regarding inclusive education and reasonable accommodations.
Results: The analysis shows that inclusive education has become an essential element of the right to education under international and European human rights law. The case law of the ECHR establishes that the lack of reasonable accommodations, accessibility, and individualized support may constitute discrimination and a violation of the right to education.
Conclusion: Inclusive education is evolving into a multidimensional legal standard that requires not only formal equality but also effective participation, institutional support, an accessible environment, and systemic measures aimed at ensuring equal educational opportunities for all students in higher education.
Keywords: inclusion, university, legislation, case law,
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Please cite this article as: Gradinarova N. Inclusion at the University from a legal point of view. J of IMAB. 2026 Oct-Dec;32(4):7171-7178. [Crossref - 10.5272/jimab.2026324.7171]
Correspondence to: Neli Gradinarova, Department of Bioethics, Faculty of Public Health "Prof. Tzecomir Vodenitcharov, MD, DSc", Medical University – Sofia; 8, Bialo More Str., 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria. E-mail: n.gradinarova@foz.mu-sofia.bg
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Received: 12 May 2026
Published online: 27 October 2026