Effective Date: June 2025

Last Reviewed: June 2026

Next Scheduled Review: June 2027

I. Our Commitment

The internet serves as the world’s largest resource for free information, benefiting general users as well as people with disabilities. Therefore, we attach great importance to delivering equitable services for individuals with disabilities and are committed to optimising their web browsing experience.

To enable persons with disabilities to access our digital services without barriers, we have invested resources to enhance the usability of our website, as we firmly believe that everyone is entitled to an equal, respectful, comfortable, and independent life.

International Association of Private Universities and Colleges (IAPUC) is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We continually improve the user experience for everyone and apply relevant accessibility standards to enable all members of our community – including prospective students, current students, faculty, staff, and visitors – to access and engage with our digital content and services.

As a place of public accommodation under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), IAPUC is dedicated to providing equal access to its goods, services, facilities, and accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We also recognise our obligations under the Law of the People‘s Republic of China on the Construction of a Barrier‑Free Environment (effective 28 June 2023), which mandates the provision of accessible information exchange and social services for persons with disabilities and elderly individuals.

II. Scope and Applicable Standards

This statement applies to content published on the primary domain https://www.iapuc.org. It does not apply to subdomains or third‑party content linked from this website. The statement also covers all associated digital content (web pages, mobile‑responsive interfaces, and downloadable documents where technically feasible).

We strive to conform to the following accessibility standards:

• WCAG 2.1 Level AA– Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
• GB/T 37668-2019– Information technology — Internet content accessibility technical requirements and conformance testing, the first national accessibility standard for Internet content in China, which establishes 58 technical indicators across four principles: perceivability, operability, understandability, and compatibility.
• EN 301 549 V3.2.1– The harmonised European standard for ICT accessibility requirements, which closely follows WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

Where IAPUC engages in contracts or partnerships with U.S. federal agencies, we also align with the Revised Section 508 Standards of the Rehabilitation Act, which require WCAG 2.0 Level AA conformance for electronic and information technology.

Wherever possible, we also align with the newer WCAG 2.2 Level AA success criteria

III. Obligations for Member Institutions

IAPUC recognises that digital accessibility is not limited to our own website. Our member institutions – including universities, colleges, higher vocational education institutions, online education providers, EdTech start‑ups and platforms – serve as primary points of digital engagement for students, faculty, and the public. To foster an inclusive educational ecosystem, we have established the following requirements and recommendations for all categories of members.

a). Applicability

This section applies to all IAPUC member institutions that operate any digital presence (websites, learning management systems, mobile applications, student portals, and downloadable course materials) for the delivery of educational content, administrative services, or community engagement.

b). Required Accessibility Standard

All member institutions shall ensure that their primary public‑facing websites and student‑facing digital platforms conform to at leastWCAG 2.1 Level AA, or the equivalent national standard in their jurisdiction (e.g., GB/T 37668-2019 for China, EN 301 549 for the EU). For EdTech platforms and online education providers, this requirement extends to all interactive features, including video players, assessment tools, and communication interfaces.

c). Publication of an Accessibility Statement

Each member institution must publish its own accessibility statement that includes:

• A clear commitment to digital accessibility;
• The standards to which the site conforms (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA);
• A feedback mechanism for reporting barriers and requesting alternative formats;
• A date of preparation and a review schedule (at least annually);
• A description of any known limitations and a timeline for remediation.

Institutions are encouraged to model their statements on this IAPUC document but must tailor them to their own digital properties and organisational context.

d). Technical Support and Resources

IAPUC provides the following support to assist members in achieving compliance:

• Access to a curated list of accessibility evaluation tools (e.g., axe, WAVE, Lighthouse);
• Template accessibility statements and policy guides;
• Annual webinars on accessibility best practices, hosted by the Professional Development Committee;
• A shared repository of accessible document templates (Word, PowerPoint, PDF) for common administrative and educational materials;
• For EdTech and online education members, a technical guide for integrating accessibility into product development lifecycles, including guidelines for AI‑based tools and video captioning.

e). Compliance Deadlines

• Existing members: All member institutions shall achieve WCAG 2.1 AA conformance for their primary digital properties by 31 December 2027.
• New members: Institutions applying for membership after the effective date of this statement must provide a roadmap towards conformance within 24 months of admission.
• EdTech platforms with AI‑powered features: Must also undergo an independent accessibility audit(covering both interface and algorithmic fairness) by 31 December 2028, in line with our AI‑Assisted Teaching Guidelines (IAPUC/QS/DOC-2026-004).

f). Consequences of Non‑compliance

Member institutions that fail to demonstrate meaningful progress towards accessibility may be subject to:

• A compliance review by theStandards and Accreditation Committee;
• Inclusion in the institution’s accreditation assessment as a quality indicator (per IQA Core Standard 6 – Resources and Support);
• In severe cases, suspension of membership benefits until remediation is achieved, as per the Member Qualification and Admission Standards(IAPUC/MEM/DOC-2026-001).

g). Special Considerations for Different Institution Types

IV. Compliance Status (IAPUC Website)

This website is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, GB/T 37668-2019, and EN 301 549 V3.2.1. The “partially” qualification is used because some parts of the content do not yet fully meet the standards – see the “Non‑accessible Content” section below.

The website was last evaluated on 15 June 2025 using a combination of automated tools (axe, WAVE) and manual testing by an accessibility specialist, covering a representative sample of page types (homepage, course pages, application forms, and contact pages).

We acknowledge that under the ADA, the Department of Justice has identified WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the applicable standard for web accessibility. We are committed to meeting this standard as part of our ongoing accessibility efforts.

Under the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which took effect on 28 June 2025, all products and services offered to consumers in the European Union must meet the accessibility requirements set forth in the EAA and its harmonised standard EN 301 549. We are committed to compliance for all EU‑facing digital services.

V. Preparation of This Statement

Date prepared: June 2025

Last reviewed: June 2026

Next scheduled review: June 2027 (reviewed at least annually, or after significant site updates)

This statement is based on a formal accessibility audit of a representative sample of web pages. We will update it as we remediate issues and make improvements.

This statement also reflects the requirements of China‘s Barrier‑Free Environment Construction Law, which emphasises the importance of accessible information exchange and the participation of persons with disabilities and elderly individuals in social life.

VI. Feedback and Requests for Alternative Formats

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you need information in a different format (e.g., accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording, or braille), or if you encounter any barriers not listed below, please contact us:

• Email:accessibility@iapuc.org
• Phone:+1 (720) 897‑8865
• Office/In‑person:IAPUC Secretariat, Fuyao University of Science and Technology, Fuzhou, China

Please do not include sensitive personal information (e.g., financial or health data) in your feedback.

We aim to respond to your enquiry within 10 business days from receipt by the responsible department. This response timeline is consistent with the European Commission’s recommended practice for accessibility feedback handling.

VII. Compatibility with Browsers and Assistive Technology

The IAPUC website is designed to be compatible with:

• the latest two major versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari;
• the latest versions of NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), JAWS, and TalkBack (Android).

We do not support Internet Explorer 11 or older browsers.

VIII. Technical Specifications

The accessibility of this website relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer:

• HTML
• WAI‑ARIA
• CSS
• JavaScript

These technologies are used to ensure conformance with the standards listed in Section 2.

IX. Non‑accessible Content (IAPUC Website)

Despite our best efforts, we are aware of the following limitations. We are actively working to fix them, and we have provided target timelines for each issue.

If you encounter any issue not listed above, please notify us via the contact details in Section 6.

Under Section 508, legacy content that was compliant prior to the 2018 Revised Standards may be exempt from retrofitting unless subsequently altered. However, we are committed to proactively improving accessibility of all content where feasible.

X. Enforcement and Grievance Procedure

IAPUC is dedicated to addressing accessibility concerns promptly and effectively. If you are not satisfied with our initial response to your complaint or request, you may escalate the matter through our formal grievance procedure:

Internal escalation: Contact the Chief Quality Officer at cqo@iapuc.org to formally escalate your concern.

We will acknowledge your escalation within 5 business days and aim to resolve it fairly and timely.

Individuals in the United States who believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of disability may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, under Title III of the ADA.

In China, individuals may also seek assistance from the China Disabled Persons‘ Federation or relevant local authorities in accordance with the Barrier‑Free Environment Construction Law.

XI. Review and Updates

This statement will be reviewed and updated at least once per year, or whenever substantial changes are made to the website. The “Last reviewed” and “Next scheduled review” dates are shown in Section 5.

Given the evolving nature of accessibility laws in the United States (ADA Title III regulatory reviews), the European Union (EAA implementation and member state transposition), and China (ongoing implementation of the Barrier‑Free Environment Construction Law), we commit to monitoring legal developments and updating this statement accordingly.

This revised statement incorporates specific obligations for all categories of IAPUC member institutions, ensuring a unified and inclusive digital experience across our global community.