The Ministry of Science and Higher Education undertakes to make this website accessible under the Act of 4 April 2019 on digital accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public entities. This accessibility policy applies to the POL‑on website.
Date of publication of this website: 2023-06-16
Date of the last major update: 2023-06-16
Website digital accessibility
This website complies with the Act of 4 April 2019 on digital accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public entities.
Preparation of the accessibility policy
The statement was made on: 2023-06-16
This policy was last reviewed and updated on: 2024-01-11
This policy was made on the basis of a self-assessment of a public entity.
Feedback and contact data
Any website accessibility issues should be reported to Rafał Jendrzejewski by email at: dostepnosc@opi.org.pl, or by telephone on: 512 014 561. Any requests to make inaccessible information accessible, as well as any complaints regarding inaccessibility, should be submitted to the email address above.
All users have the right to request digital access to the website, the mobile application or any element thereof. They can also request that information be made available via an alternative access method, such as the reading aloud of a document that is digitally inaccessible or the description of the content of a video without audio description. In their request, the requesting person should include their personal data, specify the website or mobile application to which the request pertains, and indicate their preferred contact method. If the requesting person requests that information be provided via an alternative access method, they should additionally specify their preferred method of the information’s provision.
The public entity shall fulfil the request as soon as possible, but not later than within seven days of the date of the request. Should meeting that deadline prove impossible, the public entity shall, without delay, notify the requesting person of when it will be possible to fulfil the request; the new deadline may not exceed two months of the date of the request.
If it is impracticable to ensure digital accessibility, the public entity may propose an alternative information access method.
If the public entity refuses to fulfil a request to ensure accessibility or an alternative information access method, the requesting person will have the right to submit a complaint. When the procedure specified above has been exhausted, the requesting person will also have the right to submit a complaint to the Commissioner for Human Rights.
Architectural accessibilit
The building can be accessed via three entrances. The main entrance to the building is at ul Hoża 20; the building can also be accessed via two entrances from ul. Wspólna. Guests should use the main entrance. The main entrance is adapted to the needs of wheelchair users.
The building has four lifts adapted to the needs of wheelchair users and visually impaired visitors; floor buttons are back-lit with high contrast colours and embossed, which enables visually impaired visitors to read the floor numbers in Braille. The lifts support voice messages that inform their users of the current floor, and the opening and closing of the lift doors. The lifts are also fitted with wall mounted fold-down seats. Corridors and rooms are adapted to the needs of wheelchair users on all floors of the building (ground floor and floors 1–5). The thresholds between the corridors and the office rooms are at the same level as the floor. In exceptional cases, the height of thresholds complies with regulations in force and does not exceed 2 cm. To make the thresholds more visible, they are marked with high contrast colours.
Two vertical passageways (stairs) are located on the right and on the left sides of the building. The first and the last steps of the stairs are marked with yellow warning stripes. Tactile (Braille) legends are embossed on handrails to inform visually impaired visitors where the stairs lead. The inner continuous handrail marks the escape route for the visually impaired, while the outer noncontinuous handrail marks the regular transport route.
The disabled toilet is located on the ground floor, in the right (eastern) wing of the building. The toilet is equipped with an emergency button to summon assistance and with a toilet seat with armrests that facilitates use of the lavatories.
At the entrance to the car park, next to the gate barrier, there is a loudspeaker and a button that can be used by visually impaired visitors to summon assistance.
One marked disabled parking place is available in the car park of the Ministry, which is located in front of the building. Next to the entrance to the car park of the Ministry (in front of the gate barrier on ul. Hoża), two additional disabled parking spaces marked by upright signs are available to the public. The parking space in the car park of the Ministry is integrated with a passageway (pavement). The path that leads to the main entrance is lowered to ground level and is adapted to the needs of disabled visitors. The visibility of the pavement curb is increased by high contrast colours. The traffic in the car park of the Ministry is handled by the security team who, at visitors’ request, can help in using a parking space and accessing the building.
Assistance dogs and guide dogs that accompany visually impaired or disabled visitors are permitted in all areas of the building. The building is not marked with a pictogram informing visitors of this possibility.
The building is equipped with an acoustic fire alarm system. Evacuation procedures consider assistance provided to visitors who have special needs.
Contact for people who experience permanent or periodical problems with communication
According to the Act of 19 August 2011 on sign language and other means of communication, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education provides the following methods to contact the office for people who experience permanent or periodical problems with communication:
Fax: (22) 52 92 792
E-mail: pomoc@mnisw.gov.pl
The Migam Translator service—which enables video calls with a sign language interpreter using a web browser, mobile application and any device with a camera—may also be used. The Migam Translator service is funded by the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland – the Ministry of Digital Affairs.
People with visual impairments can access the Migam Translator service by clicking on the ‘signing hands’ icon in the upper right-hand corner on the homepage of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education or by clicking on the link below:
Migam Translator application website
The service is available Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:00.
Interpreters for Polish Sign Language (PJM), Sign Language System (SJM) and SKOGN are available at the Ministry headquarters. Service users must submit a request at least three business days prior to their scheduled meeting at the office.
Documents necessary to handle official matters are provided by the Ministry to authorised people, in an accessible form, at their request. Authorised people are also entitled to be accompanied by an assistant when they contact representatives of the Ministry.