Accessibility statement

This is the accessibility statement for Laurea University of Applied Sciences’ website published on 19 May 2026. The statement describes how the requirements of the Act on the Provision of Digital Services (306/2019) (not available in English) are met with regard to accessibility on our web service.

The statement was last updated on 22.6.2026.

Accessibility status

The Act on the Provision of Digital Services obliges us to comply with the Level A and AA criteria mentioned in the Web Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1).

The accessibility requirements are partly met in accordance with the A and AA levels of the Web Content Accessibility Recommendations (WCAG 2.1). Below is a list of the parts of Laurea’s website that do not yet meet the accessibility requirements.

Navigation menu

• The submenus of the navigation menu open from separate buttons. However, the buttons do not indicate to the assistive technology program that they are initially closed and that they can be used to open a submenu. (WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Title)
• The navigation menu is intended to function as a so-called modal navigation. It should keep the user’s focus within the menu until the menu is closed or the user activates one of the menu links. However, the menu does not work this way with assistive technology programs, but the user can leave its area to the darkened page template. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)

Cookie Consent

• The dialog can be difficult to find in keyboard navigation and with a screen reader, as it does not capture the user’s focus and thus does not work as a modal. The dialog is located in the browsing order only at the very end of the page. (WCAG 2.4.3 Focus Order)
• The language of the dialogue can be changed, but its content lacks the so-called language attribute, that tells the screen reader in which language the content should be read and pronounced. (WCAG 3.1.2. Language of Parts)
• There is a button in the dialog that can be used to close the dialog, but the button is not visually visible. It may be unclear under what conditions the dialogue will then be closed.
• Changing the language is done with a selector, the type and selected value of which are not transmitted to the assistive technology programs. (WCAG 4.1.2. Name, role, value)
• Adjusting the cookie settings is done through the switch button. Their type and selected value are not transmitted to assistive technology programs. They also can’t be aligned in the keyboard settings. (WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard, WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Title)

Chat

• The name of the chat button that is passed to the assistive technology program does not match its visible name. (WCAG 2.5.3 Label in Name)
• The chat button moves the user to the modal chat window, but no information about this is marked on the chat button. (WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Title)
• When a message arrives in the chat, its content is automatically read to the screen readers as a live notification. However, the notification also includes the names of the “like buttons” associated with the message, which may sound misleading to the user.
• The chat window has a drop-down menu with various chat functions. The menu does not open in the browsing order immediately after the menu buttons, even though the menu is described as an accordion element. It may be unclear which of the chat content belongs in the menu and which does not. (WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)
• Even though the chat is closed, the chat window can be found, for example, with a screen reader at the very end of the page under the name “chatpanel”. The window has the same English name when opened. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)
• The shape of the input field of the message is poorly distinguishable. (WCAG 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast)

Carousel element

The website uses a so-called carousel element that allows the user to scroll through cards that have a header and link associated with them. For example, the “Upcoming events” on the main page. There are some accessibility shortcomings related to the carousel:

• The “Previous” button does not become active for the user browsing using the keyboard. (WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard)
• The “previous” button will always remain marked as inactive for the screen reader user as well. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)
• In addition, the navigation buttons are located outside the actual area marked as a carousel, which may make their purpose unclear to the user of the assistive technology program. (WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence)
• Efforts have been made to name the area of the carousel for assistive technology programs. However, the name is not conveyed to users due to a configuration error. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)

Search function

• The user can move from the search results list to a more detailed list with the “Show all” link, from where they can return to the basic listing. Returning is not possible normally in keyboard and screen reader browsing, as the focus moves to an arbitrary place on the page or may even detach from the page completely. (WCAG 2.4.3 Focus Order)
• The people search gives the user of the assistive technology program a notification whenever the search results have been updated to match the search term. However, the notification does not say whether there were results, or how many results were found, although the corresponding information is given visually on the page. (WCAG 4.1.3 Status Messages)

Links

• The site uses a wide range of links to assistive technology programs that are simply called “read more”. Not all links can be distinguished from each other without the user having to explore more extensively what is around the link. (WCAG 2.4.4 Link Purpose in Context)
• The service contains links that lead outside the site. They are visually marked with a symbol. However, similar information is not conveyed to users who rely solely on assistive devices. (WCAG 1.1.1 Non-Text Content)

Levels of headings

The levels of headings don’t always match the structure of the content. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)

Keyboard alignment

• Keyboard targeting is not displayed in the Search opening button or in the cookie dialog controls.  (WCAG 2.4.7 Focus Visible)
• The keyboard focus is poorly visible in the Laurea Chat button. (WCAG 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast)

Breadcrumbs

The current page on the site’s breadcrumbs, i.e. the open page, is not marked for assistive technology programs. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)

Student Guide Subpage Navigation

The Student Guide has a subpage navigation with a link to “Student Guide Front Page”. The name of the link, which is transmitted to assistive technology programs, is completely different from its visible name. (WCAG 2.5.3 Label in Name)

Form

If the form on the website produces an error message, the live error message will remain at the very end of the page, where it can be found afterwards with a screen reader. In such a situation, the text can be confusing for the user. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)

List of links that serves as a table of contents

On some pages, the list of links that serves as a table of contents is not marked as a list with assistive technology software. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)

Language of the site

The website may still contain English-language text content on the Finnish page. In addition, the assistive technology programs may be given names in English, such as “breadcrumbs”. (WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships)

Keyboard focus on the bachelor’s degree programme page

On the bachelors’ degree programme page, the user can unnecessarily focus the contents of an entire open tab with the keyboard, even though the area is not interactive. (WCAG 2.4.3 Focus Order)

Language selection links

Language selection links are named differently in the header and navigation menu. (WCAG 3.2.4 Consistent Identification)

Text size and spacing

As a rule, the size and spacing of the text do not adapt to the browser settings. However, the site is responsive and the size of the content can be controlled by changing the page zoom level also in e.g. desktop browsers (WCAG 1.4.4 Resize Text, 1.4.12 Text Spacing)

Submit a complaint on web accessibility or request clarification

If you notice accessibility problems on the website, first give feedback to the website administrator. It can take up to 14 days for the response to take place.

Send your feedback by email to verkkopalvelut@laurea.fi or by phone Mervi Burton, web communication manager, phone number 0400 951176.

If you are not satisfied with the response you have received or do not receive a response at all within two weeks, you can give feedback to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

How to contact supervisory authority

You can submit your complaint or request by using a e-form, by email or letter.

E-form

Before filling the form, please read the form’s privacy policy.

Complaint on web accessibility or clarification request

By e-mail

Traficom recommends using secure e-mail. You should do this especially if the complaint or its attachments include information covered by the protection of privacy. You can send a secure email via this link.

By letter to

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom
Digital Accessibility Supervision

PO Box 320
FI-0059 TRAFICOM

www.webaccessibility.fi