Web Accessibility Statement

Northumbria University is committed to providing websites that are accessible to all users. Content on our websites is designed to be easy to find, read, understand, and interact with.

This accessibility statement applies to the website northumbria.ac.uk

The Northumbria University website contains links to third-party content. The University is not responsible for the accessibility of external content and has no control over it. However, Northumbria University is committed to working with partners to ensure material they are responsible for meets accessibility standards where possible and that they have their own accessibility statements.

Northumbria University has responsibility for several other websites and platforms, each with their own accessibility statement.

Compliance status

These websites are partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.

This means that some parts of the website may not be fully accessible to all users.

How accessible is this website?

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible. The non-compliances are listed in the section below.

What works well:

The website is responsive and adapts to different screen sizes and devices

Text can be resized up to 200% without loss of functionality

Pages have descriptive titles and headings are used correctly in most areas

Images have appropriate alternative text

Interactive elements can be accessed using a keyboard

Colour contrast meets WCAG AA standards in most areas

Known issues:

We are aware of accessibility issues on some pages and are working to fix them.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

The following issues do not currently meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards:

Documents

Documents (PDFs and other files)

Some PDF documents linked from the website do not have titles or are not properly tagged for screen readers

Some older documents may not be fully accessible

What we're doing: We are auditing all PDFs and working with content owners to ensure all documents are accessible or available in alternative formats

Target date: March 2026 for priority documents; ongoing for archived content

Link purpose

Some links do not clearly explain their purpose or destination when read out of context

What we're doing: Content owners are reviewing and updating ambiguous links across the site

Target date: June 2026

Responsive design issues

Some pages require scrolling in two dimensions on small screens or at high zoom levels

What we're doing: Reviewing page layouts and implementing responsive design improvements

Target date: March 2026

Keyboard focus indicators

On some pages, keyboard focus indicators are partially obscured by other page elements

Some interactive controls do not clearly indicate when they are selected via keyboard

What we're doing: Updating CSS and component libraries to ensure clear, visible focus states for all interactive elements

Target date: December 2025

Form labels and instructions

Some forms do not have properly associated labels or clear error messages

What we're doing: Auditing all forms and implementing accessible form patterns

Target date: March 2026

Images and multimedia

Some images are missing alternative text or have inappropriate alternative text

Some videos do not have captions or transcripts

What we're doing: Training content authors on creating appropriate alternative text and ensuring all new videos include captions

Target date: Ongoing; priority content by March 2026

Third-party content

Some embedded content from third parties (social media feeds, maps, video players) may not be fully accessible

What we're doing: Reviewing third-party integrations and seeking accessible alternatives where possible

Disproportionate burden

We have not identified any accessibility issues that would constitute a disproportionate burden to fix at this time. Should any such issues be identified, we will list them here and explain why they cannot be addressed immediately.

Content that's not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs and other documents

Some older PDF documents and other files published before September 2018 may not be fully accessible. We do not plan to fix these unless they are essential to our current services. If you need information from one of these documents, please contact us and we will provide it in an accessible format.

Live video

We do not provide live captions for live-streamed events, as this is exempt from the accessibility regulations. However, we aim to provide recordings with captions shortly after live events conclude.

What we're doing to improve accessibility

Northumbria University takes the following steps to ensure and improve accessibility:

Automated monitoring: We use SiteImprove accessibility testing software, which scans our websites weekly and identifies accessibility issues

Regular reporting: We produce accessibility dashboards every two months for all website section owners to review issues on their pages

Staff training: We provide training for content authors and web developers on accessibility best practices

Quality assurance: All new website developments undergo accessibility testing before launch

User testing: We consult with users who have access needs to understand real-world accessibility barriers

Governance: Accessibility is embedded in our digital governance policies and processes

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was originally prepared on 15 June 2017. It was last reviewed and updated on 26 November 2025.

Testing methodology

This website was last tested on 26 November 2025 by Northumbria University's Digital Team using:

Automated testing: SiteImprove accessibility checker

Manual testing: Keyboard navigation, screen reader testing (JAWS, NVDA), and browser zoom testing

Sample tested: A representative sample of pages including the homepage, course pages, news articles, forms, and key information pages

We use a combination of automated tools and manual testing to identify accessibility issues. We continuously monitor the site and conduct comprehensive audits annually.

Feedback and contact information

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of our websites. If you need information on this website in a different format, please contact us:

Email: bc.digital.marketing@northumbria.ac.uk

We will consider your request and aim to respond within 2 working days.

If you find any accessibility problems not listed on this page or think we're not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact us using the details above.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the 'accessibility regulations').

If you're not happy with how we respond to your complaint, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website's accessibility

Northumbria University is committed to making its websites accessible in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

These websites are partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed above.

For information about accessibility on other Northumbria University websites and platforms, please visit the relevant accessibility statement for that service.