Dr. Mikele Mele at the University of Montenegro: Blind Scientists throughout History Have Pushed Boundaries of the Possible
Today, the University of Montenegro hosted lectures by Dr. Mikele Mele, Deputy Director of the Academy of Blind Scientists and Research Associate at the University of Sannio in Italy, dedicated to inclusive education, accessibility, and the history of mathematics.
Lectures were organized at the Rectorate of the University of Montenegro as part of activities aimed at improving inclusive practices and developing support for students with disabilities. Dr. Mele delivered presentations on topics “Blind Mathematicians throughout History – A Success Story” and “MathSpeak – Verbalizing Mathematics in the Inclusive Classroom.”
Opening the event, the Vice-Rector for Education at the University of Montenegro, Veselin Mićanović, PhD, emphasized the importance of connecting academic community with modern practices of inclusion and assistive technologies.
“This is one of the rare and unique opportunities to host someone who is engaged in truly inclusive practices and assistive technologies. Our goal is to demonstrate that the University must remain open to cooperation and ready to contribute to the further development of inclusion in society,” Mićanović said.
He also reminded attendees that the University of Montenegro is a partner in the HAWKING Erasmus+ project, through which activities aimed at improving accessibility have been developed, including establishment of the Office for Support to Students with Disabilities.
Head of the Office, Danilo Leković, stated that the goal of a newly established office is to become the central mechanism for developing inclusive practices at the University of Montenegro and to contribute to greater accessibility in higher education.
“We believe that inclusion is not a matter of goodwill, but of the quality of education and the responsibility of all of us. We do not view accessibility as an addition to the system, but as its inherent value,” emphasized Leković.
Speaking about cooperation with international partners, Leković noted that the University of Montenegro already maintains intensive communication with institutions from the region and across Europe, including universities in Italy and Slovakia, with the aim of transferring good practices in the field of inclusive education.
During the lectures, Dr. Mele presented historical examples of blind mathematicians who made significant contributions to the development of science, as well as the MathSpeak method of verbalizing mathematical content, which enables more accessible learning of mathematics for students and pupils with visual impairments.
The lectures will continue at the Faculty of Philosophy in Nikšić, where Dr. Mele will speak tomorrow to students and teaching staff about contemporary approaches to inclusive education and assistive technologies.