Postgraduate Diploma in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies
Online 800 h Postgraduate Diploma in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies. 8 modules covering UNE-EN ISO 7176 (wheelchairs), UNE-EN ISO 9999 (classification of assistive products) and AutoCAD. Dedicated tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies — studying from Malta
Malta's healthcare system relies on public hospitals alongside a growing private sector, creating demand for engineers in medical devices, clinical technology and facilities. The Medicines Authority and the Health Directorate set regulatory expectations that shape work on medical equipment. Biomechanics and wearable technology are emerging interests, particularly in rehabilitation, sports science and occupational safety. Professionals in this area often collaborate with clinicians, distributors and regulators to ensure devices meet national and European requirements.
Fees for Malta: €1,290 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Is this programme recognised by a professional body in Malta for engineers working in health, biomechanics or wearables?
SEIUM Institute's qualifications are its own private qualifications. They are not official Maltese state degrees and are not accredited by any national body. In Malta, engineering titles are regulated through the Malta Council for Professions and the Chamber of Engineers, and medical devices fall under the Medicines Authority. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by employers or the relevant body, so check with them before enrolling.
Will employers in Malta value this training for roles in wearables or operational safety?
Employers in Malta's health technology, manufacturing and safety-related sectors decide for themselves how much weight to give a private online qualification. Many weigh practical experience and a final project heavily. SEIUM's programmes include a final project, but whether it helps your career in Malta depends on your employer's view. Speaking with prospective employers beforehand is the most reliable way to find out.
Can I study this alongside a full-time job in Malta, and is employer funding possible?
The programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly time accordingly. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Each student gets an assigned technical tutor for support.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the types of disability and their implications for mobility.
Apply Spanish and European accessibility regulations.
Select wheelchairs and assisted mobility systems.
Prescribe and design assistive products according to ISO 9999.
Design accessible spaces in accordance with CTE DB-SUA.
Assess the accessibility of vehicles and transport infrastructure.
Propose an accessible design validated with users.
Who it's for
- Accessibility technician wishing to specialise in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies.
- Assistive product designer wishing to specialise in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies.
- Architect specialising in universal design wishing to specialise in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies.
- Rehabilitation engineer wishing to specialise in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies.
- Accessible mobility consultant wishing to specialise in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies.
- Wheelchair engineer wishing to specialise in Design for Reduced Mobility and Assistive Technologies.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into architecture and urban planning.
What you'll work with
- UNE-EN ISO 7176 (wheelchairs)
- UNE-EN ISO 9999 (classification of assistive products)
- Royal Legislative Decree 1/2013 (rights of persons with disabilities)
- Ministerial Order TMA/851/2021 (accessibility in urbanised public spaces)
- CTE DB-SUA (safety and accessibility in use)
- UNE-EN 17210 (accessibility of the built environment)
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act)
- Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Biopsychosocial model and WHO ICF1.2Types of reduced mobility1.3Ageing and frailty1.4UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities1.5Universal design and its seven principles1.6Accessibility versus reasonable accommodation1.7User participation1.8Anthropometrics of wheelchair users1.9Architectural and transport barriers1.10Workshop: accessibility audit of a building
2.1Royal Legislative Decree 1/20132.2CTE DB-SUA2.3Ministerial Order TMA/851/20212.4ISO 21542 on building accessibility2.5EN 17210 on the built environment2.6Accessibility in transport2.7European Accessibility Act2.8UNE standards on cognitive accessibility2.9Accessibility certification2.10Practice: verification of an accessible route
3.1Manual wheelchairs and propulsion biomechanics3.2Powered wheelchairs and control3.3ISO 7176 standards3.4Seating and positioning systems3.5Prevention of pressure ulcers3.6Scooters and mobility vehicles3.7Transfers and hoists3.8Walking aids3.9Prescription and adaptation3.10Case study: selecting a wheelchair for a user
4.1ISO 9999 classification4.2Daily living aids4.3Personal care and bathroom aids4.4Home automation and environmental control4.5Communication products4.6Low-vision technology4.73D printing of assistive devices4.8Needs assessment4.9Applicable medical devices regulation4.10Workshop: designing a feeding aid
5.1Routes, ramps and gradients5.2Lifts and platform lifts5.3Accessible bathrooms and kitchens5.4Doors, corridors and turning circles5.5Signage and wayfinding5.6Tactile paving5.7Lighting and contrast5.8Adaptable housing5.9Public spaces and urban planning5.10Practice: designing an accessible bathroom
6.1Adapted vehicles6.2Wheelchair restraint systems ISO 105426.3Accessibility on buses and trains6.4Air transport and Regulation 1107/20066.5Taxis and demand-responsive transport6.6Urban mobility and pavements6.7Accessible navigation apps6.8Autonomous vehicles and accessibility6.9Journey chain studies6.10Case study: analysis of an accessible journey chain
7.1QUEST and PIADS assessment scales7.2User trials7.3Assistive exoskeletons7.4Assistive robotics7.5Brain-computer interfaces for mobility7.6Sensing for fall prevention7.7Cost and funding of aids7.8Sustainability and reuse7.9Ethics and user autonomy7.10Practice: QUEST assessment of an assistive product
8.1Identifying user needs8.2Regulatory analysis8.3Concept generation8.4Detailed design8.5Prototype8.6User evaluation8.7Cost analysis8.8Final improvements8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment period, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, SolidWorks, Rhinoceros, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures from building accessibility audits, wheelchair stability tests and usability trials with people with reduced mobility. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the types of disability and their implications for mobility.
Apply Spanish and European accessibility regulations.
Select wheelchairs and assisted mobility systems.
Prescribe and design assistive products according to ISO 9999.
Design accessible spaces in accordance with CTE DB-SUA.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient English to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, SolidWorks, Rhinoceros. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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