Jasmien Herssens Biography

Jasmien Herssens has been active in Design for All and Universal Design for more than twenty years. As a long‑standing delegate for EIDD Design for All Europe, she represented the organisation within the European Disability Forum (EDF), contributing to its work through a strong commitment to dialogue, connection-building, and collective responsibility.

Trained as an architect and researcher, Jasmien taught Design for All and design methodology at KU Leuven, Hasselt University, and as a visiting lecturer at several international institutions. Her work focuses particularly on multisensory and inclusive environments, exploring how spaces, systems, and processes can better support people with diverse ways of sensing, moving, and engaging with the world. Across both research and practice, she consistently translate inclusive design principles into practical, policy-relevant approaches.

In 2019, she experienced a minor stroke, which gave her additional insight into how design can either support or hinder everyday life. This experience strengthened her belief that inclusive environments reduce barriers and enable people to participate fully, regardless of ability.

Jasmien worked as an architect, conducted research on Universal Design, and served as site manager for Koen Vanmechelen’s LABIOMISTA, a project focused on diversity and coexistence. In 2022, she founded Fourmind, a social enterprise aimed at supporting organisations in applying Universal Design and Design for All in a practical and collaborative way. Fourmind is a member of EIDD – Design for All.

Throughout her career, she has been recognised with several awards for her contributions to Design for All and she values these recognitions as encouragement, while remaining focused on long-term impact, cooperation, and shared learning as the foundations for meaningful change.

What continues to drive her is the belief that everyone benefits when environments are designed without barriers and the conviction that meaningful change happens through patience, cooperation, and shared effort.