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Image: Bilddatenbank AdobeStockGerman universities commit to greater gender equality in appointments
11 June 2024
"The German universities united in the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) are committed to further reducing structural gender inequality and achieving appropriate gender representation in professorships at universities. In a resolution passed in Fulda, the HRK's General Assembly named concrete goals and action areas as well as measures that can contribute to the realisation of institutional cultural and structural change towards more gender equality at universities and have the character of a voluntary commitment."
More information and the text of the resolution can be found hereExternal link.
German University Rectors' Conference: further development of measures against abuse at universities
November 15th, 2023
"At its meeting in Berlin yesterday, the General Assembly of the German University Rectors' Conference (HRK) reaffirmed the special responsibility of rectorates and presidia to take decisive action against the abuse of power at universities. Proposals for the further development and improvement of existing procedures are now to be drawn up in the HRK."
"Exploiting relationships of trust and dependency, for example in the context of academic qualifications or in hierarchically organised work processes, cannot be tolerated and must be regarded as a violation of the work and service obligations of university staff," explains HRK President Professor Dr Walter Rosenthal. There ought to be no tolerance for any form of abuse, bullying, discrimination, sexualised harassment and psychological or physical violence among students, teaching staff, researchers and other employees."
"The cases of abuse of power that have recently come to light at various universities should not be tolerated under any circumstances. "All members of the universities are entitled to a study and working environment that is free of harassment, discrimination and violence. In turn, they are required not to look the other way and to contribute to respectful interaction with one another through their own behaviour," said Rosenthal."
More information on the statement of HRK may be found on their websiteExternal link.
Brille liegt auf Buch
Image: Bilddatenbank PixabayStatement by the German Council of Science and Humanities on the Status and further Development of Gender Studies
"Questions of gender and gender relations are relevant for many scientific and social areas, for example for medical care and therapy or in families and schools. Gender research is an important interdisciplinary field of research and covers a broad thematic spectrum from basic to application-orientated research. For the first time, the German Council of Science and Humanities has broadly analysed the status of gender research in Germany and developed recommendations for its further development."
More information, as well as background information on gender studies in Germany can be found hereExternal link.
Women in Scientific Leadership Positions - Gender Parity to be Expected in Approximately 50 Years
On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8th, 2023, the journal "Forschung & Lehre" (Research & Teaching) has published an article on the current situation of women in scientific leadership positions. You may find the article hereExternal link.
Leopoldina presents recommendations for gender-equitable science
Science in Germany is still male-dominated - especially in leading positions at universities and non-university research institutions. The exodus of women begins after the doctorate and is to the detriment of the science system, which is losing diversity and creativity. The statement "Women in Science: Developments and Recommendations" published today by the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina identifies the reasons for the persistent underrepresentation of women and formulates measures to counteract it. The link for more information can be found here: Leopoldina legt Empfehlungen für eine geschlechtergerechte Wissenschaft vorExternal link
Internetauftritts des Lehrstuhl Geschlechtergeschichte
Image: Lehrstuhl GeschlechtergeschichteNews on the Chair for Gender History
The Equal Opportunities Advisory Board of the University of Jena welcomes the decision to start talks about the preservation of the Chair of Gender History. The statement of the Equal Opportunities Advisory Board and the central Equal Opportunities Officer can be found at hierpdf, 230 kb · de.
Chair for Gender History
The Chair of Gender History is located in the Department of History at the University of Jena. The central concern of gender history is the historical analysis of gender relations and the consistent consideration of the category of sex (gender) in historical research and teaching.
Current protest against the cancellation of the professorship for gender history at the University of Jena!- AKHFG
The AKHFG strongly advocates for the preservation of the professorship of Gender History at the University of Jena. Despite the high number of students in the field, its third-party funding strength and the significant contribution of the professorship to the international profile of the History Institute, the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Philosophy decided in July 2022 to reassign the professorship as of 2025. The board of the AKHFG protests against this decision with the following letter: Link to the letter of protest.External link
The way is paved for the man, the woman takes matters into her own hands (visualized by color rolls)
Image: Bilddatenbank iStockResolution of the 35th General Meeting of the HRK
On the Situation of Women on Career Paths at German Universities
The current figures show: Women continue to be inadequately represented at the academic career levels. The Joint Scientifics Conference (GWK) reported in November 2022 that the proportion of women earning doctorates was 45.1 percent. However, the proportion remains at 26.3 percent for professorships.
The German Rectors' Conference notes with great concern that progress in the appropriate consideration of women at higher career levels is far too slow, despite numerous measures. Neither the so-called cascade model nor voluntary mentoring and coaching offers are fundamentally changing the situation. Even the individual commitment of bodies and persons involved in the recruitment process has not yet led to the desired results.
For more infrormation, you can find the resolution herepdf, 96 kb · de.
