Here is an overview of the projects and measures which we are currently working on, or which we have already implemented.
Women Professors Program (Professorinnenprogramm 2030)
Ulm University of Applied Sciences has successfully applied for funding from the Women Professors Program (Professorinnenprogramm).
In this support project, the THU receives money from the federal government and the state government, to finance equality measures. This has also enabled us to employ two scientific staff members to implement these measures.
Planned actions:
- Orientation semester for women
- Prevention and intervention in cases of discrimination and sexualized violence
- To set up an alumnae network, together with other universities
- A series of lectures about gender in science
- Training for appointment committees
- Create visibility for female professors to ensure there is a fair gender balance in jobs and roles with lots of/little prestige and power
- Provide support with caring responsibilities
Find out more about the project at:
Professorinnenprogramm - BMBF (in German)
FH-Personal / THUProf4.0
In order to fulfil their important role – both now and in the future – universities of applied sciences rely on specially qualified staff. This is why the federal government and the state governments set up the FH-Personal program – to aid the acquisition and qualification of professors at universities of applied sciences.
Ulm University of Applied Sciences is a participant in this support program. The project is led by Chancellor Dr. Christian Elmo Wolff and the Equality Representative Prof. Dr. Barbara Streppel. Furthermore, diversity and equality are major focus topics for the project’s implementation at THU.
The following measures concerning these focus topics have already been implemented:
- Standardization of the professorship appointment procedure, to boost equal opportunities. The result is the documentation for the new guideline for the THU professorship appointment procedure
- Raising awareness with anti-bias training
- Making diversity at the university more visible
THU provides more information about the project and the other focus topics on the project website for THUProf4.0 (in German).
Find out more about the federal project from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space website (in German)
Gender-inclusive and non-discriminatory language
THU is currently working on the following guideline (in German) to stay abreast of the latest changes in the German language. It is to be extended with content on non-discriminatory language.
Why is gender-inclusive language important?
Language has the potential to discriminate against and exclude people. At the same time, it also offers the opportunity to create visibility and, in the long-term, to change the situation.
Example: People should choose their career according to their interests. But in German, if only the male form of the role is commonly used (“Ingenieur, Techniker”), it sounds as if only men can work in these professions. Of course this is not the case – but, for example, for schoolgirls, it can have a significant, yet subconscious, effect upon whether they can imagine themselves in such careers, or if they exclude them right from the start.
How do I use gender-inclusive language correctly when writing in German?
When writing in German, THU recommends using an asterisk, also called the “gender star”. It is a placeholder which allows non-binary people to be visible alongside women and men.
There are also gender-neutral forms for many terms in German, which encompass all genders. For example, words such as “Studierende” (instead of “Studentinnen und Studenten”) or “Mitarbeitende” (instead of “Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter”). You can find an overview of gender-neutral alternatives in the Geschickt gendern dictionary.
Whichever forms you choose to use, make sure you use them as consistently as possible throughout the entire document.
Appointment committees and the active sourcing of women
Active sourcing
THU is an active user of the database provided by the State Conference for Equality Representatives at Universities of Applied Sciences in Baden-Württemberg (LaKof). If you are interested in a professorship, please register in the Datenbank Professorin (HAW/DHBW) (in German) database.
