Diversity and equality of opportunity at the University of Cologne
The University of Cologne is proactively committed to diversity, diversity of perspectives and equal opportunities and has anchored this in its "Equal Opportunities" strategy and in its mission statement "Diversity and Equal Opportunities". Strategies, concepts, structures and measures for administration, research and teaching have been implemented to increase diversity, sensitize to (in)equality of opportunity and reduce discrimination.
In 2018, the University of Cologne received the Total E-Quality Award for outstanding gender equality work for the fourth time, and the gender equality future concept 2019-2024 was positively assessed within the framework of the Women Professors Programme III. Within the framework of target and performance agreements with the faculties, equality goals are specified in concrete terms and their implementation is financially rewarded.
In addition, the University of Cologne has established a large number of structures and measures in the fields of inclusion, educational justice and anti-discrimination, which have been linked and strategically bound together by the overarching strategy development process within the framework of the Diversity Audit "Shaping Diversity" (2017/2018).
The University of Cologne, RWTH Aachen University, TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, the German Aerospace Center e.V., the FH Aachen – University of Applied Sciences and the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University of Bonn underscore their close partnership through joint guidelines in the field of equal opportunities.
Further institutions as well as measures and services in the field of diversity and equal opportunities can be found on our Gender Equality & Diversity Portal at: https://vielfalt.uni-koeln.de.
Central strategic goals and selected measures
We increase the proportion of women in leadership positions in science and administration.
In 2018, 61% women and 39% men were studying at the University of Cologne. 50% of the doctorates were completed by women and 38% of the postdocs (habilitation candidates, heads of junior research groups and junior professors) are women. The proportion of women among the professors was 30% (comprehensive presentation in the Gender Data Report 2019). In the nationwide "Higher Education Ranking according to Equality Aspects 2019" (cf. CEWS, 2019), the University of Cologne is one of the top three universities in NRW out of a total of ten and, in a nationwide comparison with other universities, is among the top 30%. Nevertheless, the University of Cologne is making great efforts to significantly increase the proportion of women, particularly at the level of post-docs, professors and in administration.
Central measures are:
We bear responsibility for the compatibility of family, studies and work in all forms of life and situations - from becoming a parent to caring for relatives.
The University of Cologne invests in a family-friendly university culture and documents this commitment through its membership in the association "Charta Familienfreundliche Hochschule". It offers students and staff* in science, technology and administration a comprehensive range of advice and information on the topics of compatibility of studies and career with children and responsibility for care and dual career, e.g. through the Dual Career & Family Support, the university's own day care centre "Paramecium" and a family-friendly infrastructure on campus (e.g. parent-child offices). In addition, a back-up service and childcare during events are offered.
Students and young academics* with children are supported by comprehensive disadvantage compensation regulations and financial support options, e.g. for stays abroad (scholarship programme "Studying with children abroad"). Phases of family and parental leave are accompanied by the sponsorship programme.
The University of Cologne also enables various forms of flexible work organization, e.g. through the "Telework" project for technical and administrative staff.
We ensure the promotion of talent in line with opportunities and make careers possible.
A central focus of talent promotion is on measures to strengthen women in their scientific careers. Since 2001, the Female Career Program (FCP) has supported women in their individual career planning and promotion. The program is supplemented by various mentoring programs for women in the various qualification phases and a management program for female professors and female (junior) managers. Numerous other support programmes help young female scientists in their careers by offering positions, scholarships, material resources, auxiliary staff or grants to cover childcare costs and travel abroad.
In addition, the professional transitions from the start of studies to professorship are taken into account for students of the so-called first generation from non-academic homes. Examples of this are the NRW Talent Scouting Programme for the support of schoolchildren* on their way to university and the support of first-generation doctoral students through a mentoring programme (EGP Mentoring+).
In addition, there are measures to promote academic careers with disabilities, e.g. through the AKTIF network of academics with disabilities in participation and inclusion research and the PROMI Promotion inklusive scholarship programme for academics with disabilities.
We reduce discrimination.
We integrate Gender, Queer and Diversity Studies in research and teaching.