European Commission

This project has received funding from the European Union's H2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 824544

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Gender & Diversity sensitization and awareness raising offers for university faculties, institutions and central administration

Submitted by: Daniela Wilmes, Nathalie Wolf, Rectorate Staff Unit Integration Team – Human Resources, Gender and Diversity Management (IGaD)

- ongoing

Gender & Diversity sensitization and awareness raising offers for university faculties, institutions and central administration

To support faculties and (central) institutions in taking gender and diversity into account in their work and in developing and implementing appropriate measures, RWTH Aachen University offers a comprehensive consulting service.
The service consists of different components ranging from anti-bias (e.g. in personnel selection), gender- and diversity-sensitive leadership, anti-discrimination, appreciative communication, and - for certain target groups - empowerment and resilience. For topics that require more in-depth personal support, coaching can also be taken up within this framework. 
The target group spans from academic and administrative staff in university faculties as well as employees of the university administration or central institutions. University members can obtain a Certificate for Gender and Diversity Competencies for taking part in gender- and diversity-related training and courses.
The elimination of bias in personnel selection is an important cornerstone and is promoted through expert advice and offers on equality-oriented, transparent and fair personnel selection procedures with a focus on gender-fair job advertisements i.e. gender-fair language in job postings.

COMPASS PERSPECTIVE – in what way(s) was the measure C O M P A S S?

O – because it addresses all university institutions and career levels.
M – because it consists of awareness-raising and sensitization offers/ measures.

P – because offers and measures are adapted to the specific needs of the institute, department, research group etc. making the request; because offers and measures target all members of the requesting entity by gradually introducing gender and diversity and because offers aim to make the work environment and processes more gender- and diversity-sensitive.

S – because it questions biased structures and helps to generate cultural change.

ACTORS AND STAKEHOLDERS

  • Heads of research institutes and central administration, central units
  • Target groups include all members of RWTH faculties, central institutions and the central university administration
  • Gender & Diversity consultant at the RWTH Rectorate Staff Unit Integration Team – Human Resources, Gender and Diversity Management (IGaD)
  • Vice Rectorate for Human Resources Management and Development

AUTHOR’S REFLECTIONS

What would you do the same/differently another time?
What have you learnt? Do you see relevance for this in other contexts?

The "Certificate for Gender and Diversity Competence" bundles the consulting and workshop offers within Gender and Diversity sensitization and awareness-raising for faculties, institutions and the central university administration. It enables all university employees to become aware of gender and diversity aspects related to their work environment and to act as multipliers for gender and diversity at the university.

Nevertheless, there is still a need to further promote gender and diversity knowledge within the university. On the one hand, the value and attractiveness of the "Certificate for Gender and Diversity Competence" could be further strengthened by increasing regular workshop and competency-building offers. On the other hand, the number of individual, needs-oriented consultations and sensitization should be increased in order to proactively counteract resistance.