Esslingen University of Applied Sciences has long been especially committed to realising gender equity and equal opportunities. Gender equality is one of the university’s development goals and a key, overarching responsibility of all academic and support staff. Its gender equality work takes the form of diverse measures and activities in all areas of university life and work.
The Equal Opportunities Representative for academic staff and students are dedicated to the concerns of students, professors and academic staff.
The Equal Opportunities Representative for administrative, laboratory and technical staff in contrast represent the interests of and advise the non-academic staff in all equality issues.
The university’s gender equality work takes the form of diverse measures and activities in all areas of university life and work. The university thus fulfils not only a social responsibility and its legal obligation, but also meets the current demands of the academic system, in which equality is increasingly gaining in importance and is considered a hallmark of research and teaching.
Its work on equality is based on the objectives and spheres of activity of the equality policy to which Esslingen University of Applied Sciences has committed itself in its Equality Plan.
The work on equality undertaken at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is established on the institutional level in various ways.
Equal Opportunities Representative for academic staff and students
The Equal Opportunities Representative for academic staff and students supports and advises the President's Office and university staff in implementing gender equality. They promote the realisation of equal opportunities between men and women at the university. They represent equality-related concerns of students, professors and academic staff.
Equal Opportunities Representative for academic staff and students Prof Dr. Karin Melzer
DeputyEqual Opportunities Representative for academic staff and students Prof. Dr. Uta Mathis
Gender Equality Committee
The Gender Equality Committee is a Senate committee which advises and supports Esslingen University of Applied Sciences on issues relating to gender equality.
Family-friendly university
Esslingen University of Applied Sciences champions the creation of family-friendly conditions for those who study and those who work here, and strives to increase the acceptance and recognition of family responsibilities. For its achievements it has been certified in the family-friendly university audit undertaken by beruf- und familie gGmbH. Find out more about our family-friendly university
Equality Report
The Equal Opportunities Representative presents an annual report on their work in the Senate.
The Equality Concept drawn up by Esslingen University of Applied Sciences was successful in the Women Professors Programme I (Professorinnenprogramm I) in 2009 and also in Programme II (2013) and Programme III (2018). The Equality Plan and the Future Concept for Equality drawn up by Esslingen University of Applied Sciences received positive evaluations, thus affording the university the opportunity to participate in the second rounds of the programmes.
Esslingen University of Applied Sciences succeeded in appointing women to five advance professorial positions as part of Programmes I and II. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Ministry of Science and Culture (MWK) awarded the university funding totalling approx. three million euros for five years for this.
Background to the Women Professors Programme:
The programme was set up in 2008 by the federal government and federal states to increase the proportion of female professors at German universities – a total of 500 million euros (150 million euros in rounds I and II of the calls for applications, 200 million euros in round III) were made available for this purpose. The programme operates on two levels. It increases the numbers of female professors at German universities and reinforces the equality structures at universities with specific measures.
We are busy networking!
The Equal Opportunities Representatives of Esslingen University of Applied Sciences are members of various women’s networks.
Baden-Württemberg Conference of Equal Opportunities Representatives (LaKof BW)
The LaKof BW offers female academics who aspire to a professorship at a HAW or DHBW a wealth of opportunities to obtain information and support in the form of workshops, seminars and information evenings, and also on its homepage.
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gühring is the current spokesperson of the LaKof BW.
Esslingen Council of Women’s Organisations
Esslingen Council of Women’s Organisations (Frauenrat Esslingen) is a network of 54 women’s groups, organisations and institutions which champion women’s interests in Esslingen. The Council organises the annual Women’s Weeks in Esslingen. The Equal Opportunities Representative of Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is a member of the Council.
“Women in STEM professions” - a Baden-Württemberg initiative
Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is an alliance partner in the Baden-Württemberg initiative “Women in STEM professions”. The initiative is realised by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing, and the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts. It aims to provide specific encouragement to girls and women in their decision to pursue a STEM profession and to support them on their path into the STEM world of work.
Programme of events
Esslingen Women’s Weeks
Esslingen Women’s Weeks are held every March around the time of International Women’s Day on 8 March. Esslingen Council of Women’s Organisations (Esslingen Frauenrat) invites people from near and far to participate in its varied programme of events. Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is always one of the contributors.
Women in Business Days
Every October, Women in Business Days (Frauenwirtschaftstage) organises events across the whole of Baden-Württemberg, supported by the Ministry of Finance and Industry. The focus is on the important role played by women in the economic life of the South-West. Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is always one of the contributors.
Girls' Day
Girls’ Day is a national event which is usually held on the last Thursday in April. Esslingen University of Applied Sciences also takes part and opens its doors to female pupils in classes 7 and 8. The aim is to provide girls with an insight into professional fields which they usually discount completely or only rarely consider.
You can find further information about the programme and how to register here.
Digital Camps for Girls
At our Digital Camps for Girls, female pupils in classes 6 to 10 are encouraged to discover IT and learn how to program in an informal atmosphere. They compile their own computer programmes in illustrative and easy to understand programming projects.
The Equal Opportunities Representatives encourage female students to enrol in mentoring programmes and accept and make use of the support offered as they take their first steps on their career path.
“ask us students” online advisory service
“ask us students (Frag uns Studis)” is an online advisory service where experienced students help prospective students to find the right answers to their questions about the university.
Bei der Onlineberatung "Frag uns Studis" stehen Studierende aus höheren Semestern bereit, um Studieninteressierten und Studierenden die richtige Antwort auf ihre Fragen im Zusammenhang mit der Hochschule zu finden.
CrossMentES
At CrossMentES, students are supported by specialists and managers from the world of work.
Engineering needs Diversity
In the Engineering needs Diversity project, Esslingen University of Applied Sciences has teamed up with the University of Stuttgart and various self-help organisations for migrants (incl. Forum der Kulturen and the German-Turkish Forum for the Stuttgart/Esslingen region) to increase the proportion of women studying engineering and natural sciences at university.
Career-Building Elements
The German Alliance for Applied Sciences (HAWtech), which counts Esslingen University of Applied Sciences among its members, has entered into a strategic partnership with Femtec GmbH, an international career network for female STEM students and professionals. The declared objective is to inspire more female pupils to study a STEM subject, to enhance the networking of female students, to make it easier for them to transition into their professional career, and promote the establishment of a sustainable network. Having carried out a needs analysis and developed a customised curriculum, the plan is now to realise the new “Career-Building Elements” course from 2022 onwards.
Equal opportunities
With the “Act on the Realisation of Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the Public Sector in Baden-Württemberg” (Equal Opportunities Act), the state government wants to specifically promote the career advancement of women in administration, and particularly to bring more women into management positions and improve the compatibility of family, care giving and career. The objective is to truly provide equal opportunities for women and men in the public sector.
Equal Opportunities Representative for administrative, laboratory and technical staff
The Equal Opportunities Representative for administrative, laboratory and technical staff ensure that the Equal Opportunities Act is enforced and adhered to, and support the departmental managers with its implementation. The Equal Opportunities Representative for administrative, laboratory and technical staff represent the interests of and advise the non-academic staff in all issues relating to equal opportunities. It goes without saying that all inquiries are treated in confidence.
An office hour is held once a month, and once a year all female staff are invited to a meeting.
Equal Opportunities Representative for administrative, laboratory and technical staff Anastasia Sichlidou
DeputyEqual Opportunities Representative for administrative, laboratory and technical staff N.N.
Family-friendly university
Esslingen University of Applied Sciences champions the creation of family-friendly conditions for those who study and those who work here, and strives to increase the acceptance and recognition of family responsibilities. For its achievements it has been certified in the family-friendly university audit undertaken by beruf- und familie gGmbH. You can find further information about the family-friendly university here.
We are entitled to participate in:
Job appointment procedures and promotions We will be delighted to be present at your job interview and ensure equal opportunities are adhered to. You can get in touch at chancengleichheit[at]hs-esslingen.de.
Working from home and hours of work
Planning and design of further education and advanced training courses
Departmental manager meetings
Personnel, social or organisational measures if they have an impact on the working situation of women. Especially general rules on the awarding of apprenticeship positions, performance grades, the drawing up of job specifications, and organisational investigations.
Compilation of the Equal Opportunities Plan
The Equal Opportunities Representative has the right of initiative and right of direct submission to the departmental manager and is not subject to directives in the execution of their work.
Working group of the equal opportunities representatives of the universities of education, universities of applied sciences, and the Cooperative State University in Baden-Württemberg.
In addition to comparing notes and participating in organised further education and training events on equal opportunities, the members identify any problems they are having in fulfilling their responsibilities (statutory duty) and report them to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts. The working group draws up proposals to amend the Equal Opportunities Act. The spokespersons are the points of contact for the Ministry of Science and Research in all matters concerning the realisation of equal opportunities for women and men in the public sector of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg.
