Award for diversity developments at the university

Honoured! Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences has received the "Shaping Diversity" certificate from the Stifterverband für die deutsche Wissenschaft. This certifies that it sees the diversity of its students and employees as an opportunity and has found ways to use this potential for organisational development. "I am delighted about the award and would like to thank everyone who has contributed in a variety of ways," says Gudrun Zimmermann, Head of the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Diversity. In addition to Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, nine other universities and two research institutions received the certificate this year.

For around two years, the university members worked on the strategic and organisational diversity orientation of the university. In addition to suitable structures in organisation, research and teaching, this also includes diversity-sensitive communication and structural changes. The university was supported by an auditor from the Stifterverband. 

During the process, a look was first taken at the initial situation: What is the composition of university members? Which structures already exist, which are missing? Development goals were formulated that were to be achieved in the course of the process. The basic structure of the auditing process has been shaped by university members over the past two years. This participatory approach was a speciality, as "normally a steering group develops measures that are then to be implemented. However, we wanted to make the process more open and thus learn together how we can promote diversity and make it visible. Everything that was developed in the audit flows directly into the work in the departments," says Gudrun Zimmermann. 

The goals that the university wants to achieve in the long term are called "Horizons" in Bremerhaven - based on the corporate design. The aim is to train everyone's skills, break down barriers and make diversity visible at the university. "Diversity should be tangible at the university and viewed in a sustainable way. We want to create more links between people who are already working, teaching and researching on the topic in different areas," says Zimmermann.  The participating university members have developed ideas for each horizon in workshops, some of which have already been implemented or are still being worked on.

The university publicly signalled its commitment to diversity back in 2013 by signing the Diversity Charter. Since then, it has participated in the annual nationwide Diversity Day and offers information stands, discussion rounds and workshops for university members. 

The Stifterverband sees the Diversity Audit as an instrument for strategic and organisational development. To date, 66 universities have successfully participated in the audit.