Decentralised Equality

Interlinking of the decentralised and central gender equality activities

Continuous cultural change is necessary to establish a university with equal opportunities. This requires the consideration of subject cultures and organisational structures as well as the interlinking of decentralised and central gender equality activities. The following instruments are used to shape gender equality work at the departments and central services and link it to the central level.

The Gender Equality plans of the departments and central services take up the central strategy and set their own department-specific priorities. Every three years, the departments and central services formulate their values, motives and goals with regard to gender equality. Normally, working groups are formed for this purpose in which all status groups and genders are represented. The aim is to develop a concept that is subsequently supported and implemented by the entire department/the entire central service. An analysis of the current situation serves as the basis for the development of department-specific equal opportunities activities and measures. The Gender Equality Office pools the findings and experiences of all departments and central services, encourages dialogue and provides advice on request.

At the structural level, TUDa has established a sophisticated quality development instrument in the form of institutional evaluation, which enables the institutions to shape their strategic development. Equality is an integral part of all phases of institutional evaluation: the Gender Equality Office and the Decentralised Gender Equality Officers analyse and comment on the individual steps of the institutional evaluation from an equality-critical perspective and thus advise the departments and central services.

In order to strengthen autonomy and professionalisation in the departments, funds for the advancement for women are distributed annually to the 13 departments. The state budget funds are used to structurally advance women of all status groups and to sensitise everyone in the department to gender aspects. The use of funds for the advancement of women is as diverse as the departments themselves. The use of the funds is evaluated annually in order to support targeted spending.

The Gender Equality Office organizes a variety of events, such as meetings and further training. These bring together equal opportunities stakeholders from the departments and central services, allowing synergies to be created and best practice experiences to be exchanged. In this way, the work is constantly professionalized and an exchange on current topics and challenges takes place.