Diversity audit successfully completed

Since October 2022, the University of StuttgartStuttgart – together with seven other universities in the 2022 cohort – has undergone the Stifterverband's diversity audit. In five auditing workshops, goals were defined, measures developed, implemented, and evaluated in collaboration with members from all status groups. The process involved broad participation from the entire university under the constructive and critical guidance of our auditor, Dr. Isabell Lisberg-Haag.

On February 5, the moment finally arrived: At the fifth joint Diversity Forum in Berlin, alongside other universities in the cohort, the University of Stuttgart presented its final report on achieving its self-defined goals during the auditing process. The university also engaged in a discussion, responding to questions from the three “critical friends.” The feedback was extremely positive, and our university received an excellent “report card”. The extensive range of actions taken and measures implemented received high praise.

Particular recognition was given to the Rectorate's explicit approval of the developed measures, as well as the active participation of (former) Rector Professor Dr. Wolfram Ressel and Chancellor Anna Steiger in the auditing workshops. Both are a clear signal of support from the Rectorate. At the end of the event, the certificate was presented to Prof. Dr. Judith Tonhauser, Vice Rector for Early-Career Researchers and Diversity, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Silke Wieprecht, who served as Vice Rector for Diversity and Internationalization until September 2024. Prof. Wieprecht not only initiated the auditing process but also played an active role in shaping it and ensuring its successful completion even after her term ended.

The successful completion of the auditing process would not have been possible without the cooperation of a large number of university members from a wide range of areas. Identifying the right contacts, engaging them in the collaboration, coordinating efforts, and compiling results was no easy task. This remarkable achievement was led by Barbara Scheubert, the Diversity Management Officer, whose dedication ensured that everyone remained involved. With her ideas, continuous support, and strong personal commitment, she played a key role in the audit’s success.

“We are delighted that our efforts to further develop our diversity strategy have been assessed so positively. We have achieved a lot in the last two years, but we still have a long way to go. The Stifterverband certificate is an incentive for us to continue pursuing our vision of an inclusive university culture,” says Professor Judith Tonhauser.

Professor Silke Wieprecht adds: “For the participants and contributors of the University of Stuttgart in the Diversity Audit 2022–2025, one thing is clear: ‘After the audit is before the next, more in-depth re-audit.’ A modern university, in particular, will never be "finished" in this field—it must continuously evolve.”

One of the most crucial development goals on this journey will be not only to enhance awareness of diversity among university members but, more importantly, to foster a shared sense of responsibility for this issue across the entire university community. Actively shaping diversity is a task for society as a whole, and therefore for the university as a whole.