This voluntary commitment aims to reduce structural gender inequalities and promote a more balanced representation of the sexes in professorships. It specifies concrete goals and measures that contribute to the realization of institutional cultural and structural change. A central element is the active recruitment of women in the early stages of their academic careers in order to expand the pool of candidates for professorships. Other important measures include the establishment of gender-equitable appointment procedures and remuneration structures as well as the institutional anchoring of gender sensitization.
The University of Stuttgart sees this voluntary commitment as an indispensable opportunity to contribute to a fair and inclusive academic culture. Gender equality is not only a mark of quality and a foundation for excellence but also a firmly entrenched principle of our university culture. All members of the university should be empowered to fully realize their potential and talents.
Promoting diversity
The university has already committed to various measures throughout the academic life cycle, particularly focusing on the targeted promotion of young academics, who receive close support through mentoring programs. Great importance is also attached to inclusive teaching and gender dimensions in research proposals. Female scientists at the University of Stuttgart are not only decisive driving forces in research, but also role models for early-career researchers and future specialists and managers.
"Participation in this voluntary commitment underlines our commitment to equal opportunities and the promotion of diversity in science," emphasizes Wolfram Ressel, Rector at the University of Stuttgart. "We are determined to achieve the goals we have set ourselves and to improve gender equality at our university in the long term."
As part of this commitment, the University of Stuttgart will enter its existing and future measures into the publicly accessible database of the Competence Center Women in Science and Research (CEWS) to ensure transparency and promote the exchange of best practices.
This step marks further progress towards a more equitable academic landscape in Germany, ensuring that the University of Stuttgart remains future-ready in terms of social sustainability.