The University of Stuttgart is committed to a future-oriented and dynamic approach to diversity. We aim to provide everyone who studies or works here with a supportive environment to enable the development of the potential of each individual. We see our active involvement in the creation of such an environment as an ongoing, participatory organizational development process that continuously adapts to changing framework conditions and needs. This is a comprehensive endeavor involving all members of the university.
In view of the above, the University of Stuttgart has successfully applied for participation in the diversity auditing process “Shaping Diversity” of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft. It is part of the 2022 cohort, alongside seven other universities.
Project organization
- Responsibility
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Prof. Dr. Silke Wieprecht, Vice Rector for Diversity and Internationalization (until September 30, 2024), Head of Department at the Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems
- Project manager
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Barbara Scheubert, Consultant for Diversity Management
- Process management
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Steering group
- Process support
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Steering committee
- External auditing
Funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung
About the diversity audit
The diversity audit “Shaping Diversity” accompanies and supports the (further) development and implementation of a university-specific diversity strategy. We will focus particularly on the areas of strategy and structure, learning and teaching, service and consulting, personnel management, internal/external communication and participation as well as property management. In addition to five internal university workshops (see “The auditing process – Timeline”), five diversity forums will be held in the form of one-day meetings with the seven other universities of the cohort participating in the auditing process in 2022. The primary purpose of these forums is to exchange experiences.
Further general information on the diversity audit can be found on the website of the Stifterverband [German only]. The diversity audit “Shaping Diversity” is the only framework of its kind in Germany that is specifically tailored to the requirements of universities.
The auditing process –
Timeline 2022 → 2025
- June 2022
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Rectorate decides to apply for participation in the procedure, expression of interest submitted.
- July 2022
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Acceptance into the procedure confirmed.
- September 2022
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First self-report (current situation, development goals) submitted to the Stifterverband.
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A self-report was prepared as the first component of the audit procedure. In addition to outlining the initial situation, this report also includes an inventory of existing diversity-oriented offers, projects and measures as well as contact persons. It further provides an outlook over what is yet to come: What are the development goals of the University of Stuttgart? The report thus serves as a basis for the process going forward. Numerous participants from the University of Stuttgart contributed to this report.
- October 2022
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1st Diversity forum in Bonn
- February 2023
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Kick-off workshop: SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).
- March 2023
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2nd Diversity forum in Ludwigsburg
- April 2023
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Strategy workshop: Prioritization of strategic goals and focus areas
- May 2023
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Operational workshop: Development of an action catalogue
As part of the nationwide Diversity Day on May 23, 2023, all interested parties were invited to participate in the ongoing diversity auditing process. In a World Café setting, a total of 11 topic-based tables offered the framework for contributing experiences and ideas. The steering committee met internally in the afternoon to develop the topics that had been worked on in the morning.
- May 2023 until the end of 2024
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Implementation phase for jointly developed measures.
- November 2023
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3rd Diversity forum in Bielefeld
- April 2024
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- Reflection workshop: Interim evaluation and adjustments, if necessary
- 4th Diversity forum in Bochum
- November 2024
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Certification workshop: Reflection on the diversity strategy and the auditing process
- February 2025
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5th Diversity forum, awarding of certificates. The certificate is valid for three years.
Contributors
The diversity audit is a participatory process involving all status groups and open to contributions from all university members.
This process spans about two and a half years and is coordinated and accompanied by two permanent working groups: the steering group and the steering committee.
Members of the steering group
The members of the steering group meet with the auditor to prepare and review individual workshops, and participate in the nationwide diversity forums to exchange experiences. They are also members of the steering committee.
- Dr. Silke Wieprecht
Vice Rector for Diversity and Internationalization (until September 30, 2024), Head of Department at the Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems - Dr. Meike Tilebein
Institute for Diversity Studies in Engineering, Head of Institute - Dr. Alexander Brem
Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science, Head of Institute - Beate Langer
uniqUS – Unit for Inclusive University Culture, Management - Barbara Scheubert
Consultant for Diversity Management, Project Management for Diversity Audit
Members of the steering committee
The participants of the steering committee contribute their experience and expertise from various areas to the audit process. They also act as multipliers. Members are listed below in alphabetical order (by function):
| Function | Person |
|---|---|
| Contact Person for Anti-Discrimination | Susan Völkel |
| Consultant for Gender Equality; Academic Appointments | Cathrin Gehlen |
| Division of Personnel and Legal Affairs | Stephan Bissinger |
| Division of Students' Affairs, Diversity Officer | Lisa Schöllhammer |
| Division of Central Services | Harald Hornyak |
| Equal Opportunities Officer | Silvia Meyer |
| Gender Equality Officer | Dr. Grazia Lamanna |
| Inclusion Officer | Dr. Ulrich Eggert |
| IntCDC (Cluster of Excellence) | Dr. Carolina García Johnson |
| Members of steering group | see above |
| Ombudsperson Teaching & Promotion | Dr. Ursula Meiser |
| Personal Assistant to the Vice Rector for Early Career Researchers and Diversity | Katharina Wilhelm |
| Program Manager/ Academic Advisor | Dr.-Ing. Bettina Rzepka |
| Representative for Faculty 1, Architecture and Urban Planning | Ann-Kathrin Ludwig |
| Representative for Faculty 2, Civil and Environmental Engineering | Dr. Stefan Haun Maria Costa Jornet |
| Representative for Faculty 3, Chemistry | Dr. Johanna Bruckner |
| Representative for Faculty 3, Student Council Chemistry | Felix Trbola |
| Representative for Faculty 4, Energy, Process and Bio-Engineering | Ralph-Walter Müller |
| Representative for Faculty 5, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology | Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andrey Morozov |
| Representative for Faculty 6, Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy | Berta Pi Savall Andreas Waldvogel (since Januar 2024) |
| Representative for Faculty 7, Engineering Design, Production Engineering and Automotive Engineering | Prof. Dr. Cristina Tarín |
| Representative for Faculty 8, Mathematics and Physics | Dr. Hubert Keller |
| Representative for Faculty 9, Faculty of Humanities | Dr. Fabian Bross, Dr. Lisa Hofmann |
| Representative for Faculty 10, Management, Economics and Social Sciences | Dr. Matthias Wyrwal |
| SimTech (Cluster of Excellence) |
Almut Meyer zu Schwabedissen (until September 2023) |
| Staff Council, Chair | Dipl.-Ing. Ulrich Gemkow |
| Student Council stuvus | Bernhard Speck, Lúcia Szedresi |
| Student Counseling Center, Head | Reiner Laue |
| University Communications | Christina Fischer |
| Vice Rector for Early Career Researchers and Diversity | Prof. Dr. Judith Tonhauser (since October 2024) |
Contact
Silke Wieprecht
Prof. Dr.-Ing.Head of Department
Barbara Scheubert
M.A.Consultant for Diversity Management