Recognition for Gender Equality
Freie Universität Berlin Recognized as One of Ten Best Universities in German Government’s Women Professors Program
№ 313/2018 from Nov 09, 2018
Freie Universität Berlin’s concept for personnel development and recruitment of women on the way to becoming a professor has been rated as outstanding by an independent panel of experts. In the current phase of the women professors program initiated by the German federal government and the states, Freie Universität was recognized as one of only ten German universities with the title “Outstanding Equal Opportunity!” The university is therefore entitled to apply for start-up financing for four appointments to women in tenured W2 or W3 professorships.
The program aims to promote equality between women and men in higher education, to increase the number of women in top research positions, and to sustainably improve the representation of women at all levels of qualification in the academic system. Of a total of 111 universities from all 16 federal states applying in the first selection round of the program, 86 universities were successful.
Freie Universität Berlin has already received several awards for its exemplary equality policy. In 2017, the university received the Total E-Quality Science Award for exemplary commitment to equality between women and men for the sixth time in a row. For the first time it also included an additional distinction for diversity.
Freie Universität was able to increase the proportion of women in professorships from 35 percent in 2011 to 38 percent in 2017. During the same period, the proportion of women in tenured professorships increased from 29 to 32 percent. The proportion of women in higher paid W3/C4 professorships rose from 24 percent in 2011 to 29 percent in 2017. At Freie Universität, 47 percent or almost second position among academic staff is held by a woman.
Further Information
Office of News and Public Affairs, Freie Universität Berlin, Tel.: +40 30 838-73180, Email: presse@fu-berlin.de