Equal opportunities for women and men are not yet evident at German universities where, as in most societal domains, leading positions are predominantly occupied by men. The phenomenon, known in academia as ‘the leaky pipeline’ due to the gaps in the career track of many female scientists and scholars, can also be observed at Göttingen University: 50 per cent of students are female, but women only occupy 16 per cent of professorships (as of 2008). The reasons for this are manifold and include, among others, the gender stereotyping entrenched in society, and discriminating assessment of performance.

The aim of the University’s equal opportunities policy is to render the institution a fairer environment with respect to gender and to improve the compatibility of family and work or degree studies. This objective requires that in every institutional decision made, the gender issue is taken into account (gender mainstreaming). It follows from this that the tasks of the equal opportunities officer are many and varied, extending into all areas of the University (a cross-section task).

The statutory basis for the activities of the equal opportunities office is provided by the Niedersächsisches Hochschulgesetz (Higher Education Act of Lower Saxony), the University of Göttingen’s General Framework for Equal Opportunities, and further governance provisions. more...

Equal opportunities officers are elected de-centrally by all faculties, institutes and centres of the University, as well as by all central institutions; together, they make up the Equal Opportunities Council. more...