Lower Saxony supports the establishment of a professorship in the domain of Gender Studies

The State of Lower Saxony supports the establishment of a new professorship in the domain of Gender Studies at the University of Göttingen. This was resolved by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture on the recommendation of an expert commission. The professorship is funded by the Maria Goeppert Mayer Programme for international gender research, with which the State seeks to sustainably support Gender Studies at universities in Lower Saxony. The funding runs for a period of 4 years and covers up to 70 per cent of the required costs for the professorship, including the necessary means. The University of Göttingen will locate the professorship in the Faculty of Social Sciences in the subject of Political Science and fill it at the earlierst possible date.

„We have embedded equal opportunities as a strategic aim at the University of Göttingen,“ said University President Prof. Dr. Ulrike Beisiegel. The University is currently further extending the area of Gender Studies in the framework of its development and structure planning: this summer semester, a professorship having „Soziologie der Geschlechterforschung“ (Sociology of Gender Studies) as its central research focus was filled at the Faculty of Social Science. The BA course of Gender Studies is very well occupied with 95 per cent of its capacity being in use. In winter semester 2011/12 an independent MA course is starting for the first time. Altogether, 229 students of Gender Studies were enrolled at the University of Göttingen last winter semester, not including those taking Gender Studies as a minor.