Funding Initiative: ‘Diversity at German Universities’

The University of Bonn has successfully applied for project funding as part of the "Diversity at German Universities" initiative. The initiative is run by the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Among other things, it aims to support German universities in making diversity more visible, promoting their own diversity strategies and encouraging the participation of all university members in the process. A total of 33 universities receive funding for diversity projects under the initiative.

„Promoting Diverse Networks“

The Vice Rectorate and the Equal Opportunity and Diversity Unit implemented the project „Promoting Diverse Networks“ in the winter semester of 2023/24. In the process, we worked closely with students, lecturers, researchers and staff members. The overarching goal of the project was to increase awareness of diversity in its various dimensions among all university members and to further anchor diversity in university life and culture.

The aims of the project included:

making diversity at the university more visible and increasing reflection and appreciation about it;
exchanging perspectives on diversity and developing solutions to counter challenges;
establishing and improving transparency and knowledge about diversity and
exchanging ideas with other universities to gain new impulses for our work.

These goals were implemented with a participatory approach involving all status groups. In this way, different perspectives on diversity could be taken into account and new impulses set.

Making diversity visible and audible

With this media campaign, we shone a spotlight on the topic of diversity at the University of Bonn. On university platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and the university podcast ‘forsch gelesen’, new inspiring videos and podcasts were published weekly. You can find all the videos and podcasts here.

To the media campaign

Information and participation formats within the project

In order to reach as many university members as possible and also the interested public, various activities were planned. In addition to a media campaign, these included information and exchange formats in the form of a series of public lectures and a series of workshop discussions open to all university members.

Lecture series

In the winter semester 2023/2024, the public lecture series "Diversity in a Change of Perspective - Politics, Society, University" took place. Topics included gender, inclusion, educational equity, family equality, and decolonization.

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Workshop discussions

A total of six workshop discussions were held as part of the project. In moderated World Cafés, the diversity dimensions of inclusion, educational equity, protection from discrimination, gender equality and family friendliness were addressed.

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Initiative "Diversity at German universities"

As part of the blog of the "Diversity at German Universities" initiative, the HRK presents one of the 33 projects funded within the initiative, their diversity concepts and measures every week. You can view the article on the University of Bonn's programme here.