The University of Wuppertal has impressed with its Gender Equality Concept 2030 in the third and final selection round of the Female Professors Programme 2030: it is one of only five universities nationwide to be awarded the title of "University with Strong Gender Equality" - the second time it has received this special recognition. A total of 51 universities submitted their gender equality concepts, 44 of which were positively evaluated.

Foundation for an efficient and attractive university

"This new award confirms our strategic path: it recognises the consistent anchoring of gender equality in governance, personnel development and quality management at the university. We see gender equality as a cross-sectional task that is integrated into all central decision-making processes and enshrined in our mission statement. For us, equality is an integral part of responsible university management," emphasises University Rector Professor Birgitta Wolff.

One example of this is that, since this year, decisions made by the Rectorate have been subject to a gender check that examines the gender-specific impact of proposed measures. In this way, the university management ensures that gender equality is taken into account in every important decision.

Expanding measures in the faculties

Strengthening gender equality work in the nine faculties is also one of the declared goals. There are now 34 decentralised Equal Opportunities Officers, supported by four Equal Opportunities Officers. Together, they tackle the further development and implementation of equality-related measures in the faculties.

"Our concept combines management, resources and cultural development into a coherent overall approach," explains Sophie Charlott Ebert, Head of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Unit. "We work along the entire academic qualification chain - from degree programme to professorship - and ensure impact through binding target agreements, systematic monitoring and strategic personnel development. The fact that we have now once again been recognised nationwide shows that we are on the right track: This combination of structure, data-orientation and shared responsibility works."

Jointly developed and strategically stabilised

Since 2008, the University of Wuppertal has used the Women Professors Programme as a strategic development driver and can already look back on three successful funding periods with funding commitments totalling around 3.7 million euros.

Ten female professors have been appointed over the previous funding phases, central structures such as the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Unit have been established and consolidated, and innovative instruments such as the gender data portal and the 1% model for faculty-related equality measures have been established. The proportion of female professors has risen from 14.4 per cent in 2007 to 32.7 per cent in 2024 - with above-average figures compared to the rest of the country and Germany.

The universities selected in the current funding round can now submit applications for up to three start-up grants for the initial appointment of female academics to permanent W2 or W3 professorships until 30 September 2027. The special award "University with Strong Gender Equality" is linked to the possibility of applying for funding for an additional position for a female academic.

With the Women Professors Programme, the federal and state governments are pursuing the goal of dynamically increasing the number of female professors towards parity, promoting female academics in the early career phase on the way to a lifetime professorship and retaining them in academia, as well as anchoring gender equality even more firmly in the structure of universities.