HU is successful in creating equal opportunities for women in science
The Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU) has been successful in creating equal opportunities for women in recent years. The share of women at all career levels has increased dynamically, but especially in top academic positions.
The share of female professors has almost doubled since 2008: from 20.5 per cent to 39.8 per cent in 2023. Gender parity has already been achieved among academic staff at HU: the proportion of women is 51.5 per cent (2023).
Differences between disciplines
However, there are major differences between the subject groups. Therefore, HU wants to further increase the share of women in STEM subjects (including geography, chemistry, computer science, physics, mathematics and the life sciences) and in law and economics. On average, 27.5 per cent of professorships in these subjects are currently held by women, and 39 per cent of research assistants are women.
Share of women in top academic positions above average
Across all subjects, the proportion of women in top academic positions at HU is currently more than 20 per cent above the national average in Germany and also significantly above the average for the state of Berlin. The university management will take further steps in the coming years to continuously increase the appointment of female professors.
Prof Dr Julia von Blumenthal, President of Humboldt-Universität: “We are proud that Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin has made great progress in promoting women in science. Over the past 15 years, HU has made great efforts to move closer to the goal of a gender-equitable university. We have succeeded in anchoring and professionalising gender equality as a task in the structures of the university. We want to further improve the compatibility of family and career and further reduce the existing gender pay gap to create a fair and forward-looking working environment.”
HU's equality strategy: on the way to parity
At HU, equality is anchored in the organisational structure as a cross-sectional task and has become part of the university's culture. The HU's central gender equality concept has been further developed and implemented since 2013. Under the umbrella of the Caroline von Humboldt+ programme, strategic measures to promote gender equality are being developed for all career stages, from pupils to students, doctoral candidates and post-docs to professors. These include, for example, equality-oriented appointment management and employment and promoting programmes for female academics at all career levels. At the same time, responsibility for gender equality has been assigned to the President. Another important contribution to the realisation of a gender-equitable university is the interdisciplinary anchoring of gender research at the HU. With the Centre for Transdisciplinary Gender Studies (ZtG), the HU has an advanced structure for this.
Joining the commitment of German universities: “Towards more gender equality in appointments to professorships”
In order to increase the share of women, particularly in the STEM subjects, especially in computer science and physics, as well as in the appointment to professorships in law and economics, Humboldt-Universität joined the commitment ‘Towards more gender equality in appointments to professorships’ presented by the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) on 4 July 2024. In the commitment, the HRK specifies several goals - such as the active recruitment of female candidates for professorships or the establishment of gender-equitable appointment procedures - and fields of action as well as measures to further reduce structural gender inequalities and achieve appropriate gender representation in professorships.
Further information
Contact
Dr.in Ursula Fuhrich-Grubert
The Central Women's Representative at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin