This English translation is solely intended to assist non-German speakers in better understanding their rights to equality and non-discrimination, as well as the legal basis of the Academic Equal Opportunity Officers' position. Any discrepancies or differences that may arise in this translation from the official German version of these materials are not binding and hold no legal standing.
The job of the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer at universities is fundamentally based on Section 3 of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (in German). More specifically, the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer of the University of Bamberg are regulated by university legislation, the constitution of the University of Bamberg, and additional guidelines of the university.
University Legislation
Excerpts from the Framework Act for Higher Education
The following excerpts are from §§ 3, 6, 34 from the version of 19 January 1999 (BGB1. I S. 18), last amended through article one of the law on 27 December 2004 (BGB1. I S. 3835) with consideration of the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court made on 26 January 2005 (2 BvF 1/03).
The complete text of the German version can be downloaded from the website of the Federal Ministry of Science.
§ 3 Equal Opportunity for Women and Men
(1) Universities promote the enforcement of equal opportunity for women and men and work toward eliminating existing disadvantages.
(2) State law regulates the tasks and participatory rights of the Women’s Representatives and Equal Opportunity Representatives of universities.
§ 6 Evaluation of the Research, Teaching, and Promotion of Early-Career Academics and Gender Equality
(1) The work of universities in research and teaching, in promoting early-career academics, and in fulfilling the gender equality mandate should be regularly assessed. (2) Students should be involved in evaluating the quality of teaching. (3) The results of the evaluations should be published.
§ 34 Anti-Discrimination Policy
There should be no disadvantages for applicants based on:
(1) the fulfillment of official duties pursuant to Article 12a of the Basic Federal Law and the acceptance of such official duties and corresponding services for a period of up to three years,
(2) service as a development worker according to the Development Aid Act of 18 June 1969 (BGBI. I p. 549), as last amended by Article 15 of the law from 21 June 2002 (BGBI. I p. 2167),
(3) the performance of a voluntary social work year in accordance with the Law on the Promotion of a Voluntary Social Work Year of 17 August 1964 (BGBI. I p. 640), as last amended on 15 July 2002 (BGBI. I p. 2596), or a voluntary ecological year according to the Law on the Promotion of a Voluntary Ecological Year of 17 December 1993 (BGBI. I p. 2118), as last amended on 15 July 2002 (BGBI. I p. 2600), or within the context of a model project funded by the Federal Government, or
(4) the responsibility to care for a child under the age of 18 or sick or elderly relatives for up to three years. If ranking is equal according to § 32 paras. 2 and 3, the applicants relevant to sentence 1 have priority.
Excerpts from the Bavarian Higher Education Act
Excerpts from the Bavarian Higher Education Act on the scope of responsibility of the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer. The complete text (in German) of the law can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Science.
Art. 22 Equality
(1) 1In performing their duties, universities shall promote the effective implementation of equal rights for women and men and take this into account as a guiding principle. 2They shall work towards the elimination of existing disadvantages. 3In order to implement equal rights, women shall be given preference, taking into account the priority of aptitude, ability and professional performance (Art. 33 para. 2 of the 'Grundgesetz', Art. 94 para. 2 of the Constitution). 4The aim of the promotion is to increase the proportion of women at all levels of science and art.
(2)1The universities shall work towards ensuring that there is an appropriate representation of women and men in all bodies, including the university management and the appointment committees. 2In doing so, they shall generally be guided by the respective proportion of the total number of their members. 3The university management shall strive for equal representation of women and men; in any case, it should consist of at least 40% women and 40% men.
(3) 1Academic Equal Opportuniy Officers shall be appointed at the universities to ensure that female academics, artists, female teaching staff and students are not disadvantaged. 2They are obliged to maintain confidentiality, are not bound by instructions and support the universities in the performance of their duties in accordance with para. 1. 3 The Academic Equal Opportunity Officers are elected by the Senate for the university and by the Faculty Council for the faculties. 4The Academic Equal Opportunity Officers elected for the university shall be a member of the Extended Executive Board and the Senate including its committees, the Faculty Equal Opportunity Officers shall be a voting member of the Faculty Council including its committees and the appointment committees. 5The university management shall involve the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer in matters concerning him or her and shall regularly give him or her the opportunity to present concerns. 6The university management may appoint the Equal Opportunity Officer as a member of the university management in an advisory capacity. 7In all other respects, the Basic Regulations regulate participation in other committees. 8The Basic Regulations may provide for the appointment of deputies.
(4) Notwithstanding Art. 36 para. 1 sentence 3, the Academic Equal Opoortunity Officer shall be entitled to vote on amendments to the Basic Regulations insofar as these amendments affect her or his opportunities to participate.
(5) 1The universities shall provide the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer at university and faculty level with an appropriate level of funding to enable them to carry out their duties effectively. 2The Academic Equal Opportunity Officer shall be relieved of other official duties for the duration of their work, taking into account the scope of their tasks.
Excerpt of the constitution of the University of Bamberg (2023)
Complete Text: Constitution (only German)
Chapter Four: Academic Equal Opportunity Officer
Section One: Joint Regulations
§ 29 Responsibilities
(1)
1The Officers for Gender Equality in Science and the Arts
ensure the avoidance of disadvantages for female academics, female teaching staff and
teaching staff and students; they support the university in fulfilling its
task of promoting the implementation of equal rights for women and men and working towards the
and work towards the elimination of existing disadvantages. 2Within the scope of the statutory
duties, representatives for the equality of women in science and the arts are responsible for
arts are responsible in particular for
- Accepting suggestions and complaints,
- drawing up plans for the advancement of women and working towards their implementation,
- preparing reports on the situation of female academics, female teaching staff and female teaching staff and female students at the university,
- educational and public relations work within and outside the University.
(2)
1The Academic Equal Opportunity Officer of the University is a voting member of the advisory committees appointed by the Senate advisory committees and the advisory board of the Graduate Center Trimberg Research Academy (TRAc).
Academy (TRAc). 2The Academic Equal Opportunity Officer or the Faculty Equal Opportunity Officer is a a voting member of a committee in accordance with Art. 29 para. 6 sentence 1 BayHIG. 3The Faculty Equal Opportunity Officer is a voting member of committees in accordance with Art. 41 Para. 3 BayHIG. 4The office of the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer and that of the Faculty Equal Opportunity Officer may be held by two persons with equal rights.
(3)
1Deputy Academic Equal Opportunity Officers shall be appointed at the University. 2If the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer is unable to attend, the deputy shall deputize.
Section Two: Academic Equal Opportunity Officer of the University
§30 Election, term of office and responsibilities
(1) The Academic Equal Opportunity Officer and their deputies are appointed on the recommendation of the Equal Opportunity Advisory Board from among the university's full-time academic and artistic staff and doctoral students by the Senate by secret ballot.
(2) 1The Equal Opportunity Advisory Board is composed of
1. the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer as Chairperson
2. the deputy of the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer
3. the Faculty Equal Opportunity Officer
4. two students nominated by the student parliament.
2In matters that cannot be postponed, the Equal Opportunity Advisory Board is represented by the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer.
(3) 1The term of office of the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer at the University and their deputy shall be two years. 2The term of office of the deputies according to para. 2 sentence 1 no. 4 is one year. 3If a Academic Equal Opportunity Officer leaves office prematurely, the term of office of the successor begins with the announcement of the election result. 4It shall end at the end of the semester in which a two-year term of office is completed. 5Re-election is possible.
(4) 1The Academic Equal Opportunity Officer at the the University advises the University Executive Board on matters concerning female women academics, female teaching staff and students. 2She or he reports to the Senate once a year on the situation of female academics, female teaching staff and students at the University and submits proposals for improvement suggestions to avoid disadvantages for female academics, female teaching staff and students.
Section Three: Faculty Equal Opportunity Officer
§ 31 Election and term of office
(1) The Faculty Council elects by secret ballot the Faculty's Equal Opportunities Officer and her or his deputy from among the academic and artistic staff working full-time at the University and doctoral candidates on the recommendation of the committee referred to in paragraph 2. 2The invitation to the meetings of the committee shall be issued by the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer; if there is no such representative, by the Dean. 3At the request of the dean, the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer of the University or a person nominated for election, the Equal Opportunity Advisory Board prior to the election if there is an important reason. 4Whether an important reason exists is decided by the Academic Equal Opportunity Officer of the University.
(2) The committee submitting the election proposal is composed of
1. the female teaching staff working full-time at the faculty,
2. the academic and artistic staff working full-time at the faculty as well as and artistic staff working full-time at the faculty and doctoral students at the faculty
3. two female students appointed by the student representatives.
(3) § 30 Para. 3 applies accordingly.
Equal Opportunity
The German Research Foundation (DFG) promotes excellent research. It is committed to equal opportunity and diversity in all funding processes, especially because the insufficient contributions of women in the German research system means a loss of excellence and efficiency.
The DFG and its members launched a promising initiative to promote gender equality in research in summer 2008: Equality Standards for Research (in English).
The University of Bamberg has also set a goal of meeting these standards. Here you will find the final report of the German Research Foundation’s Equality Standards for Research at the University of Bamberg (only German).
This policy was enacted by the XXIII Senate in its tenth meeting on 17 July 2019. It contains an analysis of the current situation, from which goals and measures for equal opportunity for men and women have been derived, which are to be implemented over the next five years within the validity period of the policy. The implementation of equal opportunity for men and women is a legal mandate that we fulfill by implementing this policy.
Equal Opportunity Concept(923.5 KB) (only in German)
- This includes the following topics:
- Introduction: Goals and Justification
- 1. Analysis of current gender equality within the university as a whole
- 2. Gender equality within the academic field and among students
- 3. Gender equality within academic support
- 4. Measures to update policies and the monitoring process
- Introduction: Goals and Justification
The overall goal of this regulation is to ensure equal opportunity for women and men at the university and to eliminate existing disadvantages.
An important step for equality work was also establishing formal assistance and preventative measures at the University of Bamberg. The University of Bamberg wants to use the Guidelines for Respecting Boundaries to make it transparent for everyone how to deal with cases of harassment, discrimination, bullying, and stalking and how preventive measures can be taken.
Full English Text: Guidelines for Respecting Boundaries