Gender equality is a key quality feature of the University of Konstanz's institutional development. This also includes the long-term goal of gender parity in professorships, leadership positions and the recruitment process.
The numbers on newly appointed female professors are promising. Over the past years, the proportion of women in professorial positions has steadily increased:
| 1.01.2008 | 1.01.2016 | 1.01.2024 | |
| Proportion of women in W2/3 or C3/4 professorships | 16.2% | 26.1% | 32.2% |
| Proportion of women in W1 professorships | 11.1% | 35.7% | 50.0% |
The instruments described below are used to foster a gender-equitable appointment process at the university.
Active recruiting
The active recruitment of women is now standard for academic positions in the university's departments and research institutions.
In 2023, the Senate updated its guidelines for ensuring a fair and respectful appointment process at the University of Konstanz (in German). In addition, the information guide on the active recruitment of women working in research provides relevant advice for every step of the process. The guide also lists databases and portals for finding qualified women.
To facilitate this process, the chair of the appointment committee and the active recruiting officer have a form for documenting active recruiting activities as well as a checklist for the implementation of gender-equitable appointment processes. The checklist's appendix lists relevant regulations and legal guidelines.
Equal opportunity representative in each appointment committee
Under the current version of the Landeshochschulgesetz LHG (state law on higher education) from April 2014, the equal opportunity representative or the coordinator for equal opportunity in the appointment process are voting members of every appointment committee.
The coordinator supports the committee chair in implementing the standards for a gender-equitable, fair and respectful appointment process. Throughout the appointment process, the coordinator works to promote equal opportunity and assist the corresponding departments with reaching their goal of increasing the proportion of women working in research. She also works with an expert professorial member of each committee and discusses subject-specific aspects with them.
Working group for a fair and respectful appointment process
Strategies for the recruitment of women and for the transparent, fair and respectful organization of the appointment process are developed by a dedicated working group consisting of representatives from the Rectorate, the dean's offices, the university administration and the Equal Opportunity Office.
Proportion of women in academic positions
The Controlling Data Portal provides detailed statistics on the number of women working in different positions at the University of Konstanz, including as professors and junior professors.