Springe direkt zu Inhalt

Diversity Strategy and Action Plan

The Executive Board approved the university’s first Diversity Strategy and Action Plan in February 2021. It outlines the university’s general approach to diversity and defines specific goals and measures for 2021 through to 2023.

This plan helps to structure, summarize, and prioritize our activities. It creates transparency and provides members of the university with guidance and support in their efforts to work toward a discrimination-free environment in which study, research, and work at the university align with the principles of diversity.

Horizontal Approach

Freie Universität Berlin works with a horizontal approach. This means that as a rule we strive to incorporate all dimensions of diversity in our objectives and measures. Based on the Berlin State Antidiscrimination Act and our own Diversity Mission Statement, we have defined ten core dimensions of diversity; that we aim to take into consideration in all our work.

At the same time we acknowledge the need to develop targeted measures to meet the needs of specific groups since they are confronted with specific barriers. Approaches that focus on individual categories or dimensions are referred to as “vertical.” Work in the field of gender equity is, for example, a vertical approach focusing on the dimension of gender. Such vertical approaches are elements within our broader diversity work.

More information about Freie Universitäts understanding of the concept of diversity is available in German. An English translation ist underway. 

Objectives

Freie Universität has formulated the following overarching and interlocking objectives that guide our diversity work:

  • The equitable participation of all university members regardless of their positioning within various diversity dimensions or social categories,

  • An accessible and nondiscriminatory teaching, learning, and working environment,

  • An organizational culture that values diversity and fosters mutually respectful cooperation among all status groups,

  • The sustainable implementation of structural equal opportunity.

Until the end of 2023 the university is focusing on strengthening the strategic orientation of diversity measures (a whole-of university approach) and building working structures and other foundations for achieving its objectives. This approach will firstly promote the participation of university members from all status groups in future diversity processes, secondly enable a systematic situation analysis and needs assessment, thirdly, strengthen diversity work as a whole, and fourthly ensure support and intervention when discrimination occurs.

The Diversity Strategy and Action Plan 2021–2023 sets nine goals that relate to all dimensions of diversity (horizontal) and that will contribute to the achievement of our overarching objectives:

  1. The principles, strategic direction, and needs-based priorities of the university’s diversity work are known to all university members

  2. Diversity governance structure is functional, and it is known what modifications are required

  3. There is a robust model for needs-based diversity/antidiscrimination structures, including prevention/support, counseling, and complaint management

  4. There is a robust data basis related to diversity

  5. Teaching staff are qualified to deliver courses in a diversity-sensitive manner

  6. All university members have low-threshold access to information and services in the field of diversity/antidiscrimination

  7. Respect for diversity is visible in the university

  8. Recruitment and onboarding processes are sensitive to diversity issues

  9. It is known how employees experience the organizational culture

In addition, there are four goals that relate to specific dimensions of diversity:

  1. Disability, chronic illness, and mental health impairments: Strengthen communication channels and the application of relevant laws

  2. Racism and migrant backgrounds: Lay the groundwork to address structural racism at the university

  3. Social status: Reduce institutional and linguistic barriers for prospective students and students with heterogeneous school and educational biographies in their transition to university studies

  4. Gender identity: Strengthen gender self-determination for trans, intersex, and non-binary (TIN) university members

The Diversity Strategy and Action Plan serves as a starting point for the organizational development process being conducted within the scope of the diversity audit (2021–2023). We intend to update the Diversity Strategy and Action Plan every four years.

The Diversity Strategy and Action Plan is currently being translated into English.

The diversity website is a work in progress so your feedback or suggestions for content would be much appreciated: diversity@fu-berlin.de  

Downloads