Since the founding of the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) through the merger of the two predecessor universities in 2003, equality and family justice have been among the central strategic goals. Together with the equal opportunities officers, the Faculty of Computer Science is developing an equal opportunities plan that specifies appropriate goals and measures.

The following goals are to be considered in particular:

• The quota of women in professorships is to be continuously increased. To this end, the aim is to recruit suitable female applicants as a matter of priority for each vacant position as well as for each new position to be created.
• The proportion of women in the academic mid-level staff is to be increased, as is the number of female doctoral candidates.
• The number of female students should be increased, especially in those degree programmes that have a very low proportion of women.
• The job descriptions should be updated (especially with regard to increasing digitalisation) or, in the case of new jobs, be designed in a contemporary manner. Furthermore, special attention is paid to the classification of positions that are predominantly occupied by women (especially in technology and administration). In particular, it must be ensured that the classification corresponds to the actual tasks.
• Regular meetings between employees and their superiors are used to specifically enquire about possible development needs and to jointly review and plan the available opportunities. For this purpose, the instrument of the cooperation and support discussion is to be used in particular.

The faculty thus aims to increase the proportion of women at all levels (professors, staff, students). In doing so, we will also promote the compatibility of studies, family and career and take measures against discrimination. Due to the interdisciplinary orientation of the institutes, the gender issue can be integrated very well into research and teaching.

Until the completion of an equal opportunities plan for the new Faculty of Computer Science and the election of the equal opportunities officers, please contact the equal opportunities officers of the Faculty of Engineering or the equal opportunities officers of the Faculty of Business and Economics for any questions in this regard.