RWTH Waving "Diversity Flag" for a Decade
RWTH Aachen University is once again taking part in German Diversity Day.
The Charta der Vielfalt e.V. association was founded in 2006 with the support of the German Government as a result of an employer initiative to promote diversity in companies and institutions. RWTH signed the Diversity Charter back in 2009 – a voluntary commitment to diversity management in Germany.
This year, RWTH is once again proud to be participating in German Diversity Day. The event is initiated by Charta der Vielfalt e.V. under the motto "Waving the "Flag of Diversity"" on an annual basis. Around 2,000 campaigns will take place across the country this year.
On March 11, 2009, Minister of State Professor Maria Böhmer presented both the city of Aachen and the University with their certificates of accession at a joint ceremony at the Altes Kurhaus in Aachen. Since then, around 3,000 corporations, companies, public institutions, associations, and almost all federal states have signed the charter, which advocates a respectful and prejudice-free working environment.
"We are clearly rejecting populists and intolerance. We see diversity as a great opportunity for our University and science. Ultimately, everyone benefits from a diverse workforce and society," says RWTH Rector Professor Ulrich Rüdiger. "We therefore welcome the initiative of the Rector’s Staff Unit: Integration Team – Human Resources, Gender and Diversity Management, IGaD for short, for the University to regularly participate in German Diversity Day.
Diversity Is Valuable
Diversity management is considered a cross-cutting issue. The idea behind it: organizational cultures that embrace diversity ensure that all employees can truly reach their full potential. This also promotes the diversity of ideas and research fields for which the institution stands.
On May 28, 2019, the information event "Becoming an EU-Expert. Successful Experts in EU Research Grants", a cooperation between the Management of Third-Party Funds department and the IGaD, will take place. During this event, female scientists will receive tips on applying for funding in Horizon 2020 and working in EU projects.
Since 2007, the Rector’s Staff Unit: IGaD at RWTH has been raising awareness of the importance of honoring differences and providing impetus to promote diversity at all levels of the University.
Source: Press and Communications