Diversity Audit and Re-Audit (2016-2018, 2023)

The diversity audit “Vielfalt gestalten” designed by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft is intended to encourage universities to accept the challenges that are part and parcel of having a diverse student population. It is aimed at uncovering options for how a specific diversity strategy can be developed and implemented in keeping with the university’s profile. The audit gives universities help and advice on how to design structures, instruments and measures for various groups of students, include these groups in the daily life of the universities and help them study successfully. As the group with the largest number of members at the universities, students are the focus of the audit. However, the fields of action that are considered may go beyond the areas of teaching and studying, service and advice, to touch on other aspects such as personnel management, for example.  After successfully completing the audit, the universities receive the certificate “Vielfalt gestalten”. The diversity certificate is valid for three years and the universities can opt to carry out a re-audit after three years with new diversity projects.

The auditing process was accompanied at FAU by the auditor Dr. Lisberg-Haag.

In addition to FAU, nine other universities took part in the audit from 2016-2018: Universität Düsseldorf, University of Göttingen, Universität Hamburg, Kiel University, University of Cologne, Landshut University of Applied Sciences, Universität zu Lübeck, Fachhochschule Münster, OTH Regensburg.

Further information on the diversity audit is available on the website of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft or in the special supplement “Vielfalt gestalten” (shaping diversity) published by the DUZ magazine.

During an auditing process lasting two years that was initially the responsibility of VP Prof. Kley and subsequently VP Prof. Paulsen and coordinated at a working level by Dr. Ebru Tepecik (BGD), numerous stakeholders at FAU contributed their expertise in various topics (e.g. accessibility, sexual orientation, religious diversity) and successfully implemented measures at the structural and operational levels. At the beginning of the audit, a steering committee and a diversity committee were established at FAU to accompany the auditing process from a strategic perspective. The “diversity committee” will remain in place and welcome new members after the audit in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the collaboration and synergies prompted by the project. The members of the committee represent important stakeholders, target groups and functionaries and will continue to play an active part in shaping the strategical and operational work on encouraging diversity at FAU.

One of the main objectives in the audit and our current focus is to pool existing diverse projects and measures and create a comprehensive strategic concept under the umbrella of “diversity management” that should lead to greater consolidation and institutionalization of diversity management at FAU. During the audit, FAU laid its focus on the field of action “internal and external communication and participation” and over the two years significantly intensified communication on the topic of diversity and collaboration, both internally and externally. Future fields of action are anti-discrimination, equal opportunities in education, sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), and inclusion, focusing on accessibility. One of our long-term, ongoing goals is to encourage diversity throughout FAU as an organization, i.e. by implementing the interdisciplinary issue of diversity at the faculty, department and chair level to achieve a university and research culture sensitive to gender and diversity, in which diversity is a visible and tangible part of FAU.

Cover story on the diversity audit in the FAU magazine Alexander (03/2018):

https://www.fau.de/2018/03/header/untypisch-ist-normal-diversity-an-der-fau/