Family & diversity
Kiel University takes concrete measures to actively make family and work/studies compatible. As one of the largest employers in Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University knows that being family-friendly not only adds to the quality of its own institution but also lets the university set an example when it comes to demonstrating social responsibility.
Flexible working hours
An important prerequisite that allows family and work/studies to be compatible is the ability to schedule work flexibly to a large extent. Kiel University has established the principles for structuring working hours in a family-friendly manner in its work agreements, which includes part-time models and flexitime. Students with children are actively supported via regular advisory events, for example. Structured part-time degree programmes are also possible.
Childcare
Childcare and holiday programmes: for students and employees with children, reliable childcare is a deciding factor in being able to successfully study, research and teach. This is why Kiel University works together with different partners (Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein, Pädiko e.V., etc.) to offer childcare close to the campus in addition to a holiday programme and childcare during events.
A family-friendly university
Kiel University has been certified as a family-friendly university since 2002. Over the past years, it has continually introduced many successful services and measures which create family-friendly conditions for working and studying, which includes measures such as the expansion of childcare services, a permanent family service, and establishing family officers in all faculties, Clusters of Excellence and the University’s Graduate Center to name just a few examples.
Diversity
Kiel University is actively committed to being a non-discriminatory, safe and non-violent place to study, teach, train and work, where everyone treats each other fairly with appreciation and respect. The university values the diversity of its members, with their different experiences and talents, as central to its excellence and an asset to the overall development of the university.
In 2019, the university was successfully certified in the "Shaping Diversity" auditing process. Since 2022, CAU has been in the process of re-auditing.
The Diversity and Anti-Discrimination Office supports the Presidential Board in taking diversity into account and promoting it. Anti-discrimination counselling is also located here. The Diversity Commissioner offers advice on dealing with experienced or observed discrimination.
To the website of the Diversity and Anti-Discrimination Office
Equality
Kiel University actively applies equal treatment of men and women. It strives for gender equality in all areas of work and in all fields of activity in university life. As well as promoting fairness and equal opportunities, it also focuses on acknowledging and utilising different talents and qualities as potential for thinking and action. Kiel University's strategic targets for gender equality follow on from the joint "Offensive für Chancengleichheit für Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler" (“Action for Equal Opportunities for Male and Female Researchers”) of Germany's major scientific organisations.
The central equal opportunity commissioner at the CAU represents the interests of female members of the university and supports the University Board in establishing equality between women and men in science and reducing discrimination against women at the university. The Central Office for Gender Equality, Equal Opportunity and Family offers two successful mentoring programmes - via:mento and via:mento ocean - which aim to connect and promote women in science.
Representative body for the disabled
The representative body for the disabled represents the interests of disabled employees to the place of work. It actively contributes to developing work agreements for severely disabled and chronically ill employees.
The representative body helps employees with severe disabilities or chronic illnesses equip their workspaces to accommodate their specific disability or illness. It also helps them fill out applications (motions for declaratory judgement and requests for equal treatment) and provides them with information about external assistance offers (e.g. Integrationsamt (Integration Office), Fachdienst Arbeit (Specialist Employment Service), Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)). It works together with the staff council, the academic staff council, the Occupational Health and Safety Service and the Psychosocial Service/ Addiction Counselling Service at Kiel University to address issues related to occupational safety, accident prevention and healthcare provision and preventive care.
At least once a year, the representative body organises an assembly for severely disabled persons and individuals with equivalent status.
Plan of action for implementing the UN CRPD
At the end of 2015, Kiel University adopted a plan of action for implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). With this plan, which is a pilot project for German universities, the CAU aims to achieve accessibility (in the greatest sense possible) for all university members.
The plan of action was created in a participatory process which involved university members of all status groups. Objectives and measures were formulated for all seven fields of action, which represent all areas of the university.
The IMEW in Berlin and the German National Association for Student Affairs helped create the plan of action by providing consulting. The Ministry of Social Affairs in Schleswig-Holstein provided financial support for the project.
