Diversity Audit "Shaping Diversity"

March 2023

In 2022, the University of Stuttgart embarked on a diversity audit following the Stifterverband’s audit procedure “Shaping Diversity”. The aim of this participatory process involving all status groups is to further develop the university's diversity strategy.

The University of Stuttgart is committed to a future-oriented and dynamic approach to diversity. We aim to provide everyone who studies or works here with a supportive environment to enable the development of the potential of each individual. We see our active involvement in the creation of such an environment as an ongoing, participatory organizational development process that continuously adapts to changing framework conditions and needs. This is a comprehensive endeavor involving all members of the university.

In view of the above, the University of Stuttgart has successfully applied for participation in the diversity auditing process “Shaping Diversity” of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft. It is part of the 2022 cohort, alongside seven other universities.

Project organization

Responsibility
Project manager

Barbara Scheubert, Consultant for Diversity Management

Process management

Steering group

Process support

Steering committee

External auditing

Do you have any questions or suggestions or would you like to be involved in this process? Please do not hesitate to reach out to Barbara Scheubert. We look forward to hearing about your experiences and perspectives!

Barbara Scheubert
Consultant for Diversity Management
Email
Phone number: +49 711 685-81146

Funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung

About the diversity audit

The diversity audit “Shaping Diversity” accompanies and supports the (further) development and implementation of a university-specific diversity strategy. We will focus particularly on the areas of strategy and structure, learning and teaching, service and consulting, personnel management, internal/external communication and participation as well as property management. In addition to five internal university workshops (see “The auditing process – Timeline”), five diversity forums will be held in the form of one-day meetings with the seven other universities of the cohort participating in the auditing process in 2022. The primary purpose of these forums is to exchange experiences.

Further general information on the diversity audit can be found on the website of the Stifterverband [German only]. The diversity audit “Shaping Diversity” is the only framework of its kind in Germany that is specifically tailored to the requirements of universities.

The auditing process –
Timeline 2022 → 2025

June 2022

Rectorate decides to apply for participation in the procedure, expression of interest submitted.

July 2022

Acceptance into the procedure confirmed.

September 2022

First self-report (current situation, development goals) submitted to the Stifterverband.

A self-report was prepared as the first component of the audit procedure. In addition to outlining the initial situation, this report also includes an inventory of existing diversity-oriented offers, projects and measures as well as contact persons. It further provides an outlook over what is yet to come: What are the development goals of the University of Stuttgart? The report thus serves as a basis for the process going forward. Numerous participants from the University of Stuttgart contributed to this report.

October 2022

1st Diversity forum in Bonn

February 2023

Kick-off workshop: SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).

March 2023

2nd Diversity forum in Ludwigsburg

April 2023

Strategy workshop: Prioritization of strategic goals and focus areas

May 2023

Operational workshop: Development of an action catalogue

As part of the nationwide Diversity Day on May 23, 2023, all interested parties were invited to participate in the ongoing diversity auditing process. In a World Café setting, a total of 11 topic-based tables offered the framework for contributing experiences and ideas. The steering committee met internally in the afternoon to develop the topics that had been worked on in the morning. 

May 2023 until the end of 2024

Implementation phase for jointly developed measures.

November 2023

3rd Diversity forum in Bielefeld

April 2024
  • Reflection workshop: Interim evaluation and adjustments, if necessary
  • 4th Diversity forum in Bochum
November 2024

Certification workshop: Reflection on the diversity strategy and the auditing process

February 2025

5th Diversity forum, awarding of certificates. The certificate is valid for three years.

Contributors

The diversity audit is a participatory process involving all status groups and open to contributions from all university members.

This process spans about two and a half years and is coordinated and accompanied by two permanent working groups: the steering group and the steering committee.

Members of the steering group

The members of the steering group meet with the auditor to prepare and review individual workshops, and participate in the nationwide diversity forums to exchange experiences. They are also members of the steering committee.

  • Dr. Silke Wieprecht
    Vice Rector for Diversity and Internationalization
  • Dr. Meike Tilebein
    Institute for Diversity Studies in Engineering, Head of Institute
  • Dr. Alexander Brem
    Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science, Head of Institute
  • Beate Langer
    uniqUS – Unit for Inclusive University Culture, Management
  • Barbara Scheubert
    Consultant for Diversity Management, Project Management for Diversity Audit

Members of the steering committee

The participants of the steering committee contribute their experience and expertise from various areas to the audit process. They also act as multipliers. Members are listed below in alphabetical order (by function):

Function Person
Contact Person for Anti-Discrimination Susan Völkel 
Consultant for Gender Equality; Academic Appointments Cathrin Gehlen
Division of Personnel and Legal Affairs Stephan Bissinger
Division of Students' Affairs, Diversity Officer Lisa Schöllhammer
Division of Central Services Harald Hornyak
Equal Opportunities Officer Silvia Meyer
Gender Equality Officer Dr. Grazia Lamanna
Inclusion Officer Dr. Ulrich Eggert
IntCDC (Cluster of Excellence) Dr. Carolina García Johnson
Members of steering group see above
Ombudsperson Teaching & Promotion Dr. Ursula Meiser
Personal Assistant to the Vice Rector for Diversity and Internationalization Katharina Wilhelm
Program Manager/ Academic Advisor Dr.-Ing. Bettina Rzepka
Representative for Faculty 1, Architecture and Urban Planning Ann-Kathrin Ludwig
Representative for Faculty 2, Civil and Environmental Engineering Dr. Stefan Haun
Maria Costa Jornet 
Representative for Faculty 3, Chemistry Dr. Johanna Bruckner
Representative for Faculty 3, Student Council Chemistry Felix Trbola
Representative for Faculty 4, Energy, Process and Bio-Engineering Ralph-Walter Müller
Representative for Faculty 5, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andrey Morozov
Representative for Faculty 6, Aerospace Engineering and Geodesy Berta Pi Savall 
Andreas Waldvogel (since Januar 2024) 
Representative for Faculty 7, Engineering Design, Production Engineering and Automotive Engineering Prof. Dr. Cristina Tarín
Representative for Faculty 8, Mathematics and Physics Dr. Hubert Keller
Representative for Faculty 9, Faculty of Humanities Dr. Fabian Bross, Dr. Lisa Hofmann 
Representative for Faculty 10, Management, Economics and Social Sciences Dr. Matthias Wyrwal
SimTech (Cluster of Excellence)

Almut Meyer zu Schwabedissen (until September 2023)
Jun.-Prof. Benedikt Ehinger (since October 2023)
Hiser Sedik (Manager for Diversity and Equity SimTech, since April 2024)

Staff Council, Chair Dipl.-Ing. Ulrich Gemkow
Student Council stuvus Bernhard Speck, Lúcia Szedresi
Student Counseling Center, Head Reiner Laue
University Communications Christina Fischer

Contact

This image shows Silke Wieprecht

Silke Wieprecht

Prof. Dr.

Vice Rector for Diversity and Internationalization

This image shows Barbara Scheubert

Barbara Scheubert

M.A.

Consultant for Diversity Management

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