Higher Education Act
According to the Rhineland-Palatinate Higher Education Act, it is the universities’ task to keep in mind the gender-specific effects proposals and decisions may have (gender mainstreaming) as well as to work toward removing existing barriers to equal treatment (§ 4 (2) Higher Education Act).
For filling positions, appointments, and giving promotions, women are to be given special consideration (§ 43 (3) to (6) Higher Education Act).
If a professorship is to be filled, the appointment recommendation must be handed in to the relevant ministry together with the Equality Commissioners’ position (§ 50 (2) Higher Education Act).
The Senate’s tasks include the appointment of a Senate Equality Commissioner (§ 4 (4) to (7) Higher Education Act) and adopting plans for the promotion of women and of measures against sexual harassment (§ 4 (10) Higher Education Act). The faculty council is also responsible for appointing an Equality Commissioner (§ 4 (8) Higher Education Act), whose tasks equal the Senate Equality Commissioner’s respective to the faculty level (§ 4 (5) Higher Education Act).
The Rhineland-Palatinate Equal Treatment Law (Landesgleichstellungsgesetz, in German) must also be taken into consideration.
Master Plan for the Promotion of Women
Within the university, the university’s Master Plan for the Promotion of Women and the faculties’ and institutes’ individual plans, which regulate specific procedural matters and funding measures, are to be respected.
The University’s Equal Treatment Concept
The Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz was successful with its equality concept in regard to its application for the female professorship program. The current situation was analyzed, and the measures presented which the university implements in order to reach the following goals:
- Increase the percentage of women in leading academic positions
- Career and personnel development for young female academics
- Acquiring female students for subjects they are underrepresented in.