As commissioners for equal opportunities, we provide all members of our faculty with information and advice on equal opportunity issues. With our services we would like to strengthen equality, diversity and family friendliness at our university.
Commissioner for Equal Opportunities
The term equal opportunity opposes all forms of disadvantage and discrimination according to the General Equal Treatment Act. This includes, in particular, disadvantage or discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, disability and cultural or social background. If you are affected by this or have any questions, please feel free to contact our commissioner for equal opportunities.
Services
As commissioners for equal opportunities we offer information, advice and support on the following topics. Please also contact us if you have any suggestions regarding our topics.
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Implementation of the actual equality of women and men,
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funding opportunities and programmes specifically for women at federal, state and university level,
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professional initiatives and projects on the topics of equality, diversity & inclusion,
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reconciling family responsibilities with studies and work, including childcare or caring for dependents,
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discrimination and sexualised violence.
You are also welcome to contact the Department of Equality, Diversity and Family for individual advice.
Women* – viz. all female people and people with a female gender identity – are an underrepresented minority in physics. Possible reasons are diverse and depend, e.g. on cultural backgrounds. However, we have noticed that female* physics students often achieve above-average performance in university studies. Nevertheless, a physics study programme can be very demanding and sometimes frustrating and mainly women* (quite wrongly!) often feel discontented and doubt their abilities.
Our Mentoring Programme was established in 2020 with the aim to support female* physics students in order to be able to use their full potential during their studies. Additionally, we want to give you support in case of any questions and problems. We further aim to connect you with other female* physics students that you can build up a network of early scientists because contact with other students can become a valuable tool for your future career. To this end, we also support our female* physics students to get in touch with our female* senior scientists and professors that you can plan your professional career and scientific future at an early stage.
Our Mentoring Programme includes a Tandem Programme in which second-year female* physics students connect with first-year female students* to offer help and support – not only about physics, but mainly to settle down in Leipzig, organise lectures, etc. The Tandem Programne is headed by our Liaison Professor.
You will find a parent child room in room 325 at Linnéstraße 5. The room is equipped with a workstation (including telephone connection, phone: +49 341 97-32478), a sofa for resting and breastfeeding, a changing table and a sink. There is also a baby corner, a play table for toddlers with carpet and the mobile game case “mini-makz”.
Access to the parent child room is available at the Dean's Office.
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Dean's Office
Phone: +49 341 97-32400
Events
Current Events
- currently no events
Past Events
- Career Paths in Physics
From “how to organize your studies” to “how do I become a professor in physics”. Meet our new Professor Katja Taute.
Get-together for all female physics students:
On Monday, 11 December 2023, 7.00pm (room: Aula, 1st floor) you can meet Katja Taute. She will talk about her career in physics and is happy to chat with you and answer your questions. - Mentoring Programme for all female* students
The liaison professor cordially invites all female* physics students to take part in the mentoring programme and to inform themselves about the offer without obligation. We meet together for small snacks and drinks on
6 November 2023, 07.00pm–08.00pm in the Physics Building, SR 532
Registration is not required. If you have any questions, please contact Professor Mareike Zink.
Send email - Summer semester 2022: Key qualification module “Women in STEM”
The Key Qualification Module “Women in STEM” intends to identify existing structures with regard to gender inequality in the natural sciences and to develop possible solutions. The situation in various natural sciences will be related to those in society, together with questioning the underrepresentation of other groups in society. In addition, the history of women in physics will be addressed.
The module is explicitly aimed at students of all genders. - Mentoring Programme for all female* IPSP students (Bachelor)
The liaison professor cordially invites all female* physics students to take part in the mentoring programme and to inform themselves about the offer without obligation. We meet together for small snacks and drinks on
3 May 2023, 07.00pm–08.00pm in the Physics Building, SR 532
Registration is not required. If you have any questions, please contact Professor Mareike Zink.
Send email - Summer semester 2022: Key qualification module “Women in STEM”
- Talk on Thursday, 23 June 2022, 05.00pm
Beneath the numbers: Gender inequities in undergraduate science courses
Prof. Dr. Sara Brownell, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, USA - Talk on Thursday, 9 December 2021, 05.00pm
Build back better: creating a more equitable scientific community post COVID-19
Dr. Jessica Wade, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, UK - Introductory event for the Mentoring Programme for female* students studying in the first to third semester of the courses of study Bachelor Physics, Bachelor IPSP and Teaching Degree Programme Physics
- Summer semester 2021: Key qualification module “Women in STEM”
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Talk on Thursday, 27 May 2021, 05.00pm
Beyond participation: Sense of belonging and the impact of the physics stereotype for women in STEM
Amy Smith, Imperial College London, UK
Further Events at Leipzig University
You can find more events at our university on the website of the Department of Equality, Diversity and Family.
Information
Here we would like to refer you to existing offers in the area of equal opportunities, diversity and family.
Leipzig University
- t.e.a.m. ability for female students with impairment
- t.e.a.m. for female doctoral candidates
- t.e.a.m. for female postdocs
- t.e.a.m. for female doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in coordinated DFG collaborative projects
- t.e.a.m. expats for female doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from non-university research institutions in Leipzig
- Workshops and skills development of the Graduate Academy Leipzig
You can find more information and offers of Leipzig University on the website of the Department of Equality, Diversity and Family.
German Physical Society
- Working Group on Equal Opportunities
- WEH Communication Programme for participation at conferences
- Lise-Meitner-Lectures
- Female* physicist of the week
- Interviews with female* physicists
Other
Physics
Earth System Sciences
Equal opportunity personnel selection and appointment processes
In order to find the best minds, equal opportunity access to our university is the key requirement. Our handouts, guidelines and tips provide quick assistance for fair staffing and appointment processes. Timely information and involvement of the commissioners for equal opportunities and the disabled persons representative enables to support you in the best possible way. You can find more information on this topic on the info portal “Equal opportunities personnel selection and appointment procedures”.
Handouts Personnel Selection
Personnel decisions are among the most important decisions that leaders have to make. Successful projects, good teaching or administration and not least a productive working atmosphere in your team can and should be the result of your personnel decisions. This guideline supports you on the way of a personnel selection with equal opportunities.
Access to the following download only works if you are on the intranet of Leipzig University.
Guide to the selection and recruitment of scientific and non-scientific staff
Handouts for Appointment Processes
Access to the following links or downloads only works if you are on the intranet of Leipzig University.
Handout on the Disabled Persons Act in Appointment Processes
Handout for the Meetings of the Appointment Committee
Gender-Sensitive Appointment Guidelines
In the pursuit of the best researchers and teachers, Leipzig University (UL) conducts fair and non-discriminatory appointment processes in which equal opportunities are ensured at every stage of the procedure. These guidelines for gender-sensitive appointment processes are a tool for all university employees who are actively involved in appointment processes. It is intended to facilitate the proper implementation of the procedures and also provide important information on the design of form and content.