Reference Framework, Gender Equality Plans and Gender Equality Quota
Gender equality plans are the most important steering element for establishing gender equality at institutions of higher education. The Equal Opportunities Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (§§ 5, 5a, 6) forms the legal basis for developing initial and follow-up plans. By means of these legal specifications, the framework for establishing gender equality plans in North Rhine-Westphalia has been standardized, particularly in terms of fields of action to be considered, concrete targets and measures to be determined.
The University of Bonn gender equality plan comprises a reference framework for the entire university and the gender equality plans of the faculties, the university administration, the central research institutes and the central operating units. At the University of Bonn, it was possible to synchronize all central steering elements relevant to issues of gender equality in terms of their runtime, such as the University Development Plan, the Frame Agreement with the Faculties and the Gender Equality Plans.
The gender equality quota in accordance with § 37a of the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia is intended to increase equality of opportunities for women and men in professorship appointment procedures. It is therefore a central element of quality assurance in these procedures.
Reference Framework for Gender Equality and Gender Equality Plans
English paraphrase of Equal Opportunities Act NRW, § 6
(1) The gender equality plan is concerned with measures designed to increase gender equality, the compatibility of career and family and to reduce the underrepresentation of women.
(2) The gender equality plan is developed on the basis of an inventory and analysis of the employment structure as well as a prognosis of positions to be filled and possible promotions and salary upgrades during the plan’s runtime.
(3) The gender equality plan contains concrete target requirements to be met during its runtime concerning the percentage of women who are hired, promoted or receive a salary upgrade, in order to increase this percentage until it reaches 50% in areas in which women are underrepresented. The gender equality plan must determine which measures (human resources, organizational, social or training) shall be taken to fulfill the objectives stated in sentence 1. If certain positions are expected to be blocked or lost, the gender equality plan must point out suitable measures to prevent a decrease in the percentage of women. The gender equality plan also contains measures to increase the valorization of work done primarily by women and for the improvement of working conditions and working time arrangements.
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Gender Equality Quotas
The gender equality quotas are subject-specific target quotas based on a cascade model. The gender equality quota is determined by the percentage of women researchers who meet the formal requirements of qualification for a professorship in the department in question, and determines the proportionate ratio of men to women which should be attained in the course of the professorship appointment procedures taking place during the quota’s period of validity.
Institutions of higher education are legally bound to do what is required of them to comply with the gender equality quota. This applies to the development of the procedure for proposing candidates for appointment, the decision-making processes of appointment committees and department councils, the proposal of a candidate and the appointments made by the rector.
After the period of validity, there will be a check-up on whether the objectives have been reached. This evaluation takes into account not only the percentage of women among the newly appointed, but the total ratio of female professors to male professors in the department in question at the institution in question.
