2000 - 2016

VOR BILDER – Pioneering Women at the University of Bonn

The great interdisciplinary exhibition project “VOR BILDER – Wissenschaftlerinnen der Universität Bonn. Historische, soziologische und künstlerische Perspektiven“ (ROLE MODELS/PRE IMAGES [untranslateble wordplay] – Women Scientists of the University of Bonn. Perspectives from History, Sociology and Art), May 21 to June 20, 2003, was designed to publicly celebrate and honor the University’s pioneering women, and to confront the omnipresent galleries of male ancestors in the spaces of the University with female counter-images.
The main part of the exhibition was developed in cooperation with Bonn women scientists from the Departments of History and Cultural Studies, Sociology and Art History, as well as with the archive of the University: it was a panorama showing the portraits, biographies and extraordinary achievements of the first women scientists in Bonn, “who may still serve as role models/pre images today” (catalogue introduction, p. 8). Its approach was not to show the women scientists as “lone fighters, but as participants in scientific discourses” and part of the history of science at the University of Bonn. The documentary part was complemented by a creative part: students of renowned contemporary women artists were invited to celebrate the women scientists presented in the exhibition with their own multimedia contributions. These works were displayed in the main building’s rondel, in the Department of Art History and in the Academic Art Museum. The exhibition was accompanied by a catalogue and a documentary publication.

Perspective: Science

A lot of importance was placed on encouraging more women to enter degree programs especially in the natural sciences and thus to work towards a long-term increase in women in those subjects. In 2001, the Gender Equality Office launched the Schnupper-Uni “Perspektive Math-Nat” (Taster University “Perspective: Mathematics and Natural Sciences”) for female high school students and graduates from Bonn and the surrounding area. The project took place with great success on an annual basis for 17 years. In 2018, it was taken over by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, where it continues to this day.

The brochure PerspektiveProfessorin—ProfessorinenPerspektive (Perspective: Woman Professor—Women Professors’s Perspectives; 2001; 2nd edition 2005; continued online 2010-21) introduced all women professors teaching at the University of Bonn at this point by way of short autobiographical essays. Their contributions were intended not only to make visible their diverse areas of research and publications, but also to offer retrospective insights into their development, including both positive and negative experiences, and thus to make these accessible to young women researchers.

From 2002, the Gender Equality Office regularly published the print magazine FrauenPerspektiven (Women’s Perspectives), featuring articles on women’s and gender equality policy, interviews or reports on women’s and gender studies at the University of Bonn. Many back issues can be accessed in our online archive.

Promoting Women's and Gender Studies

The history of the Women’s Studies Work Group (founded in 1983) illustrates the decades of struggle to establish and gain recognition for women’s and gender studies at the University of Bonn. In 2004, it changed its name to Forum Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung (Forum for Women’s and Gender Studies; FFG). The Forum’s objective was the promotion of interdisciplinary dialogue on central questions and research areas and the establishment of an interdisciplinary platform for networking and greater visibility for research projects in this area at the University of Bonn. Until its dissolution in 2012, the Forum was under the direction of Sabine Sielke, Professor for North American Literatures and Cultures and director of the North American Studies Program. It was actively supported by the Gender Equality Office. The cooperation resulted in panel discussions, guest lectures, conferences and publications. From 2003 onwards, the Gender Studies Prize for excellent final theses drawing on the field of gender studies was awarded once a year.

On the initiative of the Gender Equality Officer and several University of Bonn scientists, a concept for an extracurricular “Certificate for Gender Competence” was in development from 2009 to 2014. It was intended to certify that students had acquired knowledge, methodology and working techniques from the field of gender research. The contents of the classes to be featured were to enable their students to engage in an analysis of relations between genders, discrimination and privilege in social, cultural, historical and political contexts. Academically, the program was to be administered by the Center for Cultural Studies. Ultimately, the so-called Gender Certificate could not be implemented due to structural barriers.

Promoting the Compatibility of Research, Studying, Work and Family

In May 2005, the "Uni-Servicebüro für Eltern” (University Office of Services of Parents; USE) was established under the direction of Regina Umbach and based within the Gender Equaltiy Office. It was intended to assist all members of the University in questions of childcare: whether regular childcare in daily life, childcare for children of elementary school age during school holidays, information on available daycares or simply organizing a babysitter.

One of its first projects in the summer of 2005 was a survey on the topic childcare among all University employees. The results made it clear that childcare options were required during the school holidays, that there were insufficient options for children under the age of three, and that there was a need to improve the flexible emergency childcare system. Based on the results of the survey, the University funded the following measures: in the first two weeks of the North Rhine-Westphalia summer holidays in 2006, university employees were offered childcare for children of elementary school age near their place of work. 8 places for children under the age of three were created at the newly opened private daycare facility “pikkolino”. In addition, the “pme Familienservice” (pme Family Service) could be called on at short notice in childcare emergencies.

After long years of search and negotiations, the first daycare facility sponsored by the Studierendenwerk was opened at the Newmanhaus on Adenauerallee. In September of 2014, the second University-owned daycare facility ‘KiTa Auf dem Hügel’ started operating in Endenich. Based on a concept developed by the Gender Equality Office in 2011, the USE was converted into the current Office of Family Services, which is part of the human resources division. In December of the same year, the University was awarded the basic certificate of recognition as a family-friendly university.