Diversity Set-Up

“Diversity Set-Up” conference

At the end of April, a conference titled “Diversity Set-Up – Potential, Professionals and Programmes” was held at the Freudenberg campus guest house in cooperation with the Equal opportunities & Diversity staff unit at the University of Wuppertal and the Centre for Competence Development in Diversity Management for Studies and Teaching at Universities in NRW (KomDiM). The host was Prof. Dr. Cornelia Gräsel, Vice-President for International Relations and Diversity.

The University in Wuppertal was the first university in NRW to issue invitations to the Diversity Set-Up conference under the motto “KomDiM zu Gast” (Welcome to KomDiM”). With a Vice-President for diversity, the advanced diversity management course DiVersion and various diversity-related advisory and other services, this topic is already well-integrated at the BUW.

Around 60 participants gained insights into the concept and practice of professionalism in diversity management at universities and in companies. After being greeted by the organisers and Dr. Sabine Graap of MIWF NRW, Prof. Dr. Gräsel, Prof. Dr. Ute Klammer (KomDiM/University of Duisburg-Essen), Prof. Dr. Katrin Hansen (Gelsenkirchen University of Applied Sciences) and Prof. Dr. Frank Linde (KomDiM/Cologne University of Applied Sciences) talked about their experiences and ideas on implementing diversity initiatives in academia during a podium discussion of the question “Diversity Set-Up: What do universities and companies need to initiate the diversity process successfully?” Providers of continuing education and study programs introduced themselves to a market full of opportunities: Participants had the opportunity to accumulate ideas for practical implementation in events such as the World Café and workshops dealing with topics such as Heterogeneity in Teaching, Facilitating Multicultural Teams, Diversity Learning, International Human Resources Marketing and Implementing University Diversity Strategies – An International Comparison. The following experts and practitioners were invited: Dr. Imhan Farhat (Dr. Becker Klinik Juliana, Wuppertal), Dr. Barbara Weissbach (IUK Dortmund), Prof. em. Dr. Hildegard Macha (Gender Centre Augsburg), Dr. Michaela Judy (ASYS, Vienna), Verena Bruchhagen (TU Dortmund), Dr. Ediz Bökli (Deutsch-Türkische Personalberatung), Dr. Victoria Showunmi (University of London) and Prof. Dr. Brigitte Halbfas (University of Kassel).

The conference is a result of the work carried out by the KomDiM circle of expertise “Professionalising and Implementing University Services in the Area of Diversity Management”.

You will find a detailed programme here.