The Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) can once again look forward to receiving funding for up to three professorships until 2030 as part of the Women Professors Program. The professorships will receive funding of up to 1.4 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The aim of the female professorship program is to increase the number of female professors towards parity, to support female scientists on their way to professorship and to retain them in science. Equality between women and men is also to be more firmly anchored in the structure of universities.

Across Germany, 108 universities have submitted their equality concepts for the funding program. The equality concept submitted by the HSNR convinced the panel of experts. With the equality concept for parity adopted by the Presidential Board and Senate, the university has set itself various specializations to further advance the actual equality of women and men. Among other things, the measures range from reducing the workload of professors who are involved in boards and committees to revising the allowance guidelines in order to avoid a gender pay gap," says Dr. Sandra Laumen, Equal Opportunities Officer at HSNR.

The university also makes sure to specifically target women when it comes to applications for professorships. After their appointment, female professors are supported with the help of a mentoring program. The program helps with further career planning and connects female academics with mentors inside and outside the university. In addition, HSNR managers are regularly sensitized to the issues of gender equality and the promotion of young talent.