The Department for Equal Opportunities is associated with the Vice-Rector for Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunities and connects the various activities in the area of diversity and equal opportunities at the University of Cologne.

The central tasks of the department are:

• Collection, coordination, evaluation, and further development of strategies and provisions in close partnership with the Vice-Rector for Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunities, the Gender Commissioner, and other academic and administrative institutions;
• Gender & Diversity Monitoring und Controlling
• Connection of all internal university institutions;
• Public Relations in the area of diversity and equality;
• Consulting for faculties and scientists in order to develop progressive strategies and measures in regard to gender equality and diversity.
   

The following principles are the pillars of our work:

• We think and act intersectionally

  by not viewing the dimensions of inequality as isolated, but taking their possible intersections and/or correlations into account, and integrating them into the development of our strategies and measures. We also bear in mind that the university itself can be seen as a source of exclusion and inclusion.

• We promote participation and cooperation

  by encouraging the responsibility of institutions and of the individual agents of the University of Cologne in all areas by keeping them informed, making their activities visible, and including them in our ongoing development processes.

• We actively organise the transfer from theory to practice

  by taking the current discourse regarding gender and diversity at universities into account when developing new strategies and plans of action.