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Horizon Europe Gender Equality Plan

Like previous European funding programmes, the new Horizon Europe programme period includes objectives for gender equality and equal opportunities. From 2022, all universities, research institutions and public panels must submit a Gender Equality Plan documenting the institution's activities on equality and equal opportunities. It includes necessary and recommended specifications and contents that are already being implemented at the university:

The University of Innsbruck offers a wide range of services on equality, work-life balance, mentoring as well as gender- and diversity-specific teaching and research. Gender and diversity mainstreaming are understood by the University of Innsbruck as a cross-sectional matter and play a role in the activities of different organisational units.

In the following, the individual offers and legal foundations of the University of Innsbruck are described in accordance with the criteria specified by Horizon Europe and the corresponding documents, departments and reports are referred to and linked.

The central document is the Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women (Frauenförderungsplan, FFP) of the University of Innsbruck. With this Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women, the University of Innsbruck has a document that meets all mandatory requirements of a Gender Equality Plan within the definition of Horizon Europe. It is supplemented by other relevant documents.

Public documents

The University of Innsbrucks’ Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women finds its legal basis in the Austrian Federal Constitution, in §§ 19 Abs 2 Z 6 and 41ff of the University Act 2002 and is part of the statutes of the University of Innsbruck.

The Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women  is a regulation that was published in the university gazette (mitteilungsblatt). It is distributed and applied throughout the University and demonstrates a commitment to gender equality; it contains clear objectives and sets out detailed measures to achieve them.

Strategic objectives include the following public documents:

The development plan 2022 – 2027 includes maintaining and expanding strengths in the areas of equality, the promotion  of women, gender mainstreaming and inclusion.

The performance agreement 2022-2024 also agreed to maintain and expand strengths in the areas of equality, the promotion of women, gender mainstreaming and inclusion. On this basis, established programmes, in particular for the promotion of young female scientists (e.g. the Erika Cremer habilitation programme), are continued as required. In the course of diversity management, a diversity strategy (diversity strategy of the University of Innsbruck based on the development plan 2022-2027) was developed in a broad participatory process, which, among other things, promotes awareness and increased public relations.

Thematic Resources

Working Committee on Equal Opportunities Issues

The Working Committee on Equal Opportunities Issues (AKG) is a collegial body prescribed by law. Its task is the accompanying control of all personnel agendas (especially recruiting) to ensure anti-discrimination, equal opportunities and the advancement of women. To the same extent, the AKG is the contact for measures against discrimination and for the relevant internal and external awareness work. (Sexual) harassment is one of the acts of discrimination based on gender and is also included here.

Office for Gender Equality and Gender Studies

The Office for Gender Equality and Gender Studies with three sub-areas supports the university members and the bodies of the University of Innsbruck professionally in the topics of anti-discrimination and equality, diversity and integration of the women's and gender perspective in studies, teaching and research. In addition, it offers numerous benefits to improve the compatibility of work/studies and family obligations.

The institutions are legally anchored in the Universities Act 2002, the Federal Equal Treatment Act and the Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women of the University of Innsbruck. The latter also regulates the appropriate provision of the necessary resources.

Data collection and monitoring

The legal anchoring can be found, among other things, in the Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women.

The data is presented in the annual intellectual capital statement and on uni:data (Datawarehouse Higher Education Division of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research) and in Gender Controlling. Gender-specific data is regularly collected from all areas and for all groups (employees, students).

Awareness-raising measures and trainings

The implementation of the goals of gender equality and equal opportunities is also promoted through relevant training and the development of gender and diversity competence.

In the Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women (FFP), the obligation to offer relevant training is anchored in several norms  (cf. § 42 (2) FFP and § 13 (5) FFP).

Appropriate training is offered in the internal training programme (e.g. as part of basic training). Gender and diversity aspects are integrated into most training courses.

Work-life balance and organisational culture

In order to ensure a good work-life balance also for employees with caring duties, there are the Family Services and SpielRäume (childcare service) at the University of Innsbruck. These institutions are anchored in § 17 FFP and Section B.6 FFP.

The University of Innsbruck supports the compatibility of work and studies with family and other obligations through numerous measures (such as free time management of academic staff and flexible working hours and home office possibilities for administrative staff, childcare facilities, babysitter portal).

The measures of occupational health management support a healthy work-life balance for all employees.

The organisational culture is reflected in the mission statement of the University of Innsbruck: The university is and thrives on diversity – in biographies, ideas, life plans, opinions and methods, which we promote through (gender) equality, inclusion and the compatibility of work and studies with care responsibilities.

The University of Innsbruck uses gender-equitable language (cf. § 11FFP) and gender-equitable public relations work (cf. § 14 FFP).

Gender balance in leadership and decision-making

Gender balance in leadership and decision-making is to be ensured through the implementation of the statutory 50% quotas in collegial and management bodies. This obligation is subject to ongoing monitoring by the AKG.

Gender equality in recruitment and career development

Gender equality in the recruitment of new employees is monitored by the AKG through accompanying supervision of all steps in the recruitment process. Section B.5 of the Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women regulates personnel and organisational development and the role of the AKG in recruitment. On this basis, the AKG also performs its supervisory function in appointment procedures and in the advertisement of management positions.

In order to support female scientists in their career development, there is a mentoring program for young female scientists based on the FFP.

In addition, the careers of female scientists are strengthened through targeted promotion of women. The Erica Cremer habilitation program and the Ingeborg Hochmair women's professorships are examples for this. Appointment training for prospective female professors is also offered. The consideration of gender equality aspects already begins at student level and before that, e.g. through a women's quota in the awarding of scholarships or the Sommertechnikum in MINT subjects for girls.

Integration of the gender dimension into research and teaching content

The legal anchoring of these topics can be found in separate parts of the Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women. Section B Part 3. FFP regulates the integration of the gender dimension into research content and the promotion of research by female researchers. Section Part 4. FFP covers the integration of the relevant teaching content into the curricula as well as participation in teaching, the quotas of teaching assignments and the teaching evaluations.

Gender-specific teaching throughout the university is continuously surveyed and courses with gender- and diversity-specific content are offered. An interfaculty master’s programme (Master's Programme Gender, Culture and Social Change) is offered. The gender focus is also reflected in professorships with corresponding denominations ("Social Science Theories of Gender Relations" and "Gender History").

Feminist research is supported by the promotion of young researchers (e.g. through the Gender Fem Prize and the Maria Ducia Prize)

Action against gender-based violence, in particular sexual harassment

The protection of dignity during work and studies is regulated in the Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women (Section B.7 FFP). The implementation takes place through preventive measures (such as structural, organizational measures, training) and information (see the brochure on sexual harassment). With the Working Committee on Equal Opportunities Issues, the University of Innsbruck has an independent contact point with expertise on the subject.