Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences recognized for exemplary diversity by "Stifterverband für die deutsche Wissenschaft" (press release)

Diverse student bodies have become fixtures of nearly every German university, which in turn has made encouraging and promoting diversity a core component of many universities’ strategic development. This is particularly true for the exceptionally international Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. With its audit “Vielfalt gestalten” (Shaping Diversity), the “Stifterverband für die deutsche Wissenschaft”, an association for the promotion of the sciences and humanities in Germany, provides support and guidance to German universities in developing new strategies, structures, services, instruments and projects to promote student diversity, as well as in including international student groups in campus culture and helping them achieve academic success. One such university is Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, which was recently recognized for successfully completing this rigorous audit. “We are proud of this award. It shows just how important this topic is for us and how deeply it is embedded in the very structure of our university”, said Professor Dr. Georg Hauck, Vice-President for Personnel Development, Organizational Development and Diversity, who headed the internal diversity project accompanying the audit and accepted the award on behalf of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in a ceremony in Berlin.

The importance of this topic for Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences is further demonstrated, for example, by the inclusion of diversity-related topics and goals in both its mission statement and Strategic Development Plan 2017-2022. The latter, in particular, describes the desired framework for advancing diversity and diversity-related issues over the coming years. “The University will continue to integrate the principle of diversity into its existing structures, processes and content, promote a multi-dimensional and contextual understanding of it, and anchor it here long-term in the spirit of a learning and effectiveness approach”, explains Tammy Schmack, who managed the diversity project.

The audit focused, among other things, on the topics of internationality and academic origins. The first step involved a comprehensive analysis of internationality and the definition of new measures to promote it. This topic in particular is not only a defining characteristic of the University’s profile, but also plays an overarching objective in its Strategic Development Plan. The planned measures include the continued development of organizational processes as well as new services addressed to specific international target groups. “The audit complemented the development of our Strategic Development Plan and thus presented an ideal opportunity to develop effective steps towards implementing and testing our diversity strategy. The resulting certificate is both a recognition of our success in this area and a reminder of our responsibilities for the future”, noted Professor Hauck.