With a new gender equality plan, Hof University is setting the course for the coming years. The plan aims to promote equal opportunity, eliminate discrimination, and further develop the university as an attractive place to study and work for everyone. In this interview, Prof. Dr. Anett Matthäi, the Commissioner for Women in Science and the Arts—or, in short, the Women’s Commissioner at Hof University—explains the strategy’s goals, the legal requirements underpinning it, and how the planned measures are expected to impact everyday university life.
Prof. Dr. Matthäi, Hof University of Applied Sciences is introducing a new gender equality plan. Why was it necessary to develop such a plan?
“In many areas, including at Hof University of Applied Sciences, women are not represented—or are represented only in small numbers—in leadership and decision-making positions, even though women make up about 50% of society. The inclusion of women ensures that the ideas and needs of half of society are taken into account, which is not the case today.”
What specific goals does the new gender equality plan pursue—and how will we be able to measure in a few years whether these goals have been achieved?
“The plan sets specific goals to be achieved by 2030, such as expanding the range of programs for high school students, further developing programs for students and staff, and analyzing how gender equality is integrated into degree programs. Success will be measured by the number of university members who have participated in anti-bias training, as well as by target figures for the number of female professors. Regular public reporting helps ensure transparency regarding implementation. An important overarching goal is to create opportunities so that the people who come to us can choose their education based on their interests and not on gender-based stereotypical expectations.”
What legal basis actually requires universities to develop and regularly update a gender equality plan?
“According to Article 3 of the Basic Law, the state promotes the ‘effective enforcement of equality between women and men.’ For many people, including those at the university, this constitutional statement is not very tangible and is open to interpretation. We have therefore created and analyzed a database as part of the plan. This allows us to see where women are still underrepresented, for example, in decision-making positions. We have defined measures through which the university can “work toward the elimination of existing disadvantages.” Often, these disadvantages are not immediately visible because they are socially entrenched and perceived as normal. This is well known, which is why an equality plan is required in all areas relevant to the university, such as when applying for third-party research funding, but also in the accreditation processes for degree programs.”
For what period does the new plan apply, and how often will it be reviewed to ensure that the measures outlined in it are actually being implemented?
“The equality plan is valid through 2030. As a university, many of our processes are tied to the academic semesters. We therefore established specific dates when drafting the plan on which we collect and discuss the data to identify trends. The beauty of working at an academic institution is that there are many colleagues who also enjoy analyzing data and scrutinizing the current state of affairs.” What are the key areas of focus in the gender equality plan? Does it focus exclusively on gender equality, or is the term understood much more broadly today?
“In addition to gender equality, universities are working toward equitable participation regardless of social, cultural, or ethnic background, age, sexual identity, religion, disability, or chronic illness. Gender equality between women and men continues to play a special role among equality issues, since 50% of the population are women, yet they remain in the minority worldwide in terms of wealth, leadership positions, or (higher education) policy-making.”
What specific measures will students and staff immediately notice in their day-to-day university life? Are there any projects or initiatives that will be implemented in the near future?
“I don’t think there will be immediately noticeable changes, since structural changes happen slowly and have a lasting impact. The university has been working on equality and equal rights for some time now, not just since this year. However, we will, of course, transparently highlight efforts to raise further awareness of the issue, our social media presence, and the further development of existing programs.
One noticeable change at the university is that we’ve been providing free menstrual products for several years now. Free access to hygiene products isn’t yet the norm, but these products are a basic necessity for 50% of the population. This initiative makes public spaces more accessible to women, and hopefully, in a few years, it will be just as much a part of restroom amenities as toilet paper or urinals are today—the latter being just as exclusively for the other 50% of society. It is often in everyday matters, such as public restrooms, that one can see the lack of women’s input in their design.”
Women are still frequently underrepresented, particularly in technical degree programs. What strategies is Hof University pursuing to attract more young women to STEM fields and support them in the long term?
“It’s true that women remain underrepresented in many STEM degree programs. To change this, we’re working on various levels: We offer programs for schoolgirls to spark their interest in science and technology. Personally, I’ve never seen a child who doesn’t enjoy experimenting. Gender-specific stereotypes develop very early in childhood, which often leads people to choose a field of study or training that aligns with societal expectations—but in some cases, not in the area where their own talents lie.
I also wouldn’t want to limit this issue to women alone; societal expectations are placed on all genders. Men remain underrepresented in socially relevant fields of study, such as applied nursing or creative disciplines like design. This is another area where our programs for children come into play.”
Some critics fear that gender equality and quota requirements could lead to discrimination against men. How do you address such reservations, and what does equal opportunity mean to you in concrete terms?
“I frequently face this criticism—that the performance of women and men is judged by double standards. Often, fears of loss or insufficient knowledge about the topic of equal opportunity are what trigger attacks against gender equality measures. I really appreciate it when colleagues at the university address these fears and criticisms directly, so that we can have a fact-based discussion. After all, not every perceived personal disadvantage is the same as discrimination. Studies today show that quota systems have led to a more neutral review of applications during hiring processes, precisely because legally mandated quotas force us to examine them more closely and objectively.
To me, equal opportunity means perceiving a person as an individual, regardless of their obvious characteristics, such as age or gender (…). You’ll rarely hear me make generalizations, for example, about the characteristics of women, international students, Gen Z, or baby boomers.”
What role do professors, administrators, and the individual faculties play in implementing the plan? Is gender equality the responsibility of the equal opportunity officer—or of the entire university?
“At this point, I’d like to quote from the plan: ‘The university administration calls on all bodies and committees, as well as all employees at the university’s four campuses, to participate in implementing the measures and initiatives outlined in the equality plan. However, to achieve further continuous improvement in equal opportunity, more is needed than rigid legal requirements and the creation of a plan. Rather, it requires raising awareness among the entire staff so that everyone collectively views this as a personal and ongoing responsibility. Only in this way can all employees benefit from a collaborative and prejudice-free working environment.”
