For a culture of not looking away: Getting active against discrimination

In its Structure and Development Plan StEP 2025, the University has committed itself to creating a gender- and diversity-responsive university culture, and to identifying and eliminating existing forms of discrimination. It formalised this in its Guidelines on Protection against Discrimination and Harassment in Consideration of the General Equal Treatment Act at the University of Bayreuth“ on 15 October 2020.

"Anyone seeking to realise equal opportunities, diversity, and inclusion, i.e. participatory justice on campus, must actively combat discrimination," says Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel, Vice President for Internationalisation, Gender Equality & Diversity.

For one and a half years, a group of administrative staff, academics, and representatives of employees and students worked together on the draft guidelines. "It was truly inspirational to experience the knowledge and personal experience of the people involved contributing to the development of these guidelines. I am convinced that a participatory approach like this is crucial to credible and effective anti-discrimination work," comments Dr. Stefan Kurth, Head of the Diversity Service Centre, who coordinated the whole process.

The result is certainly impressive. The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, which advised the University on its development process, praised the Bayreuth guidelines as "exemplary", and is recommending them to other universities seeking orientation in their own efforts.

What is "discrimination"?
Discrimination is the unlawful disadvantaging of people on the basis of one or more "categories of discrimination". Direct discrimination" occurs when one person is treated less favourably than another is, has been, or would be treated in a comparable situation. “Indirect discrimination" occurs when an apparently neutral provision, criterion, or practice places one or more persons at a particular disadvantage compared to others.

What is "harassment"?
Harassment occurs when unwanted conduct related to one or more categories of discrimination has the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of the person concerned (e.g. sexual or racial harassment). This is particularly the case when an environment of intimidation, hostility, humiliation, or insult is created.

What are the "categories of discrimination"?

• ethnic origin, racial grounds
• gender, gender identity
• sexual identity
• religion, world view
• impairments, disability
• age

The core elements of the policy are low-threshold information, counselling, and support services for students and employees, as well as a structured and transparent complaints procedure carried out by a neutral complaints office.

The Diversity Service Centre provides information on

• all counselling and support services in case of discrimination and harassment,
• the possibility of a formal complaint and the nature of the complaint procedure,
• possibilities of conflict resolution.
  
  

Several counselling centres offer students and employees

• individual and confidential counselling on options for action and protection,
• support in initiating a complaints procedure.
  
  

Individual counselling centres also act as confidential trust centres. At the request of the persons concerned, they can

• assist in conciliation and mediation talks, and
• assist in complaints procedure.
  
  

A neutral complaints office, headed by Dr. Anja Chales de Beaulieu and Dr. Stefan Kurth, has been established to conduct complaints procedures.

As Head of the Diversity Service Centre, Stefan Kurth has been involved in setting up anti-discrimination structures at the University of Bayreuth since 2017. Anja Chales de Beaulieu, Head of the Technology Alliance Upper Franconia (TAO) office since 2015, has already worked for equality and protection against discrimination in previous jobs: "Disrespecting and belittling people for whatever reason has raised my hackles for as long as I can remember. Sometimes that has spelt trouble for me - but just as often, the realisation that at least I can help in one specific situation."

When a person makes a written or oral complaint of discrimination or harassment, a complaint procedure is initiated. This can be done informally, in writing, or orally. "As a complaints office, we then independently investigate the facts of the case. For example, we interview witnesses or examine evidence. Of course, the accused person is given the opportunity to make a statement," explains Stefan Kurth. If necessary, a complaints commission is convened to support this step in the procedure. "This consists of at least three persons with additional competencies in establishing the facts of the case. We also make sure that the status groups of both parties, i.e. of the claimant and the accused, are represented," says Kurth.

This is followed by a legal examination of the complaint by the personnel department or the legal department of Central University Administration. Finally, depending on competence, the President or Provost decide on the outcome of the proceedings and on appropriate, necessary measures. "This is not only about sanctions, but above all, about eliminating existing and preventing future discrimination and harassment," explains Anja Chales de Beaulieu. At the end of the process, the parties receive a written statement of the outcome.

However, protection against discrimination may not be allowed to begin only when people complain about discrimination and harassment they have experienced. It is the joint task of all University members, in which supervisors and teachers have a special responsibility as part of their duty of care.

For this reason, the Equal Opportunities Department and the Diversity Service Centre regularly organise training courses on gender and diversity, anti-bias, and protection against discrimination for professors and employees with advisory duties. Individual coaching for academic and non-academic managers and team development for heterogeneous teams are also offered. "For students, there are two exciting additional study programmes in the areas of Intersectionality Studies and Intercultural Research, and a Studium Generale programme in the area of "Gender & Diversity" is in the works," Kurth adds.

For more information on workshops and coaching, please visit the homepages of the Diversity Service Centre and the Equal Opportunities Department.

Vice-President Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel appeals to all members of the University of Bayreuth to continue to heighten protection against discrimination: "University bodies have made a clear commitment to eliminating and preventing discrimination. And the University Governing Board has made resources available for permanent improvement, among other things, by setting up the Diversity Service Centre and expanding the range of external conflict counselling services. For these efforts to bear fruit, however, the University needs the commitment of all its members in all areas. Get involved! For example, in employee or student representation, in one of the many working groups and networks, or get together and found your own initiative. We guarantee all disadvantaged groups at the University who raise their voice that they will be heard."