Empowerment, despite coronavirus, fixing the “leaky pipeline”

In 2009, the then Women's Officer, Miriam Bauch, created the first programme for coaching and mentoring at the University of Bayreuth in cooperation with the Deputy University Women's Officer, Prof. Dr. Birgitta Wöhrl. The aim of the programme was to upskill female academics and to support and further them in their academic career. In this context, on the one hand, the self-image of female scholars was be strengthened, and on the other hand, they were to be encouraged to consciously plan their own careers.

Other topics in the coaching sessions have been communication in the work environment and cooperation with colleagues and staff, dealing with conflict, and handling stress and tension. In addition, the coaching sessions also offer room for guidance in career-relevant challenges, for self-presentation at job interviews or presentations, or for taking on leadership responsibility. The female researchers who are accepted for this programme can take advantage of five individual sessions of 90 minutes each with a professional coach.

The great success of the programme, but also the steadily increasing demand for it, is shown by the fact that around 200 female academics at the University of Bayreuth have been supported by the coaching programme. In 2019, the Women's Promotion Award in the category "completed doctorates", which Faculty IV of Languages & Literatures received in 2018, also made it possible to assist five female academics with coaching sessions, using funds made available as a result. The Equal Opportunities Unit took over organisation for this, i.e. carried out matching female researcher with respective supervisor, so that the female scientists could achieve the greatest possible added value for their career paths.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the coaching sessions in 2020 took place almost exclusively online. Using digital tools does not lessen the impact of this coaching, but offers the possibility to get in touch with one another, despite the pandemic-related restrictions, and to address concerns important for the careers of women scholars.

What has also become clear since the coronavirus pandemic, however, is that conflicts already existing beforehand have been exacerbated. This applies to the pressure on time limits and qualifications to which women scientists are subjected by the Act on Temporary Scientific Contracts (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz). They could and can no longer carry out research activities, or can only do so with a time delay or to a reduced extent. Furthermore, the absence or limited availability of childcare is a major challenge that primarily affects female academics at all levels of qualification, as they are still forced to take on the majority of such care activities. Self-organisation must also be rethought in the case where the partner also works from home.

In addition, the pandemic has had a negative impact on women scholars when it comes to power politics, as this depends on presence. With female academics now working from home and restricted by care activities, they are also less present in higher education policy and academic discussions. The pandemic is apparently leading to re-traditionalization, and makes it clear that equality in higher education institutions definitely needs to be reinforced.