Diversity – Diversity at the university

"Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common."

Diversity is usually translated as ‘diversity’, but there is more to it than that: diversity refers to the conscious management of diversity within society. It is an organisational and socio-political concept that promotes an appreciative, conscious and respectful approach to difference and individuality. Diversity does not focus on shortcomings or seek to identify solutions to supposed problems. Rather, diversity is about recognising the diverse achievements and experiences of people, and understanding and utilising them as potential.

The key objectives here are to eliminate discrimination and promote equal opportunities. The core dimensions of diversity, which represent the variety of people, are generally considered to be: age, gender, ethnicity, social background, sexual orientation, and physical and mental health.

In higher education institutions, diversity means that a wide range of members of the university community interact with one another, exchange ideas, influence one another, learn from and with one another, and continue to develop.

Changing social conditions

A diversity-based approach enables us to respond to changes that are already having a major impact on society today, but which will become even more significant in the future. These include demographic change and the resulting shortage of skilled workers, the transnationalisation and individualisation of life courses, the increase in cultural diversity within the population, and the ever-greater interconnectedness of people’s working and personal lives brought about by globalisation.

The education sector, in particular, cannot afford to ignore these changes. As a result of these changes, universities will not only be faced with a declining number of traditional students; they will also have to prove their worth within an increasingly international higher education system.

Equal opportunities

As public institutions, universities have a particular duty to lead by example and to fulfil their socio-political responsibilities. Increasing equality of opportunity, particularly within the education sector, must be one of the priority objectives in future. Issues such as equality and anti-discrimination, in particular, can be advanced even further through diversity measures and embedded within the respective institution.

Legal requirements

A number of laws and guidelines set out the framework for dealing with diversity and protecting minorities.

At regional level:

• Bavarian Higher Education Act
• Bavarian Equality Act for the Civil Service

At national level:

• General Equal Treatment Act (AGG)
• The Basic Law: in particular Article 3
• Social Code Book IX: Participation of people with disabilities

At European Union level:

• The AGG serves to implement the following EC Directives:
• Anti-racism policy: on the application of the principle of equal treatment without distinction as to race or ethnic origin.
• Framework Directive on Employment: establishing a general framework for the realisation of equal treatment in employment and occupation.
• Unisex Directive: on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment between men and women in access to and the supply of goods and services.
• Gender Directive: on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment between men and women as regards access to employment, vocational education and training and promotion, and working conditions.

Economic arguments

From an economic perspective, diversity plays a key role, particularly for large international companies. However, universities too can derive an economic benefit from implementing diversity management. Greater satisfaction in studies, research or the workplace, achieved through a positive and open working environment, enhances both the performance and creativity of each individual. Developing innovative solutions and exploring new areas of research is an important and promising field of activity, particularly for universities. Bringing together a wide variety of experiences and perspectives enables new approaches to be identified and stimulates open-minded thinking.

Furthermore, the increasing commercialisation of the higher education sector has led to a situation in which German universities, too, are having to give greater consideration to their own competitive position. They are competing more intensely with one another and with international academic institutions for funding, the brightest minds, the best ideas, and so on. A focus on diversity can also have a positive impact in this regard.

Internationalisation and globalisation

However, universities are not only competing on an international stage; they are also becoming increasingly international themselves – at every level. The Bologna Process, a growing range of international degree programmes and exchange schemes, as well as cross-border research projects: all these factors are contributing to the transformation of the institutions themselves.

Last but not least, globalisation is also changing the composition of the student body and staff members – it is characterised by ever-increasing cultural diversity. Whether they are domestic or international students, whether they have personal experience of migration or come from a family with a migrant background, they all contribute to the ever-increasing diversity of ideas, ways of life, languages, worldviews, religions and so on at the university.

At our university, our Munich campus – as the heart of an internationally oriented economic region and characterised by a highly diverse and culturally heterogeneous population – plays a key role in this development.

Hochschule München sees itself as a diverse and open institution, characterised by a variety of personalities, working styles and academic perspectives. It is mindful of its great diversity and regards this as an asset for its future development. Diversity at the university is to be promoted in all areas and at all levels, and all members of the university community should consciously recognise diversity as an important and integral part of the institution.

Furthermore, in its 2018 University Development Plan (HEP), the university emphasises that equal opportunities for all should be ensured and that all members of the university community should be able to realise their diverse potential and make use of their skills:

Ensuring equal opportunities

"This requires structures and measures that do not hold anyone back, that highlight the diverse abilities of all individuals, and that ensure a balanced representation of women and men at all levels of the hierarchy and within self-governing bodies."

"Hochschule München is constantly working to foster an organisational culture of recognition and appreciation, and to ensure equal opportunities for all members of the university community."

Dimensions of diversity in higher education institutions

In addition to the most commonly cited core dimensions of diversity – such as age, gender, ethnicity, social background, sexual orientation and physical and mental health – human heterogeneity can be described in terms of a wide range of other characteristics. At universities in particular, other factors play an important role. Am I a student or a Professor, working in administration or in academic research? Which academic discipline do I belong to, what is my educational background, and so on? These differences – or indeed similarities – give rise to varying opportunities for influence, decision-making power and, consequently, status within the institution.

For our university, these various dimensions represent both great potential and an equally great challenge. This is because the aim of ensuring structural equality of opportunity means responding to the different needs of students and staff members alike, and doing justice to the diversity of all members of the university community.

Hochschule München’s diversity objective

For this reason, our long-term aim is to embed diversity perspectives as a cross-cutting priority at all levels of the university on a sustainable basis.

You can find out about the projects and activities relating to diversity that are already taking place at the university on our website.

If you have any questions regarding diversity at Hochschule München, please contact: Katharina Bässler

As a public educational institution, Hochschule München considers it its responsibility to provide equal access to educational resources for all members of society. It is committed to ensuring that educational opportunities for refugees are made available in a sustainable, systematic and coordinated manner. In light of this stance and the current refugee situation, it has therefore launched an initiative coordinated by Prof. Dr Isolde Kurz , an Islamic studies scholar and Dean of the Department of General and Interdisciplinary Studies.

Hochschule München is pursuing a two-pronged approach: on the one hand, it offers direct pathways into higher education for migrants through existing degree programmes and certificates, as well as a range of programmes for non-traditional target groups, which have been developed as part of the BMBF project ‘Open University of Upper Bavaria’ (OHO) in collaboration with Ingolstadt University of Technology.

The extra-occupational bachelor's degree programme in International Project Management (IPM) , for example, is aimed primarily at people whose first language is not German and/or those with a foreign university degree who wish to gain further qualifications and gain access to the German labour market.

Furthermore, Hochschule München promotes professional development and critical reflection on the issues of migration and displacement during students’ studies by encouraging them to think and act in a sustainable and intercultural manner, and by providing support to those already working in the field of intercultural relations to help them develop their own skills.

In particular, through its Department of Applied Social Sciences and its Department of General and Interdisciplinary Studies , Hochschule München also provides targeted training for urgently needed specialists who, in social care professions or as interculturally competent advocates, can play a key role in the integration and support of migrants.