Diversity and equal opportunities are topics, that have been moving us already for years here at RWTH, they are topics which we actively tackle.
It is our aim to build this university as a place where all people − free from prejudices, discrimination and exclusion – can research, study, teach and work.
Since the first round of the Excellence Initiative in 2008, we have worked intensely on the related challenges: we identified the needs for action, clearly defined problems and, in our first university-wide diversity concept in 2013, we developed and pinned down measures for the implementation of diversity.
Since then we have achieved a lot, and we are proud of that. Nevertheless, we will continue to question ourselves, seek development and strive to become even better.

This matter is also of crucial importance when it comes to our competitiveness. As integrated, interdisciplinary technical university we will only be excellent and ready for future challenges, if we sustainably promote diversity and equal opportunities in research, teaching, study and running operations.

Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h. c. mult. Ulrich Rüdiger,
Rector of RWTH Aachen University

Opening up our university and establishing an organizational culture that fosters equal opportunity has been an important issue for the past years here at RWTH. As the vice-rector in charge, it is a great pleasure for me to present to you our new Diversity-Strategy 2022–2027.

In particular, the strategy is aimed at the continuous development of the university through an equal-opportunity personnel and organizational development. Because we can only live up to our claim of being and remaining excellent in terms of equal opportunity if all university members contribute to respectful, prejudice-free cooperation and are able to resolutely counter discrimination. By deliberately focusing on strengthening individual gender and diversity competences, we are simultaneously promoting cultural change at RWTH. Furthermore, we are committed to aligning our actions with the different life phases and to taking into account the resulting needs and requirements of people at RWTH.

This strategy is the result of an intensive, process-oriented collaboration of many relevant actors in the context of diversity. Together we have taken the great variety of all people at RWTH into account, formulated aims and developed activities, which contribute to the implementation and establishment of equal opportunities in all areas of the university.

We wish you an insightful and stimulating read.

Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Sabine Brück-Dürkop,
Vice-Rector for Human Resources Management and Development