MEET TO MOVE

Employees in technology and administration
Newsletter of the bukof commission "Employees in technology and administration"
Support for people who are single parents
 

Employees in technology and administration

The Office for Gender Equality has been involved in the work of the Commission for Employees in Technology and Administration within the Federal Conference of Officers for the Protection of Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities at Universities since 2020. bukof Commission MTV

One focus of the cooperation is the exchange of expertise and best practice to make visible and improve the situation of secretarial staff and to support them through networking formats.

Network of University Secretariats at TU Dresden

University secretariats are more than just bureaucracy – they are at the heart of university organisation. Through this network, we aim to create a platform where the expertise of staff in university secretariats is recognised, solutions are found collaboratively, and administration is seen as an integral part of university development. Only in this way can a modern, inclusive and sustainable university be shaped.
The network is open to all! We welcome all staff from technical and administrative departments who would like to get involved in the network.

“Secretaries’ Day“ at TU Dresden
In many countries, ‘Secretaries’ Day’ is held regularly on the last Wednesday in April to draw attention to the achievements and challenges faced by the people who keep research and teaching running smoothly in university administrative offices. This made it a fitting occasion for the first network meeting of university secretariats at TU Dresden on 29 April 2026. The auditorium on Münchner Straße was packed to capacity, and the three speakers (Pia Milker, Franziska Walther and Peter Sindelar) guided the audience through a tightly organised programme. The network’s objectives are to promote recognition and visibility, foster networking and support, and jointly address specific issues at the intersection of actual work and job descriptions. Nationwide, the initiative is integrated into the ‘FairNetztEuch!’ network of university secretariats, which already comprises over 30 universities. At TU Dresden, this commitment is strategically embedded within the cross-cutting theme of equality through a measure in the 2025 Equality Strategy aimed at supporting research support staff. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 October.

Newsletter of the bukof commission "Employees in technology and administration"

The current newsletter ties in with the bukof campaign "Fairnetzt Euch!" and provides information on activities relating to equal pay and fair working conditions in university secretariats.

Employees in the secretariats

"Things are going well with the employees in the secretariats"

On 17.11.2023, the first "Day of the Secretariats" took place as a partial staff meeting at the TUD. It was opened by a welcoming address from the Chancellor. The event was dedicated to an important group of TU Dresden employees, without whom the smooth running of the university would not be possible: the employees in the secretariats! The attendance of around 150 people showed great interest.

In several moderated working groups, there was the opportunity to make practical suggestions for optimizing the general working situation and networking.

• general work situation and networking
• digitalization and
• further education/qualification

at the TUD.

These constructive ideas were summarized in a SYNOPSE . Appropriate measures are to be derived from this.

The organizers (the Personnel Representation Council and the Office for the Protection of Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities) plan to hold the "Secretaries' Day" annually, which was very well received by the participants.

Support for people who are single parents

Students and employees who are single parents bear a great deal of responsibility, which they cannot (or no longer) share with someone else on a permanent basis or do not wish to share due to a conscious decision. This takes a lot of courage and energy, especially as the childcare infrastructure in Germany, including Saxony, is still far below the standards that are taken for granted in other European countries such as Denmark, Sweden and France.

We have been working closely with the Single Parents Network Dresden since 2017. AND

Every year, the Equal Opportunities Office, together with numerous cooperation partners in the network, participates in the organization of a fair for single parents.

Equal pay

For the Office for Gender Equality, equal pay is not only a widely supported aspiration but also an urgent challenge anchored in the 2018 Equality Concept (measure 7.3) and the 2019-2023 Women's Promotion Plan (section 5).

In 2023, the Equal Opportunities Office organized a digital information event in the context of Equal Pay Day entitled "Entgeltgerecht? - The evaluation of secretarial work". The speaker was Dr. Jule^Westerheide (Labor Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum), who has already dealt with the topic in her dissertation "Die Illusion der Leistungsgerechtigkeit". The well-attended lecture on 24 May 2023 focused on the changing profile of secretarial work, particularly as a result of digitalization. In day-to-day practice, the work of secretarial staff has been characterized for several years by

• an expanded repertoire of tasks
• the retention of extra-functional activities
• an increase in coordination and adaptation services
• increased independence and
• a voluntary professionalization.

One challenge remains the recognition of the willingness to perform additional work and demonstrably increased performance through corresponding adjustments in the pay grade. The speaker addressed institutional and legal framework conditions, but also pointed out regulatory gaps and room for interpretation.
The bukof commission "Employees in Technology and Administration" (MTV) was also represented.

Further information on the topic of pay equity can be found at HTW Berlin Entgeltgerechtigkeit.