Gender in Teaching and Research
One main objective of TU Dresden’s Equality Concept is ingraining the consideration of gender in research and teaching. We must continue to raise awareness of this issue amongst members of TU Dresden, since gender is still not viewed in many areas as a relevant factor in teaching and research.
Current projects and measures at TU Dresden
Gendered University
The “Gendered University” research project, funded by the Institutional Strategy, investigated the social processes at TU Dresden, “which continually reproduce an underrepresentation of women in leadership positions within the social field of academia.” This project compiled recommendations for overcoming structural obstacles that women face at TU Dresden.
Gender Concept Group
Multiple gender researchers at TU Dresden joined forces in 2013 to form the Gender Concept Group. They organized a conference on the topic of poverty and gender as well as a colloquium to present final theses in gender research.
“MEHRWERT durch mehr Perspektiven” pilot project
The project, which translates to “Added value through added prospects,” was initiated in the 2018 summer semester as part of TU Dresden’s Institutional Strategy. The core endeavors of the project is to systematically raise awareness of and actively reflect on aspects of gender and diversity at all stages of research and development within STEM subject areas. The goal is for researchers to broaden their view of their own subject as well as to find points of reference for interdisciplinary discourse. The Schools of Engineering Sciences, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Construction and Environment are all involved in the project. The Gender Concept Group and the Officer for the Protection of Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities worked together to realize the project.
Some degree programs regularly offer courses on gender research or courses which reference gender research in some way. In individual cases (e.g. Sociology), there are also modules dedicated to the topic or modules that include gender-related topics in their descriptions.
A resolution has been made to ensure that teaching become increasingly sensitive to gender issues. Gender competence should therefore be integrated into the curriculum of all degree programs to become a teacher – in educational sciences and specialized didactics alike.
Completed projects
A research project on reentry to academic careers that ran from 2011 to 2014 in cooperation with the Institut für regionale Innovation (Institute for Regional Innovation) explored the contributions made by support programs to dealing with interruptions in career paths.
Programs and tools from other universities
Tool for self-evaluation in teaching from the University of Fribourg (in French and German)
“Genial” project on gender in academic teaching at universities in Thuringia (in German)
Project on teaching with gender competency from the University of Hildesheim Foundation (in German)