Funds for the advancement of women are made available centrally at TU Darmstadt and distributed to the departments according to their success in promoting women (measured against the goals of the TU Darmstadt's women's advancement plan). These can use the funds for measures to promote women such as:
- Realisation of equal opportunities between all genders
- Improving study, research and working conditions for women
- Increasing the proportion of women in science and engineering degree programmes
- Promoting women in science and technology
- Promotion of networks among women
The aim is to attract people of marginalised genders to chemistry and retain them in the department. The use of funding for the advancement of women is intended to help counteract (historical) disadvantage and discrimination and promote a gender-equitable climate in the department.
Funding for the advancement of women can therefore be used to a limited extent (usually max. €500) for individual advancement in close connection with studies or professional activities, but especially to improve the status of women in the department and in science in general.
The unequal promotion of certain genders is justified in view of existing discrimination in areas of severe underrepresentation (see Section 5 AGG and the department's equity and diversity concept).
While men are explicitly excluded from these purposes due to their historically better position, people with gender identities that are neither male nor female can also be supported with women's funding.
The Equal Opportunities Team at the Department of Chemistry is committed to ensuring that the department and the scientific community are as inclusive as possible. In the spirit of broad diversity sensitivity, the team would also like to promote causes that are not explicitly related to gender and would help to reduce disadvantages of any kind.
We would like to encourage all members of the department to also formulate applications that contribute to improving the general situation in the department in terms of the eligibility for women's funding and/ or to consult with the team to identify opportunities for this or other funding options.
Funding for the advancement of women can be used for various purposes that improve the situation of women in the department and for their future careers.
Examples of possible uses are:
- Advertising measures to increase the number of female students in the department
- Promotion of qualification and further education programmes
- Organisation of seminars and events
- Promotion of networking activities
- Funding of student assistants for initiatives and projects that promote women and for handling hazardous substances in the laboratory during pregnancies
- Childcare during specialised events with active participation
If the cause you have in mind is not on this list, please feel free to contact us or submit an application nonetheless; we are happy about any commitment we can support.
- Travel expenses and participation fees for women's promotion programmes, networking events, further training courses outside the job description and (student and professional) conferences
- Purchase of information and educational materials
- Reimbursement of expenses for student mentoring at schools
- Remuneration for student assistants in equal opportunities initiatives
- Honorarium for leading a workshop on equal opportunities
- Fees for German language courses
- Training for prospective Mental Health First Aiders
An even more detailed description of the framework conditions for the disbursement of funds for the advancement of women can be found in the handouts from the central Equal Opportunities Office.
Applications for grants from the women's advancement funds can be submitted by email to the Equal Opportunities Officers prior to spending money or before an event. Please use the form provided below.
The applications received are processed on an ongoing basis; however, please note that we usually need at least two weeks to announce a decision. The final feedback is provided by the Dean's Office and contains information on how expenses must be documented (travel expense application, receipts to be submitted, etc.).
An application should include
- who is applying for the funds (name, working group and position, if applicable)
- what the funding is being applied for
- how the subsidised measure contributes to the advancement of women,
- what costs are to be expected (if applicable, itemised),
- whether other funds, in particular those of the working group, will be used to cover the costs incurred. In the case of a non-women-specific purpose (e.g. conference participation), please provide proof that you have examined other funding options and that alternative funding applications were unsuccessful.
If you have any questions about the application, please feel free to contact the equal opportunities team by email at any time.
Application form
As an aid for filling in all relevant information, please use the following form to apply for women's advancement funds.