Successful concept for promoting women in science TU Braunschweig receives €825,000 for gender equality measures and the promotion of female professors

Technische Universität Braunschweig is receiving significant funding from the Female Professors Programme of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMFTR). Thanks to funding from the BMFTR programme and the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture, TU Braunschweig now has a total of €825,000 at its disposal to promote gender equality in science and achieve parity in top scientific positions.

In the first selection round of the ‘Female Professors Programme 2030′ (‘Professorinnenprogramm 2030’), TU Braunschweig scored highly with its convincing concept for promoting the appointment of women to professorships and for equal opportunities. The programme funds will be used to finance a W3 professorship at TU Braunschweig. The BMFTR will cover 50% of the funding for this professorship in the first five years. The funds freed up will be used for gender equality measures.

In addition to the €412,500 from the BMFTR’s Female Professors Programme, TU Braunschweig will receive €200,000 from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture (MWK). Together with €212,500 from TU Braunschweig’s own funds, this gives a total funding amount of €825,000 for gender equality measures, which is available in addition to the permanent tasks for gender equality.

TU Braunschweig is using the funding to implement career support measures for female students, female scientists in the early stages of their careers and female professors, particularly in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The picture shows two female research assistants at the BatteryLabFactory (BLB) manufacturing electrode coatings. Photo credits: Marek Krauszewski/TU Braunschweig

Measures to promote the careers of women in STEM subjects

Under the title ‘MINT 4 TU’, the funding will be used to design and implement career support measures for female students, female scientists in the early stages of their careers and female professors. These measures aim to promote women in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and improve their career opportunities.

The Female Professors Programme: A key instrument for gender equality

The Female Professors Programme is the central instrument of the federal and state governments for promoting gender equality in higher education. The programme, which was developed under the leadership of the Joint Science Conference (GWK), has been running since 2008. To date, over 900 professorships have been funded. The programme works on two levels: it increases the number of female professors in Germany and strengthens gender equality structures at universities through specific measures.

TU Braunschweig is already planning to fund another W3 professorship through the BMFTR’s programme for female professors in order to further increase the proportion of women in top scientific positions