On 14 November 2024, students, alumni, lecturers and guests joined the course founders and management of OTH Regensburg and the university to celebrate the fifth anniversary of thecourse, which, as University President Prof. Dr Udo Hebel emphasised, ‘is a central concern of our universities and manifests our commitment to equality and equal opportunities’. Prof Dr Astrid Ensslin, UR's Commissioner for Gender Equality in Science and the Arts, hosted an inspiring afternoon in H24 of the Vielberth Building with a keynote speech, panel discussion and poster exhibition.
"Thinking for yourself is the highest courage.He who dares to think for himself will also act for himself."
‘This quote from Bettina von Arnim summarises our intention and our goal very well, which we have associated and continue to associate with the preliminary considerations and implementation of the additional gender competence course. We want to give students a space to think - to reflect on the significance of ‘sex - gender’ in our society and for them personally; where, why and how inequalities and discrimination occur in this context or how freedom and equality are inextricably linked. And this thinking and knowledge enables ZGK students to become empowered to take action and later advocate for gender equality and diversity in their professional, academic and private lives - as is also stated in the mission statements of OTH Regensburg and the University of Regensburg.’ Says Prof Dr Clarissa Rudolph.
Those responsible for the ZGK fulfil this responsibility: they offer students the opportunity to deal with questions and problems in the field of gender equality on an interdisciplinary scientific basis and ‘thus contribute to raising awareness and further improving the current situation’, Hebel continues.
‘The high number of visitors to the ceremony, especially students, showed how important gender competence has become as an interdisciplinary professional qualification in today's society. I therefore look forward to the future of the ZGK with optimism, but at the same time I would like to reiterate the strong recommendation of the German Council of Science and Humanities that this desideratum can only be fulfilled by sustainably available human resources,’ concluded Ensslin in her summary of the event.
Gender matters!
The importance of broadening the perspective was demonstrated by the day's keynote speaker, Prof. Dr Hanna Meißner from the Department of Interdisciplinary Women's and Gender Studies at the Technical University of Berlin. In a knowledgeable lecture, Meißner outlined the epistemological interest of gender studies, which includes paying attention to untold parts of history as well as deciphering naturalisations.
Using the example of the shortage of skilled workers and women in STEM professions, the researcher impressively analysed how prejudices, such as that mathematics is more a talent than an inclination, have become entrenched and are identified as a male disposition. Using the discussions about ‘girls and maths’, Meißner explained how social constructs make the male gender and maths go hand in hand, while women supposedly have to be encouraged to take up the subject.
As a result, opportunities to develop better strategies for certain challenges are lost, warned Meißner. Problem-centred interpretations and well-founded debates are needed; the topics must be negotiated intersectionally and feministically in the sense of inclusivity and transdisciplinarity.
Expanding and strengthening gender research
The continuity, challenges and visions of the ZGK were then discussed by OTH Vice President for IT Security, Digitalisation, Sustainability and Social Responsibility Prof. Dr.Christoph Skornia, Dr. Arndt Lümers, advisor to the German Council of Science and Humanities, Dr. Anna Hartmannfrom the Chair of Education in Behavioural Disorders including Inclusive Education (UR), ZGK graduateSabrina Thomas and co-founder of the course Prof. Dr. Clarissa Rudolph(Political Science and Sociology, OTH Regensburg).
Rudolph had already pointed out a central moment in her welcome address and in her review of the genesis of the additional degree programme: In times when politics is dominated by (supposedly) simple solutions, it is important to defend and expand the subject, to conduct contextualised research and to broaden the perspective. The zine, which all guests found on their chairs, provided an opportunity to do this.
ZGK teacher Agnes Böhmelt and students from the course presented feminist manifestos from the ZGK course ‘I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want!’ with musical-satirical overtones and elements of agit-prop theatre. The framework for the subsequent open part of the ceremony was provided by the academic posters on gender and equality topics on display in the foyer of the Vielberth building, which had been created by students on the degree programme and encouraged further informed discussions.
