Aktuell

• 24.06.2026

For the past 16 years, the UDE has held the distinction of being a family-friendly university*. The berufundfamilie Service GmbH regularly reviews the measures implemented by UDE to ensure the continuous development of working and study conditions. The university has now been honoured once again for its achievements in this area, joining 28 other higher education institutions and 221 organisations recognised for their commitment to family-friendliness. The certificate was accepted in Berlin by Dr Regina Hauses, Head of the Diversity Support Center, and Dr Kristina Spahn, one of the university’s two Central Equal Opportunities Officers.

“We are delighted that the University of Duisburg-Essen has successfully completed the audit familiengerechte hochschule for the sixth time. Since 2010, family orientation has been firmly embedded at UDE and continues to be developed through a participatory dialogue process,” said Dr Regina Hauses and Dr Kristina Spahn following the award ceremony.
Around 6,000 members of staff and more than 37,000 students at UDE benefit from measures designed to support the reconciliation of study, work and family responsibilities. A particularly important aspect is the university’s broad understanding of family, which forms an integral part of its institutional culture.

“We understand a family to be any communal unit in which people take social responsibility for one another long-term, with or without children, of the same or different genders, residing alone or with others. This definition will be highlighted (in German) by adding an asterisk to the word Familie*”, explains Dr Regina Hauses.
“Based on this understanding of family, balancing academic work, employment, studies and family commitments is regarded as a key component of academic diversity and university culture,” adds Dr Kristina Spahn.

Whether through childminding services, holiday childcare programmes, care provision outside standard opening hours, or networking activities, UDE sees considerable potential in continuously strengthening its family-oriented approach as a contribution to an excellent research and academic culture.
The audit familiengerechte hochschule reinforces institutional commitment to this issue and enhances the visibility and transparency of existing support services. The process also facilitates dialogue with members of the university community, enabling the institution to continuously refine its portfolio of measures—for example, by expanding childcare provision or strengthening support related to caring responsibilities.

* The familiengerechte Hochschule quality seal was initiated by the Hertie Foundation and is awarded by berufundfamilie Service GmbH, which also conducts the audits. The certificate awarded through the audit familiengerechte hochschule is recognised as a quality mark for sustainable family-friendly employment and study policies and is granted for a period of three years. Having completed three re-audits, UDE is currently participating in its third dialogue process, which recognises the university’s long-standing and sustainable commitment to family-friendly working and study conditions.

Further information:
Visit the UDE Diversity Portal
Dr Regina Hauses, Diversity Support Centre, Tel. 0201/183 4010, regina.hauses@uni-due.de
Dr Kristina Spahn and Dr Eva Willmann, Central Equal Opportunities Officers, gleichstellungsbeauftragte@uni-due.de