Equality of Opportunity in Education and Training - Framework Act on Higher Education - Germany

Framework Act on Higher Education

The Act includes a section on the Equal Rights of Women and Men (art. 3). The provision requires universities to promote equality between men and women and to remove any existing disadvantages. The Act requires individual universities to establish a Woman's Commissioner whose duties and procedures are to be regulated by each province. The Act also stipulates that the progress achieved in fulfilling the equal rights mandate is to be taken into account when assessing the institutions of higher education and allocating state funds. It is also the duty of institutions of higher education to consider the concerns of students with children. In addition, the Act provides for the relaxation of qualification requirements for women seeking careers in universities, the promotion of women representatives in higher education bodies and increased flexibility to improve the reconciliation of studying/scientific work and child-raising.