Visibility & transfer of knowledge

Making gender-related issues visible in the public and transferring related knowledge to the public are two of the core tasks in the field of equal opportunities. Therefore, the Gender Equality and Diversity unit gives talks, launches projects on the topic, some of which remain permanently visible and have a long-lasting effect.

Anniversary

20 years Culture and Equality unit

2020 marked the 20th anniversary of the Culture and Equality unit. Anniversaries invite us to reflect what happened so far and to celebrate successes, but also to set new goals. For this, the unit organised many activities until June 2021.

You can find more informaion here.

Talks

Seminars for employees of the University of Vienna

Employees of the University of Vienna can educate themselves through the courses offered from Personnell Development. The Gender Equality and Diversity unit regularly offers seminars on the following topics. Current course dates can be found in the course database. 

  • Language Confusion Gender Asterisk? Gender-inclusive language for everyone! (in German)
    Gender-inclusive language is an often contested topic in our society. For some, it is gender insanity gone wild, for others it is an essential element of correct and inclusive communication.
    What does gender-inclusive langauge mean and how can I use it?
    The University of Vienna recommends the use of the "gender asterisk" in administration, but what does that actually mean and how is it used?
  • (Unconscious) Bias at the University (in German and English)
    We all meet people every day and judge them in only a few moments. Do they seem nice? Do we want to talk to them? Are they competent? These judgements are based not only on our generalized experiences, but also on societal imaginations. That means that prejudices and false presuppositions can easily become a part of them.
    In the seminar, we will talk about the images that shape the academic context in particular. We will try to discover our own biases. And we will look at strategies that will help us to better reflect our prejudices in daily life.

Permanent projects

(No) Walk in the Park - 125 Years of Women at the University of Vienna

2022 marks the 125th anniversary of the enrolment of the first female students at the University of Vienna. In the summer semester 2022, we invited you on a 600 meter walk in courtyard 1 of the Campus that shows that the history of women at the university is everything but a walk in the park. The history of women at the University of Vienna only covers 125 of 657 years, or 114 of 600 meters. The walk has been rebuilt digitally - take a scroll with us.

 

 

Quiz on equal opportunities

Employee working at the office

An online quiz allows you to test your knowledge of women at the University of Vienna and equal opportunities.

On the occasion of the 15-year anniversary of the Culture and Equality unit in 2015, an online quiz (in German) that playfully tested your knowledge of the history of women at the University of Vienna and of equal opportunities was developed. Questions and answers can still be accessed.

Art project "The muse has had it"

Art project

"The Muse has had it" is a giant shadow silhouette of a woman that lies diagonally on part of the courtyard, standing in a combative posture and thrusting her fist in the air.

The fact that for decades hardly any female academics were honoured by the University was made the subject of the art contest BIG ART, which was jointly organised by the University of Vienna and the BIG in 2009. From all submissions, the project "The Muse has had it" by the artist Iris Andraschek won. Surrounded by more than 100 monuments and plaques dedicated to male academics and a single plaque dedicated to a woman, the intervention made of granite is now clearly visible in the Arcaded Courtyard.

Virtual exhibition "Frauen Leben Wissenschaft" (women live academia)

Exhibition boards

The exhibition boards serve to illustrate the different stages of an academic career.

The exhibition "Frauen Leben Wissenschaft" (women live academia) in 2007 aimed at making the work of female academics at the University of Vienna visible and to let women – academics and students – talk about their working realities and perspectives. 

One-time events

Queer Film Night in the Arkadenhof: Rafiki

Unfortunately, Austria's biggest and oldest queer film festival identities didn't take place anymore in 2019. This meant that there was a gap in the events of pride month June, especially this year when the EuroPride was happening in Vienna. As a small good-bye from the identities festival, as an amplification of queer voices and also to point towards the possibilities of film in the sciences, we invited everybody to a film night in the Arkadenhof on June 16th, 2019.

We showed Rafiki (Kenya 2018). The film tells the story of two daughters of rivaling politicians who become close despite homomisic surroundings. The film won several prizes and was the first Kenyan film to be shown in Cannes. It triggered a lot of discussions in Kenya, where homosexuality is illegal, as well as world-wide.
The film scholar Doris Posch gave a short introduction into the film.

Network meeting of Austrian universities on inter*/trans/non-binary in the context of universities

Not much attention has been paid to gender diversity at universities. With the decision of the Constitutional Court to introduce a third gender category in official registeries, the legal basis for people outside the binary was changed. That means that universities have to look even more at specific barriers and exclusion mechanisms inter*, trans and non-binary people have to face in the fields of education and science.

The Diversity at Austrian Universities Network has chosen the topic inter*/trans/non-binary in the context of universities for its third network meeting on April 1, 2019. Discussions included challenges and barriers, legal changes and a good practice example. The meeting was organised by the University of Vienna and addressed equal opportunity commissioners of Austrian universities.

Diversity and gender equality - of theory, laws and university routines

This talk was given on January 15, 2019 at the Faculty of Catholic Theology and covered the following topics:

  1. diversity (definition and concepts)
  2. focus on harassment (legal framework)
  3. structures at the University of Vienna (AkGl, counselling)

The slides are available to download (German).

Nuclear questions: thoughts on Lise Meitner

After completing her doctorate at the University of Vienna, Lise Meitner was the first woman to become a professor of Physics in Germany. The Portraittheater Vienna created a play to honor her, tracing moments of her life and work. The play is performed at several universities in Germany and Austria. On March 8th, it was shown for free at the University of Vienna (in German). Every seat at the performance was taken, making the show a literally full success.

More information on the play (in German)