Description: Professorial recruitment and appointment procedures are key to shaping the future of universities. How these procedures are designed influences whose qualifications and potential are recognised and considered and, ultimately, the diversity of academic staff. This lecture explores practical approaches to designing diversity-sensitive appointment procedures for professorships across all stages of the recruitment and appointment process. Drawing on key challenges faced by scholars from marginalized groups throughout academic career pathways, it presents practical tools and strategies that universities can readily adapt to their own institutional contexts.
The lecture is based on a practice-oriented guide developed by a working group of the German Network Diversity at Universities. The guide provides recommendations, checklists, and reflective questions for each stage of the appointment process and supports universities in implementing fair, transparent, and bias-aware procedures.

The lecture is intended for everyone involved in planning, conducting, or further developing professorial recruitment and appointment procedures who is interested in strengthening equal opportunities through diversity-sensitive practices.

Speakers: Dr. Daniela Heitzmann and Dr. Maria Lau
Daniela Heitzmann holds a PhD in Sociology and works as a Diversity Policies Officer at the Equal Opportunities Office at Goethe University Frankfurt.
Maria Lau holds a PhD in Art History and is a certified Diversity and Social Justice trainer. She heads the Equality and Diversity Office at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. ist promovierte Kunsthistorikerin und ausgebildete Diversity und Social Justice Trainerin.

Language: German
 

Zoom webinar registration: https://uni-frankfurt.zoom-x.de/webinar/register/WN_-Zdp7rQWRDq6xYq-EVt5CA   

The lecture is part of the RMU Winter Series 2026: A Second Look: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Professorial Recruitment and Appointment, organized by the Gender Equality Office of TU Darmstadt, the Equality and Diversity Office at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and the Equal Opportunities Office at Goethe University Frankfurt.