Saarland University's Equal Opportunities Plan

The Equality Plan as an Instrument for Reconciling Family and Study/Professional Life

Below you will find excerpts from the Equality Plan (GP) of Saarland University that are of particular interest to students and employees with child-rearing responsibilities.

In a nutshell

9. Digitalisation and equality

(1) The model of alternating telehome work as a flexible form of work should in the future be
be usable for all suitable workplaces and employees

 

10. Equal opportunities and diversity in higher education

(1) The university shall work towards the sustainable promotion of family-conscious working and
conditions and equal opportunities in the sense of a diversity policy with an intersectional
intersectional gender perspective (diversity strategy). It has included the topic of
family-friendly university in its mission statement as well as in the university development plan
as well as in the target and performance agreements with the state.
The university sees women and men as having equal responsibility for the care and
for the care and upbringing of children and the care of relatives.
It takes the measures mentioned in the following paragraphs 9 and 10 to
to support the compatibility of family and career or family and studies for both parents.
both parents. The possibilities of combining studies or work and family at the university shall be evaluated.
at the University shall be evaluated.

 

(2) The Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Office is the point of contact for
all matters of equal opportunities and diversity. It develops measures for all diversity
diversity features and proposals for implementing equal opportunities at all levels.
levels. The handling of diversity in studies and work is to be evaluated with regard to diversity dimensions.
dimensions.


(3) The Contact Point for Studies and Disability, which exists under the umbrella of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity
and Disability is at the disposal of the representative, who is to
who is responsible for the interests of students with disabilities or chronic
illness in accordance with § 7 paragraph 2 SHSG. The Contact Point for Studies and
and disability informs and advises students with disabilities and chronic
illness as well as their teachers.


(4) Students with disabilities or chronic illnesses shall be granted a disadvantage
are fulfilled, a disadvantage compensation in the sense of Article 24 Paragraph 5 of the UN Disability
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).

11. Family and work

(1) Employment relationships shall be structured within the framework of statutory provisions and collective agreements and existing service agreements in such a way that the assumption of family duties is compatible with professional activity. Taking into account
the interests of the service, the possibilities for a deviating arrangement of the the employee's request, the possibilities of deviating from the working hours in order to family duties shall be exhausted.
When scheduling meetings of bodies and organs, family and care obligations shall be taken into account.
care obligations shall be taken into account when scheduling meetings of bodies and organs.

(2) The University shall inform employees in writing and, upon request, also in personal meetings about the following
personal discussions about the statutory and collectively agreed possibilities for
of reducing working hours and taking leave of absence to take care of family responsibilities and
the resulting consequences, in particular for the pension scheme.
pension scheme. It motivates male employees to make use of these options.
to make use of these opportunities.


(3) Part-time employees shall be granted the same career advancement and training opportunities as full-time employees.
opportunities for career advancement and further training as full-time employees. Management functions shall
management functions shall, as far as possible, be designed in such a way that they can also be performed by part-time employees.
part-time employees.
The continuity programme for female academics as a "re-entry programme" makes it possible for women
programme", female academics who return to work part-time immediately after maternity leave
directly after maternity leave, without having to leave the university.


(4) The university shall provide facilities for the care of infants and young children (breastfeeding, changing and resting rooms),
changing and resting rooms) at all locations, which are open to all groups.


(5) In the event of vacancies due to maternity leave, substitutes may be employed for the entire period of the vacancy.
of the vacancy. If the vacancy occurs due to maternity leave (§3 MuSchG) of a research
of an academic staff member, substitutes shall be employed in addition or as an alternative to the
1, up to six hours of auxiliary staff with basic amount C shall be granted during the period of
with basic amount C shall be granted.


(6) The University shall provide information on the existing regulations under the WissZeitVG and SHSG for the
regulations on the extension of maximum fixed-term contracts, individual contracts or
contracts as a result of childcare, reduction of working hours or length of service, for the
care of dependents and as a result of parental leave and maternity leave. The
University works to ensure that its employees can take advantage of these regulations.
take advantage of these provisions.


(7) The university shall support efforts to expand and make more flexible childcare on its campuses.
childcare on its campuses. It shall provide the necessary premises.
available. The University is permanently committed to the operation and expansion of the University's
university's own day-care centre on the Saarbrücken campus.

12. Family and studies

(1) Study and examination regulations as well as other provisions governing the study shall be designed in such a way that periods of absence due to pregnancy, maternity leave and the performance of family duties do not have any legal or other
legal or other disadvantages with regard to studies and the completion of studies.

Until the regulations referred to in sentence 1 have been adapted, the following shall apply:
Students with a multiple workload due to one of the reasons mentioned in sentence 1 shall, upon application to the competent examination offices or committees, be allowed to deviate from the the examination procedure in terms of time and form.


(2) The maximum limit of leave of absence for one of the reasons specified in paragraph 1, sentence 1
reasons referred to in paragraph 1, sentence 1 shall be set at three years.
three years.


(3) The university shall support all efforts aimed at making it possible for
students with family responsibilities to study part-time. In the
Framework Examination Regulations of Saarland University for Bachelor's and Master's
(BMRPO) of 17 June 2015, the option of part-time study is provided for in the
for Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes (cf. Art. 5 Para. 2 Sentence 1 and Art. 9 BMRPO).
9 BMRPO). The university therefore promotes initiatives by the faculties to make part-time study possible in other degree programmes.
part-time study in other degree programmes through their examination regulations. It
promotes innovative projects that further optimise part-time study.

(4) The university supports initiatives that improve the financial situation of student parents or reduce existing disadvantages.
or reduce existing disadvantages.


(5) Pregnant women and student parents shall be given priority in courses with limited
parents should be given preferential consideration, provided that there is
equal ranking exists according to existing participation requirements. In parallel courses
Pregnant women and student parents shall be given priority in the choice of dates.
considered when choosing dates. When scheduling courses, family obligations should be taken into account as far as possible.
family obligations should be taken into account as far as possible.


(6) The university grants special protection to underage students and feels obliged to
and feels obliged to make room for their interests within the framework of the legal possibilities.
legal possibilities.