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3.5 million euros for equality: MLU strengthens female scientists!
The Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg will receive 3.5 million euros to promote equal opportunities for female scientists until 2027.
3.5 million euros for equality: MLU strengthens female scientists!
The Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) has created a real hub for women in science. With impressive funding of around 3.5 million euros, which will be made available until the end of 2027, the “FEM POWER – Strengthening Female Scientists – Changing Scientific Culture” project is clearly set for progress. These funds come from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), as idw-online.de reports.
The heart of this project is strengthening equality and gender justice in the strategic development of MLU. In order to achieve this goal, mentoring, career promotion and support for network building for female scientists are promoted, among other things. What is particularly exciting is the establishment of three new research groups under female leadership in the areas of materials science and protein and plant research. Here, female scientists are offered an excellent environment to further develop their academic profiles and acquire leadership skills.
From the women's quota to practice
In Germany, women are well educated, but the proportion of women attending universities decreases with each further step up the academic career ladder - this phenomenon is known as the “leaky pipeline”. According to current figures, 46% of doctoral students are women, but the number drops to only 29% of female professors, as the figures from the BMFTR show. The Federal Ministry is actively combating this development and is pursuing the goal of further promoting equality in science.
The current “FEM POWER II” program is a central component of the strategy. The first funding phase ran from 2016 to 2022. The new measures at MLU are coordinated by the Office for Diversity and Equal Opportunities and placed directly with the Rector. Those responsible here have a good knack for actively shaping equal opportunities.
A decisive step for scientific culture
Another important aspect of the project is the continuation of the gender*bildet network center, which is dedicated to strengthening gender research at MLU. The university is also committed to complying with the 2024 University Rectors' Conference commitment to greater gender equality in appointments. These are very crucial steps that can influence not only the university, but also the entire scientific landscape in Germany.
In summary, it can be said: With this funding, MLU is taking a pioneering step towards making women more visible in science and improving the conditions for their careers. The FEM POWER project is not only a benefit for the university, but also an important building block on the way to greater gender equality throughout the academic world - and that is something that affects us all.