ReTune Equal Opportunity Committee

SFB Policy Summary: Equal Opportunities and Diversity

The SFB is committed to fostering excellence in research by ensuring equal opportunities and by promoting diversity in all its dimensions. In alignment with the DFG’s equity and diversity concept, the SFB integrates diversity as a structural and strategic element of its research environment. Diversity is regarded as a resource that enhances creativity, broadens perspectives, strengthens research quality, and ensures the inclusion of the full range of potential within the research system. Gender equality, as one of the DFG’s key priorities, remains a central focus.

Structural Integration of Diversity in Research

The SFB incorporates diversity considerations into the development of research topics, team structures, and collaborative practices.

Research groups are staffed strictly according to scientific suitability, applying transparent and bias-free criteria. While small research teams cannot always reflect all dimensions of diversity, this aspect is nevertheless taken into account during team formation.
Diversity is supported as a quality-enhancing factor across all SFB activities rather than through separate or group-specific programmes.

Identification and Reduction of Structural Barriers

The SFB examines its processes to identify potential barriers affecting particular groups of researchers, including gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, state of health, social origin, or migration history.

Equal opportunity measures are actively developed to address disadvantages linked to social origin—e.g., economic situation, non-academic parental home, and researchers’ migration histories.

Measures are taken to mitigate or remove such barriers within recruitment, supervision, career development, and administrative procedures.

Awareness-Raising and Prevention of Bias

The SFB conducts regular awareness initiatives for members involved in decision-making (e.g., PIs, reviewers, supervisors).
These activities aim to prevent explicit and implicit discrimination and promote diversity-sensitive evaluation of performance, achievements, and potential.
The SFB cultivates an inclusive research culture in which all researchers can participate without prejudice.

Researchers are not subjected to any pressure to disclose personal diversity characteristics beyond gender and date of birth.

Evidence-Based Action and Monitoring

The SFB collects data relevant to diversity in a responsible and non-intrusive way, respecting confidentiality and avoiding mandatory disclosure of sensitive characteristics.
Diversity-related activities are regularly assessed to ensure effectiveness and to enable continuous improvements.
Internal analyses may be complemented by participation in research projects or national initiatives aimed at strengthening evidence-based diversity measures.

Support Measures and Transparent Information

The SFB provides accessible, centralised information on diversity-related support, including resources for researchers with disabilities or chronic illnesses.
Funding allocated through DFG mechanisms (e.g., the Standard Allowance for Gender Equality Measures, extended under the promotion of diversity) is used to support equal opportunity activities such as mentoring, training, and family-friendly measures.
The SFB cooperates closely with university administration, equal opportunity offices, diversity units, and advisory bodies to ensure coherent support structures.

Intersectional and Inclusive Approach

The SFB addresses diversity comprehensively by considering multiple dimensions jointly, such as gender, disability, age, social background, ethnic origin, sexual identity and religious belief.
Intersectionality is recognised as a critical aspect: the SFB takes into account that individuals may experience overlapping forms of disadvantage.
While maintaining a broad focus on diversity, the SFB continues to give priority to gender equality in line with DFG statutes.

Long-Term Cultural Change

The SFB contributes to long-term cultural transformation within the research environment by establishing practices that acknowledge and value diversity.
Through training, open dialogue, inclusive decision-making, and continuous improvement, the SFB strengthens a culture of fairness, transparency, and respect.
The SFB actively exchanges expertise with other research institutions and monitors national and international developments to ensure its measures remain up to date and effective.

Press release of the DFG: https://www.dfg.de/en/service/press/press-releases/2022/press-release-no-27

Further information on the DFG’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Concept: https://www.dfg.de/en/basics-topics/basics-and-principles-of-funding/equal-opportunities/basics