Equal Opportunities & Diversity for Students

Contact person for first-generation students

For persons who are or want to be the first in their family to study, Prof. Dr. Martin Doevenspeck is available as a contact person. Prof. Doevenspeck was a first-generation student himself. Please do not hesitate to contact him.

Contact details
Contact details of Prof. Doevenspeck on the Political Geography website

ArbeiterKind.de

ArbeiterKind.de is a nationwide non-profit initiative to support 1st-generation students, i.e. people who are the first in their family to study.

A local Arbeiterkind.de group has been formed at our university. Students and lecturers who would like to get to know the group or get involved are always welcome.

More information & contact
ArbeiterKind.de Bayreuth on Instagram (in German)

becks - Office of the Commissioner for Students with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses

becks will be happy to answer any questions and problems you may have concerning studying with a disability or chronic illness.

Access to studies

• Special requests to arrange cases of hartship and admission with disadvantage compensation.

Examination conditions and disadvantage compensation,

• which are adapted to the individual need of disabled and chronically ill students.

Accessible Studying

• Study and examination assistants, technical aids, architectural and structural accessibility, audio systems, special parking spaces.

How to finance your study 

• Special social benefits for disabled and chronically ill students.

More info & contact
becks website

Reporting Portal for Access Barriers

The reporting portal is an online form to report access barriers and suggest solutions. Reports can be made anonymously or by providing contact details.

Further information
"Barrierenmelder" on the becks website (in German)

Inclusive University of Bayreuth

The University of Bayreuth is currently developing a strategy for an "Inclusive University of Bayreuth". It serves as an instrument to break down barriers and enable the best possible participation for prospective students, students and employees. In addition, we want to sensitize all university members to diversity and inclusion.

"Inclusion at the University of Bayreuth" page

The webpage offers information on inclusion and accessibility at the University of Bayreuth as well as on the development process of our strategy for an "Inclusive University of Bayreuth".

Webpage "Inclusion at the University of Bayreuth" of the Diversity Service Centre

University Sports and Inclusion

The university sports team provides individual support to students and employees with disabilities in making the most of the university sports facilities.

Main focus

• Advice on possible exercise and sports activities in your individual situation
• Procurement of individual aids
  
• Contacting course instructors

Your ideas and wishes will be taken into account when planning the course programme.

Contact
University Sports website (in German)

Student assistants with disabilities

Are you employed as a student assistant alongside your studies? Then you can also make use of the services offered by the University of Bayreuth to employees with disabilities.

More information
Overview "Equal opportunities & diversity for employees" of the Diversity Service Centre

Emergency call

In acute emergencies and dangerous situations, please always dial the known emergency numbers first:

• 110 (police) for threats and danger
• 112 (emergency doctor, ambulance, fire brigade) in health emergencies and fires

If possible, please inform the University of Bayreuth control centre afterwards on 0921 55-2117.

Security Service, Campus Bayreuth: 0921 55-3333

To ensure that all people studying and working at the University of Bayreuth can feel safe on campus, an internal phone number for our security service has been set up: 0921 55-3333. The number is intended as a low-threshold supplement to the police emergency call. It can be reached 24/7.

The security service is on campus in the evenings, at night and on weekends with uniformed personnel and can be called directly. At other times, they can be called to the campus and to all of the University of Bayreuth's external offices at short notice.

In which cases can the emergency number be dialled?
The number can always be dialled

• if a person is being harassed by other people in the buildings or on the grounds of the university campus,
• if a person feels unsafe on campus due to the presence of other persons.
• Third parties who observe such incidents can also notify the security service via the emergency number.

In acute emergencies and dangerous situations, please dial the familiar emergency numbers 110 (police) and 112 (fire brigade, emergency doctor, ambulance).

More information
Overview page "Emergency calls" of the University of Bayreuth

Two university contact persons offer confidential counselling and support for all persons who experience or observe discrimination or harassment at the university. The contact persons are not bound by instructions and do not pass on any information without the consent of the person concerned.

• Contact person for anti-discrimination
  Dr. Stefan Kurth
  Phone: 0921 55-4545
  Mail: stefan.kurth@uni-bayreuth.de
  Office: Bayreuth, Nürnberger Str. 38, "Zapf"-building 1, room 1.2.15

• Contact person for sexual harassment and sexualised violence
  Prof. Dr. Karin Birkner
  Phone: 0921 55-3610
  Mail: karin.birkner@uni-bayreuth.de
  Office: GW I, room 0.30

More information & contact

• Webpage "Anti-Discrimination at the University of Bayreuth"
• "Consulation in cases of Mobbing, Discrimination and Sexual Harassment" page of the Women's Representative and the Gender Equality Service Centre

Complaints Office and Complaints Procedure

Students can file a complaint in cases of discrimination and harassment. This initiates a formal complaint procedure, which is carried out by the University of Bayreuth's neutral complaints office.

The complaint procedure is regulated in the Anti-Discrimination Guidelines of the University of Bayreuth. It includes

• the investigation of the facts ("What has happened?"),
• a legal examination ("Are the facts of discrimination or harassment fulfilled?"),
• a written report of the results and
• measures to eliminate existing discrimination and prevent future discrimination.

More information & contact
Webpage "Anti-Discrimination at the University of Bayreuth" of the Diversity Service Centre

Diversity Service Centre

The Diversity Service Centre is committed to equal opportunities and participation for all students and employees. Services for students include:

Informatio and counselling

• Information on diversity, equal opportunities, participation and protection against discrimination at the University of Bayreuth
• Individual diversity advice for your individual study situation

Participation, Networking, Empowerment

• Support for the networking of students from vulnerable, structurally disadvantaged and underrepresented groups
  
• Exchange and cooperation with student initiatives in the fields of diversity, inclusion, empowerment, discrimination, racism, anti-Semitism (e.g. events and projects).

More information & contact
Diversity Service Centre website

Family-Friendly University

The Family-Friendly University provides advice on all questions relating to family and studies.

Financing your studies

• Financial support during pregnancy, parental leave, care of relatives
• Benefits for students with children

Appropriate study organisation

• Leave of absence from regular studies, maternity leave, parental and care leave
• Part-time study
• Special regulations for examinations for students with children
• Personal study plan

Childcare

• Regular childcare in crèches and kindergartens, childminders, babysitters
• Student crèches
• Family-friendly infrastructure such as the parent-child workroom, breastfeeding and nappy-changing rooms, and play corner in the Mensa

More information & contact
Family-Friendly University website

Social Counselling SWO

The social counselling of the Studierendenwerk Oberfranken

• is free of charge, unbureaucratic and bound to secrecy,
• assists with orientation, decision-making and finding solutions,
• helps with obtaining information and
• refers you to suitable specialist agencies if requested.

Counselling includes
Questions about financing a course of study, e.g.

• Student loans
• BAföG
• Social aid
• Scholarships

More information & contact
Pages of the Social Counselling Service of the Studierendenwerk Oberfranken

Scholarships and support programmes

The University of Bayreuth offers detailed information and individual advice on scholarships and funding programs for students, including specific offers for disadvantaged and underrepresented groups.

Further information and contact
"Scholarships and grants" page of the University of Bayreuth

Erasmus+ Inclusion and Diversity

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) generally supports stays abroad in Europe for study and internship purposes. In addition, the following groups can receive additional financial support:

• students with disabilities and chronic illnesses,
• students with child/ren,
• working students,
• first-generation students.

Further information and contact
Pages "Study visit within Europe" and "Funding rates 2021-2027" of our International Office

ApplicAid

ApplicAid is a non-profit organisation that supports first generation students, people with a migration or refugee background, people with disabilities, people with low socio-economic status and others on their way to a scholarship.

More information
Pages of ApplicAid (in German)

Women's Representatives

University Women's Representative
The University Women's Representatives have the task of ensuring that female students, academics and female teaching staff are not placed at a disadvantage.

They support the university on a voluntary basis in fulfilling its legal mandate,

• to promote the actual implementation of equal rights for women and men,
• to take this into account as a guiding principle in all decisions, and
• eliminate existing disadvantages.

Faculty Women's Representative
The Faculty Women's Representatives are responsible for faculty-specific matters. At least one women's representative and up to two deputies are elected in each faculty. The students also provide a representative. If necessary, the faculty women's representatives advise students and academic staff of their faculty.

More information & contact
Women's Representative website

Gender Equality Service Centre

The Gender Equality Service Centre supports the work of the Women's Representative with a wide range of advice for all university members as well as with offers, announcements and information for various target groups.

Offers for students

• Initial contact, counselling and support on the topics of gender equality, equal opportunities policy, women in committees, women in STEM fields
• Initial contact and counselling in cases of sexual harassment and sexualised discrimination
• Information and counselling on early name and gender change for trans* and inter* students
• Information on equality-related indicators, equality measures and gender-sensitive language
• Application for funds from the budget for innovative gender equality measures
• Networking with the Gender, Queer, Intersectionality Diversity Studies Network (GeQuInDi)
• Seminar and event programme for female students of STEM subjects interested in doctoral studies

Further information & contact
Gender Equality Service Centre website

AK Queer

AK Queer (AK = Arbeitskreis, working group) is a working group of the Student Parliament. It organises a cultural programme and networking opportunities for queer persons and represents queer issues in university politics. The AK understands "queer" to include all aspects of being lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender and/or intersex.

Here students can

• contribute and realise their ideas,
• actively participate in organising events and workshops, and
• get to know other people and exchange ideas at a bi-weekly open regulars' table.

More info & contact
AK Queer on the Student Parliament's website (in German)

Psychological Counselling

The psychological counselling service of the Studierendenwerk Oberfranken

• is free of charge, unbureaucratic and bound to secrecy,
• supports you in finding orientation, decisions and solutions, and
• refers you to suitable specialist agencies if requested.

Individual conversations
for example on the following topics:

• Personal stress, crises and conflict situations
• Coping with stress, exam nerves, feeling overwhelmed
• Difficulties with detachment, reorientation, settling in
• Conflicts in family, partnership, interpersonal relationships
• Psychosomatic complaints, depression, anxiety, addiction
• Studying with disabilities
• Sexual harassment
• Educational counselling

Group offers
on relaxation techniques, stress management, dealing with depressive symptoms, emotion regulation and other mental health issues.

More Information & Contact
"Psychological counselling" pages of the Studierendenwerk Oberfranken

University Health Management

The University Health Management has set itself the goal of enabling healthy living, working and studying at the University of Bayreuth. Our work is based on a comprehensive understanding of health, which includes physical, mental, social and ecological health. Services for students include:

Opportunities on Campus

• University Sports
• Tabletennis and table football
• Active breaks for students
• Campus Active Path - Exercise trail on campus
• BeWeg - various alternative routes on campus for more everyday exercise
• Flex your Mind - concentration and movement exercises for students in the library
• Room of Silence
• Barefoot Path and Ecological-Botanical Garden
• Campus Yoga Day

Information and Advice

• UGM@Home - suggestions for more exercise and relaxation in your home office
• Mental health - online information centre
• Healthy eating
• Recreational places in Bayreuth

Participation, Networking, Encounter

• Don't feel like exercising alone? Find training and exercise partners
• Create YOUR Campus - Design your campus with your ideas!  

More information & contact
Pages "Für Studierende" ("For Students") of the University Health Management (in German)

Addiction Prevention Officer

Addictions of a substance-related and non-substance-related nature can put your studies at risk. The Addiction Prevention Officer supports affected students and those seeking help with questions about addictive behaviour, e.g.

• Alcohol, drug and medication abuse/dependence,
• gambling addiction, as well as
• related areas such as eating disorders.

Counselling

• is free of charge, unbureaucratic and subject confidentiality
• assists with orientation and obtaining information
• refers to appropriate specialised agencies if requested

Please note that no therapy can be provided.

Contact information
on the "Suchtberatung" page (Addiction Prevention) of the Employee Council of the University of Bayreuth (in German; Prof. Kölbl offers advice for students.)

Welcome Services for international students

The Welcome Services of the International Office offer international students comprehensive support before, during and after their stay, including the following topics:

• Entry and visa,
• enrolment, language and orientation courses,
• dealing with the authorities, finding accommodation, insurance issues,
• orientation and leisure activities, networking with other students, and
• other services offered by the university.

More information & contact
Pages of the Welcome Services for International Students of the International Office

Welcome Services for Refugees

The Welcome Services of the International Office offer advice, guidance and support to refugees.

Services

• Language courses
• Preparatory courses for university studies
• Labour market preparation workshops
• Further vocational qualification
• Support services for traumatised persons (in cooperation with the Psychological Counselling Service, SWO)
• Buddy programme
• Language tandem offers (in cooperation with the Language Centre)
• Intercultural excursions throughout the country

Support with

• Application and enrolment
• Asylum and residence law issues
• Opportunities for study and research funding
• Legal issues (with Law & Legal e.V.)
• Career planning (application, apprenticeship, career entry)

More Information & Contact
Pages of the Welcome Services for Refugees of the International Office

Erasmus Student Network Bayreuth

The Erasmus Student Network is a student organisation at the University of Bayreuth and a member of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), one of the largest interdisciplinary student organisations in Europe.

Goal
The aim of the network is

• to promote the integration of international students,
• to introduce them to life and culture in Germany, and
• to make their stay with us an unforgettable experience.

Programme
Every semester, an extensive programme is organised, consisting of various events, parties and excursions. In the spirit of promoting intercultural contact, Germans are equally welcome at all events. Permanent offers include a buddy programme and a tandem programme.

More information & contact
Erasmus Student Network Bayreuth website

Refugee Law Clinics by Law & Legal e.V.

Law & Legal e.V. is a student-run initiative that offers free legal counselling to refugees in the areas of asylum, aliens and residence law, as well as in civil law issues and social law.

Goal
The aim of Law & Legal is to impart knowledge about asylum, aliens and residence law and at the same time to offer free and competent legal advice in Bayreuth and the surrounding area.

Services

• General information on the asylum procedure,
• counselling on residence prospects,
• information on family reunification,
• help with problems with work permits or training,
• support in dealing with the authorities and dealing with notifications, and
• counselling on civil law matters, e.g. problems with tenancy agreements or employment contracts.

More information & contact
"Refugee Law Clinics" page of Law & Legal e.V.

PULS Study Support

Counselling in the faculties
The faculty counsellors for teaching and students are your point of contact in your faculty. They offer you confidential counselling for all questions, problems and conflicts relating to your study situation.

In addition, PULS Student Support offers individual counselling, lectures and workshops in the areas of study skills and career guidance.

Further information & contact
Pages of PULS

Two free and confidential legal counselling services are available to students at the University of Bayreuth:

Legal counselling of the Studierendenwerk Oberfranken

• Tenancy law (with the exception of the student residences of the Studierendenwerk Oberfranken)
  
• Contract law e.g. GEZ, purchase contracts, telephone contracts etc. with the exception of insurance law
• Labour law
• Maintenance law (no BAföG)
• Examination law (please bring your examination regulations with you) 
• (no advice on visa and residence law)

Further information & contact
Page "Free legal advice" of the Studierendenwerk Oberfranken

Law & Legal e.V.

• General contract law
• Purchase law (cancellation, right of withdrawal and return)
• Tenancy law
• Property law (especially property issues)
• Inheritance and family law
• Labour and social law
• Company law
• Administrative law
• Asylum and residence law

Further information & contact
Pages of Law & Legal e.V. (in German)

Room of Silence

The Room of Silence is a place of retreat on the university campus. It offers the opportunity for prayer and meditation, but also for moments of inactivity in a relaxed atmosphere.

More information
"Raum der Stille" page of the University Health Management (in German)

Consideration of religious holidays and rest periods for examination dates

The University of Bayreuth does its best to take religious holidays and rest periods into account for examination dates on a case-by-case basis.

More information
General information on this subject is available from the Diversity Service Centre. Applications must be submitted to the relevant examination office.

Intersectionality Studies and Diversity Competences

This supplementary study programme provides basic skills and knowledge to recognise the complexity of power structures and dominance relations. Strategies for overcoming discrimination and for inclusion are taught. The spectrum of these competences enriches professional profiles in diverse occupational fields in human resources and corporate management, education, media as well as in all fields of research.

More information
Intersectionality Studies and Diversity Competences website

Courses in the field of Gender, Queer, Intersectionality and Diversity Studies

Every semester, the GeQuInDi network compiles an overview of all courses in Gender, Queer, Intersectionality and Diversity Studies.

More information
Overview of courses on the website of the network "Gender, Queer, Intersectionality and Diversity Studies"