Certifying the Management of Diversity in HEI
Dr. Daniela De Ridder
Hannah Leichsenring
York, June 23th 2009
www.che.de
Our Session
A. CHE Consult – who we are and what we are doing?
B. Diversity Management in German HEI
C. Project “Integra“ – Auditing and Certification of Diversity
Management in HEI
D. Discussion
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
CHE Consult – who we are and what
we are doing
www.che.de
CHE Consult
 ...is the Ltd-branch of CHE – Centre for Higher
Education Development
– CHE: non profit, shareholders are Bertelsmann
Foundation and Germany‘s HEI vice-chancellors
association. Most important product: CHE HEI
Ranking (field-sensitive, on faculty-level,
multidimensional) (14 employees)
– CHE Consult: for-profit, consulting HEI (on strategy,
implementation of strategies, administration reform...)
as well as ministries, municipalities, research
facilites... (13 employees)
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Further Information
 On CHE Consult: http://www.checonsult.de/cms/?getObject=508&getLang=en
 On CHE: http://www.checoncept.de/cms/?getObject=302&getLang=en
 On CHE Rankings: http://www.cheranking.de/cms/?getObject=613&getLang=en
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Diversity Management in German HEI
www.che.de
Diversity Management in German HEI
 career advancement for women
(Frauenförderung, nowadays Gleichstellung –
equality)
 special admission rules for handicapped people
or parents (Härtefallregelungen)
 recently: family friendly HEIs
 student recruitment: especially for “MINT“programmes (natural sciences, engineering)
 several isolated projects at most HEIs
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Diversity Management in German HEI
www.che.de
Our Experiences So Far 1
 Project “Demographic change“
– widening participation will become vital from 2013 on
 Prognosis of freshmen development in Germany
70.000
There will be a
gap from 2013
on that needs
to be filled in
order to reach
higher
participation
rates in HE.
 Hochschulprojekte
60.000
50.000
40.000
30.000
20.000
10.000
– FH Frankfurt/Main
– Universität Duisburg-Essen
– Universität Stuttgart
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
0
Saldo
Source: CHE 2008
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Our Experiences So Far 2
 projects with HEIs:
– on retention
– in the course of introducing a vice president for
Diversity Management
– on gender management for post graduates and PhDs
– two projects on families in Higher Education
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Further Plans
 several projects concerning
– teacher education
– questionnaire for the analysis of diversity of student
bodies concerning motivation, abilities, needs and
experiences
 supported by foundations, ministries
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Project “Integra“ –
Auditing and Certification of
Diversity Management in HEI
www.che.de
Audit „Integra“
 Thesis 1:
Social Diversity in HE and in academia are increasing.
HEIs must learn to deal productively with that diversity.
 Thesis 2:
All HEIs already have (isolated) activities in this area.
They need to be strategically developed as well as
systematically implemented.
 Thesis 3:
An Audit is an ideal process to reach both goals: To
perform a systematic inventory as well as a strategic
development of quality.
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Integra 1: Who will be audited?
 HEI
 research facilities
 also faculties and departments
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Integra 2: What will be audited?
 The diversity management of the institution:
– the development of a strategy
– a multidimensional approach (geographical, cultural
and soc-eco background, gender, part time
students...)
– focus groups (students, researchers, administrators...)
– fields of activities (staff, services, marketing...)
 prioritised of the institution according to strategic
orientation
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Integra 3: Goals of the audit
 self assurance of the institution
– via a communicative and participative process
– anchorage within the management
 establishing a controlling
 continuing of activities, sensitizing the persons involved
 cultural change
 public relations via conferences, workshops etc.
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Integra 4: Structure of the audit
 Process in stages
– Stage 1: strategy, goals, concept for a controlling tool
and process > Bronze Certificate
– Stage 2: success, establishment of a controlling tool
including reaction routines, further goals > Silver
Certificate
– Stage 3: extensive diversity management (all fields of
activities, strategically placed fields of activities,
controlling, quality management) > Gold Certificate
Stage 1: only institutions as a whole, Stage 2 and 3: also for
departments of institutions with a Bronze certificate.
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Integra 5: Project development
 pilot: 10-15 HEIs over 2 years
 cooperation and exchange via a benchmarking
club
 supervising board of experts
 development of a programme for auditors
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009
Discussion
www.che.de
Our Interest
 what do you think is helpful, what is a waste of
time?
 what helps to promote “good” causes like equity,
access, equality, inclusion, etc.?
 what connects best with the logic of academic
organisation?
 external support and internal development,
institutional and systemic development
Integra | De Ridder, Leichsenring | York, June 23th 2009