Current Events & News
We cordially invite you to visit our diversity-related events listed below and to read the latest news about diversity at HHU.
Diversity Basics Workshop
The Diversity Section offers diversity awareness training for interested faculty, staff and students at HHU. Click here for more information.
Workshop "Racism (Criticism) at the University".
The Diversity Section offers a workshop for interested faculty, staff and students at HHU to address racism in the context of higher education. Here you can find more information.
Braver Space Meeting
BIPoC students will find a space for exchange and networking to work together on ways to deal with experiences of non-belonging, racism and discrimination. The event series is organized by AntiFaRaDis and Section Diversity and takes place monthly. For more information click here.
Diversity basics workshop September 20 + 23, 2022
The Diversity Section is partnering with SeLL to offer diversity awareness training for interested HHU employees and students on May 17-19, 2022.
Click here for more information.
Diversity awareness training December 07 + 10, 2021
The Diversity Section, in collaboration with SeLL, will offer diversity awareness training for interested HHU faculty, staff, and students on December 07-10, 2021.
Click here for more information.
Diversity Training 15th-16th of June 2020
On 15th and 16th of June 2020 the Coordination Office Diversity will be offering a Diversity Training for interested employees and students of HHU in cooperation with the University Didactics.
Effects of Covid-19 on events at the HHU (Status as of March 17th 2020)
Die meisten Veranstaltungen fallen vorerst aus
In view of the drastically rising infection figures, the federal, state and local authorities have initiated far-reaching measures over the weekend. The most important goal is to slow down the spread of the virus by interrupting the infection paths. This goal can be achieved if we take the necessary hygiene measures (keep our distance, wash our hands and observe coughing and sneezing etiquette) and restrict personal contacts as much as possible. For this reason, most counselling services have been limited to telephone contacts or e-mail communication.
Further information can be found at https://www.uni-duesseldorf.de/home/universitaet/weiterfuehrend/informationen-und-anweisungen-zum-coronavirus.html
Online events of the Career Service
Due to the corona pandemic, the Career Service is also working flat out to provide you with the best possible support in new ways during this time.
The Career Service's digital programme of events for the summer semester 2020 as well as all information on advisory and support services can be found here.
Uniklinik Düsseldorf und Heinrich-Heine-Universität setzen strahlendes Zeichen für Vielfalt
Als Zeichen für Toleranz und Vielfalt und gegen Ausgrenzung erleuchten das Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf (UKD) und die Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf (HHU) in Regenbogenfarben. Von Mittwoch, 23. Juni 2021 zum Eintritt der Dämmerung bis Freitag wird das gemeinsam genutzte Gebäude der sogenannten O.A.S.E. (Gebäude 16.61) in bunt erstrahlen.
Für beide Institutionen ist die Beleuchtung und das gesendete Zeichen kein Gegenstand politischer Diskussionen, sondern schlicht ein Grundrecht: Sowohl am UKD als auch an der HHU arbeiten Menschen gleichberechtigt zusammen für das Wohl von Patientinnen und Patienten, in der Ausbildung der Fachkräfte von morgen und in der Forschung – und das unabhängig von Nationalität, ethnischer Herkunft, Religion, Weltanschauung, Behinderung, Alter, sexueller Orientierung oder Identität. Sowohl die Uniklinik Düsseldorf als auch die Universität sind Unterzeichner der Charta der Vielfalt und fördern ein vorurteilfreies Arbeitsumfeld.
Diversity Award 2021
Diversity inspires: This is demonstrated by the Diversity Award of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), which has now been awarded for the third time. The honorees represent all those who are committed to equal opportunity and ensure that everyone can freely develop their potential. Excellence through diversity - they breathe life into this HHU principle.
On May 19, 2021, the Diversity Award was presented to Prof. Dr. Klaus Pfeffer, former Vice Rector for Strategic Management and Equal Opportunity and Head of the Medical Institute of Microbiology, to Danielle-Christine Ebers, research assistant at the Faculty of Humanities, and to medical student Caroline Ogechukwu Okoli. The three honorees were chosen by a committee consisting of representatives of all status groups, Prorector Prof. Dr. Stefan Marschall, and the head of the Diversity Section (formerly the Diversity Coordination Office) of the Heine Center for Sustainable Development, Dr. Inge Krümpelbeck. She emphasized, "The response to the Diversity Award continues to grow, which makes me very happy. Despite Corona, 20 people were nominated." Professor Marschall likewise sees the positive developments: "It's great that, also through this award, awareness of the opportunities our university has through its diversity has grown."
More information can be found at www.diversity.hhu.de/en/diversity-prize.
Five Years Diversity Coordination Office
Our new brochure "Five Years Diversity Coordination Office" is still hot off the press. It provides information on the most important projects of the Coordination Office since its implementation in 2015 on the initiative of the Vice Rector Pfeffer and is also a conclusion, as the cross-cutting issue of diversity will soon be located in the newly founded Heine Center for Sustainable Development - Diversity, Environment and Health.
An app leads across campus
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf (HHU) is the first university in North Rhine-Westphalia to offer blind and visually impaired people a digital orientation aid: Prorector Prof. Dr. Klaus Pfeffer presented the new BlindSquare app on Thursday. Where is the cafeteria, where is the library? The app tells users where they are and guides them to the desired location via voice output. This is intended to make the everyday life of many students and employees with visual impairments easier, because the campus is spacious, has many sections and building complexes.
Blind, visually impaired as well as interested sighted people can download the free version (BlindSq Event) for use on campus and/or the more comprehensive commercial app (BlindSquare; 43.99 €) from Apple's App Store (https://www.apple.com/de/ios/app-store/).
If you have any questions, please contact the Counseling Office of the Representative for Students with Disabilities or Chronic Illness in Building 24.21., Level 00, Room 33.
On this page you can find more information.
Reopening of the Room of Silence
At the end of March 2020, the "Room of Silence" at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) had a round anniversary. Its 10th year of existence is now being celebrated - due to the Corona Pandemic - in a new guise: The walls have been freshly painted, new furniture has been purchased and the room has been set up jointly. From October 1st, 2020, the room invites you to stay and pause, to pray or meditate, to take a breath and let your soul dangle.
Recommendation for diversity sensitive Education
In order to do justice to the diversity at the university and the potential it offers in teaching, a didactic approach is needed in which greater attention is paid to diversity aspects. The „Recommendation for diversity sensitive Education” and the extended digital version are aimed at providing all students with a successful participation in the learning process. They are parts of the overall strategy of the President’s Office for the promotion of diversity conscious perspectives on the institutional levels of education, research and administration of HHU. The goal of this recommendation is to give lecturers the tools to further their diversity sensitive perspective.
The Download link for the recommendation and a brief outline of its contents can be found here, a full english translation is in the making.
Job vacancy
The Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf is looking for a Project Manager (m/f/d) for the Diversity Management for the implementation of various projects related to the area of responsibility of the Diversity Coordination Office. The task will be carried out within the framework of the 2-year project "Diversity Management at the HHU in the area of studies and teaching with a focus on: Buddy Programme, Qualification Programme and Social Media".
Diversity-Prize 2020
Since 2019, the Diversity Prize has been awarded annually to members and associates of the HHU who are particularly committed to the topic of diversity and who bring the HHU's principle of "Excellence through Diversity" to life. On June 4th, the Diversity Prize 2020 was awarded on a small scale to the three prize winners. Laura Garcia Calderón, Tobias Koch and Damon Mohebbi are particularly committed to the topic of diversity: "In various functions, all of them have contributed to making the HHU a better place to study and work with their dedication to diversity, equality of opportunity and tolerance in teaching and studies," says Prorector Prof. Dr. Klaus Pfeffer. At diversity.hhu.de/diversity-prize you will find short profiles of the prize winners and more information on the Diversity Prize.
Mentorship meeting of the Faculty of Philosophy - Award of certificates of voluntary work
Mentors meeting at Mickeln Castle: "Convincing through arguments or blinding through sophistry?"
The fifth meeting between students of the institute of philosphy and representatives of the economy was used again to broaden the view and to strengthen relations. This time the impulse lectures dealt with Selling: Is rational argumentation used to convince customers of products or services, or is it just a matter of talking them into buying things they don't need?
Markus Milz opened the evening with his lecture from the perspective of management consulting (photo), whereupon Julian Pöhling expanded the field by a philosophical approach.
The diverse points of contact between philosophical reflection and entrepreneurial thinking developed into a lively discussion, which culminated in a lively debate during the GetTogethers. In the course of the meeting some mentors who are involved in the mentoring program for philosophers were honored. Prof. Vosgerau thanked them personally for their commitment and presented them with the honorary certificate of the HHU.
More information can be found at http://www.philosophie.hhu.de/lehre-und-ment…/mentoring.html
No Place for Anti-Semitism
The General Assembly of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) adopts the resolution "There is no place for Anti-Semitism at German Universities":
"The HRK General Assembly is horrified by the terrorist attack in Halle/Saale on 9th of October 2019, the day of the Jewish Reconciliation Festival, and by the increasing number of anti-Semitic incidents in Germany (at least 1799 in 2018 alone). It opposes Anti-Semitism in all its forms".
More information can be found at www.hrk.de/... (only in german).
3rd DiverseCity Congress in the Town Hall
Under the motto "Expanding horizons", around 100 participants exchanged views on diversity in Düsseldorf and its twin cities.
Under the motto "Expanding Horizons", the Equal Opportunities Office of the state capital Düsseldorf, together with the "Völklinger Kreis" (VK), invited to the third DiverseCity Congress on Tuesday, 29th of October at the Düsseldorf City Hall. Around 100 guests attended. The focus of the event was the exchange of ideas with a focus on education and business as well as the reality of LSBTIQ diversity in Düsseldorf and its twin cities. The congress was supported by "Simmons&Simmons".
More information can be found here (german).
pART of Research - Calendars presented!
Young scientists of all five HHU faculties have submitted their picture entries in the "pART of Research" calendar competition. The motto of the current call was "Creative through Diversity. Of 19 entries, twelve images were selected by 1000 voters and will now be printed in the "pART of Research" - calendar 2020 of Heine Research Academies.
From 15 October 2019 the calendar is available free of charge for all interested parties at Heine Research Academies (iGRAD, medRSD, philGRAD and JUNO), the HHU Diversity Coordination Office and at the House of the University in the city center.
Here you can find the official press release about the calendar presentation.
New Volunteer Guidelines Published - HHU encourages volunteering!
On Tuesday, September 10, 2019, the new HHU Volunteer Guideline was published. The new guidelines now makes it possible to award an honorary certificate to committed students and employees of the HHU who, in their voluntary work, are dedicated to the benefit of the university and its members and relatives in a special way.
Volunteering is a cornerstone of our society. Without the commitment of committed volunteers, many areas of our public life would hardly be imaginable, and many people would find it much more difficult to manage everyday life.
You can find the new guidelines for voluntary work here. If you have any questions, please contact the .
Chicks on boards at the zakk
On September 4th a successful movie night took place at the zakk in Düsseldorf. In cooperation with the Diversity Officer of the City of Düsseldorf, the project femmes & schwestern and the Volkshochschule Düsseldorf, the Diversity Coordination Office of the HHU invited moderator and filmmaker Dörthe Eickelberg (XENIUS, ARTE) to a film and talk evening.
In the full hall, the audience were able to watch the lives of female surfers from all over the world. It was exciting to hear how women in India or Gaza are discouraged from surfing, what stereotypes women in South Africa and England struggle with, and that neither age, nor skin colour, religion, sexuality or gender should prevent anyone from surfing.
After the film screening, Dörthe Eickelberg could be asked some very interesting questions, e.g. how she came to start to surf herself, how the social and legal situation is changing for women all over the world and where to find the best surf spots.
Cohesion in Diversity: Diversity Barometer of Robert Bosch Stiftung
This representative survey provides data on the attitudes among Germans towards various aspects, such as age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, religion, and low socio-economic standing.
Diversity Day 2019
On the 28th of May 2019 the 7th nationwide Diversity Day took place and the HHU participated again!
Various activities have taken place in order to set an example once again for the diversity on our campus and for a cosmopolitan and appreciative way of dealing with one another.
You can find more information and photos of the activities 
here.
First Diversity prize awarded
On May 15, the Diversity Prize of Heinrich Heine University was awarded for the first time in the Diversity Steering Committee.
The winners were Katharina Sternke-Hoffmann, Christof Neumann and Prof. Dr. Matthias Franz, who made a special contribution to the HHU as part of the diversity audit "Vielfalt gestalten".
In his speech, Prof. Dr. Klaus Pfeffer, Vice Rector for Strategic Management and Equal Opportunities, praised the extraordinary commitment of the prizewinners: "Your personal commitment has brought the HHU closer to its goal of promoting and shaping diversity, equal opportunities and inclusion! Dr. Inge Krümpelbeck, Head of the Diversity Coordination Office, added: "You have made the topic of 'diversity' tangible and given it a face at the HHU!"
More information can be found here (press release in german).
In 2020 the Diversity Prize will be awarded again. Click here for more information and the nomination form.
Chicks on Boards - Movienight at the zakk
Dörthe Eickelberg live! The anchorwoman (XENIUS, ARTE) and filmmaker brings her movie to the zakk. Movie and talk evening.
In many cultures, women on the surfboard are an affront, often associated with exclusion or sanctions. But there are girls and women who surf anyway. For the festival documentary (80 min.) "Chicks on Boards" the Arte host and passionate surfer Dörthe Eickelberg embarks on a journey to women all over the world who, despite their religion, skin colour, sexual identity, age or tradition, conquer a piece of freedom in society - on the board, on the sea - and thus risk a lot.
Dörthe Eickelberg has been travelling all over Europe for ARTE since 2008, together with her french co-moderator. Her goal: researchers and research, from quanta to elephants. The motor that drives her: her desire to travel and interact with people. Shortly afterwards, she was clicked away by her favourite TV channel. There she now hosts the ARTE science magazine XENIUS.
Dörthe now has guest teaching assignments at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, the Institute for Animation in Ludwigsburg, the University for Film and Television in Babelsberg and the University of the Arts in Berlin.
Wed., 04 September 2019 - zakk, Fichtenstr. 40, Düsseldorf
Entrance from 6 pm - start of talk 7 pm - start of film 7.30 pm - free admission, donation desired
When the weather is good, the event takes place in the zakk beer garden and when it rains in the zakk premises.
All infos also on the following 
info leaflet (jpeg-Download).
Soccer for the blind in Düsseldorf
In Düsseldorf there is now the possibility to play soccer for the blind, dribble, pass and score goals. And all this with the support of the Bundesliga club Fortuna Düsseldorf and the Sportamt of the city of Düsseldorf!typo3/alt_doc.php?returnUrl=/redaktion/typo3conf/ext/templavoila/mod1/index.php?id=111192#c3118bb9e80c9b009e928c61c70cefbc2&edit[tt_content][340495]=edit#
More information can be found in the following 
document (download/ german).
Start of the Diversity-Buddy-Programme "1st Generation @HHU"
The Diversity Coordination Office will launch a new buddy programme at HHU starting during the summer semester 2019 . This programme is intended support first and second semester students who are the first in their families to take up university studies. It is intended that first and second semester students will be supported by their more senior peers.
In addition, there will be joint events on various topics related to studying at the HHU and studying in general.
Milestone for the Diversity Management at HHU
At the 5th Diversity Forum on 20 February in Berlin, Professor Klaus Pfeffer, Vicepresident for Strategic Management and Equal Opportunities, received the "Vielfalt gestalten" (Shaping Diversity) audit certificate from the Stifterverband on behalf of the HHU.
The Diversity Audit has produced new ideas and measures for dealing with diversity at universities and colleges in the context of strategy and organizational development.
Here you can find the press release.
Science meets art
8th of October 2018
The Heine Research Academies (HeRA) of the Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) presented the new "pART of Research" calendar 2019. The motifs of the individual months are taken from young scientists of all faculties. They were selected from a total of 27 submissions by a vote in which 1,400 HHU members participated.
New course concept of the Department of Educational Research enters the practical phase
Following on from the successful service learning seminar on the subject of refugee assistance that has been held since the 2016 summer semester, the Department of Educational Research and Management in cooperation with the HHU Diversity Team launched the Diversity Offensive in the 2018 winter semester. Together with students with and without disabilities, the two-year project seminar will carry out an in-depth needs analysis as well as plan and implement support offers from students for students. The practical phase begins on Tuesday 16 October.
„Diversity in Practice – My way to Internship"
On 11 July, the Representative for Students with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses, Prof. Dr. Matthias Franz, invited to the information event "Diversity in Practice - Mein Weg ins Praktikum". Through cooperation with various companies, his counselling centre supports students with disabilities and chronic illnesses at the start of their careers.
"Toilets for All" at HHU
By rededicating some gender-specific toilet facilities to gender-neutral "Toilets for All", HHU is setting a further sign of diversity and acceptance on campus.
My HEINE-woman and my HEINE-man
-On July 4th, the Heinrich Heine University celebrated the tenth anniversary of "my HEINE-woman": a unique project that shows the female versatility of HHU and with which Dr. Anja Vervoorts, Central Equal Opportunities Officer of HHU, honours members of the university for their commitment. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary, "HEINE-men" were also awarded for the first time.
Elimination of Gender Designation on Official Documents and the Student ID Cards
23th of November 2017
As of summer semester 2018, there will be no longer any "Ms." or "Mr." designation on student ID cards, certificates, and any other official documents issued by HHU as decided by the President's Office on November 23, 2017.
International day against racism and xenophobia
Campaign day for democracy, solidarity and appreciation and against racism, hatred and exclusion, under the patronage of Mayor Thomas Geisel and on the initiative of the Chairman of the Integration Council Katharina Kabata
Location: Schadowplatz
Organizer: Equal Opportunities Office of the City of Düsseldorf, Diversity Officer
Awareness Week 2019 (Kopie 1)
Since 2018, the AStA of the HHU is organising an annual Awareness Week, during which the different types of discrimination are to be brought to the attention of the public for a week, while at the same time beauty in diversity is to be shown on campus. During the project-week from 8th to 12th April 2019 different types of discrimination will be discussed. In cooperation with the Muslim university group, a day will be organised on the subject of Islamophobia. During the whole week members of the university can immortalize themselves on a blackboard and write or draw their experiences on the subject of discrimination at the university.
You can find more information here (in german).
Men's Congress 21st-22nd of September 2018
29th of May 2018
The Clinical Institute for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy of the University Hospital Düsseldorf and the Academy for Psychoanalysis and Psychosomatics Düsseldorf invite to the fifth Men's Congress. This year's conference topic is MEN. POWER. THERAPY.
Lecture series and panel discussion "Diversity in Practice - Your way to the internship" on 11th of July
15th of June 2018
The Commissioner and the Counselling Centre for Students with Disabilities and Chronic Diseases invite you to a series of lectures and panel discussion with L'Oreal on the topic "Diversity in Practice - Your Path to the Internship". This is about diversity at the HHU and L'Oreal and the exchange of experiences between students with disabilities and chronic diseases who have already successfully completed an internship at L'Oreal.
The lectures and panel discussion take place from 15-16:30 o'clock in lecture hall 3C in building 23.01. Furthermore, there are information stands in the foyer of companies that would like to introduce themselves and get in contact with students.
For further questions and registration for the event, please contact the following e-mail address: .
Information Flyer in German (PDF-Download)
Lecture: No means no! 9th of July 2018
22th of June 2018
In cooperation with the Central Equal Opportunities Officer of HHU, the Women's Office and the LesBi Office of the Students' Union (AStA) invite to a lecture on the topic "No means no!" for women only. The lecture starts at 6:30 pm on July 9th in lecture hall 3B (building 23.01).
Marion Heyers from the Düsseldorf Police Department and Lena Löwen from the Düsseldorf Women's Counselling Centre will give a short lecture to inform about self-protection, the legal situation and the way forward. They will show where sexualised violence begins and how help and support can be obtained.
Afterwards, you have the chance to talk to the two experts and ask questions.
Information Flyer (German)International Symposium Queering Japan 6th-7th of Juli 2018
29th of May 2018
The Institute of Modern Japanese Studies I invites to an international symposium regarding the topic of "Queerying Japan: Transnational Perspectives on Politics, Society and Culture".
France Day Juni 19th 2018
29th of May 2018
Our French partner universities will visit us on the 19th of June 2018. Look forward to exciting presentations, stimulating discussions and good food. Perhaps you would like to spend a semester abroad in France!
More information (French page).
Successful participation of HHU in the 6th German Diversity Day on 5th of June 2018
By organising the Diversity Day, HHU is setting a clear example for cosmopolitanism, diversity and tolerance on campus.On Tuesday (5th of June) the all-round successful Diversity Day took place on the HHU campus. In addition to an information fair and a diversity image campaign, which was very well received, a film evening rounded off the well-attended event.
A dedicated team of various institutions of HHU could be won for the bazaar, where many different activities were offered. These included a diversity quiz, hands-on games or a box of wishes for the visitors. In addition, there were many small give-aways related to the topic of diversity for the visitors. All offers were received extremely positively and curiously by students and staff. The visitors had the opportunity to inform themselves, exchange views and get in touch with the various contact points of HHU, which are involved in the field of diversity.
Here you can find photos and impressions of the day.
Campus Pride Demonstration (CSD) of the Students' Association on May 16th, 2018
2th of May 2018
The Students' Association and its autonomous departments organize the 5th Campus Pride Demonstration (CSD) with events around the topic of sexual orientation and gender identity.