What structural changes are needed in a landscape of academic excellence to effectively promote diversity and equal opportunity? Which evidence-based measures can be derived from current research—and how can they be translated into university practice? The 16th DiGENet Dialogues address these questions in the context of the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) and highlight the work of the DiGENet Junior Research Groups within the Cross-Cutting Theme "Diversity and Gender Equality."

The event brings together recent research findings on diversity and discrimination experiences in academia with strategic recommendations for the structural development of the Alliance. Alongside concise spotlights from our four research groups (see below), the focus will be on discussing specific, research-based proposals.

At the heart of the program is a high-level panel discussion featuring the presidents and board members of the BUA institutions, who will engage with the findings and recommendations.

The event is open to all researchers and engaged individuals working at the intersections of diversity, university development, and institutional responsibility. We warmly invite you to contribute your perspective and join the dialogue on the future of equitable academic practice.

Program Overview

 
09:15 – Opening & Welcome Addresses

 Dr. Alexandra-Gwyn Paetz, Managing Director

 
09:30 – DiGENet Project Spotlights
Presentation of key findings from the four Junior Research Groups:

Dr. Sarah Bellows-Blakely (Freie Universität Berlin)

Dr. Pichit Buspavanich (Charité)

Dr. Aline Oloff (Technische Universität Berlin)

Lea Luttenberger (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

 

11:00 – Evidence-Based Recommendations
Presentation of specific policy recommendations for the four BUA partner universities

Dr. Sarah Bellows-Blakely (Freie Universität Berlin)

 

11:15 – Panel Discussion with BUA Presidents
Reflections and discussion of the recommendations by the university presidents and representatives from the research groups

Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

Prof. Dr. Günter Ziegler (Freie Universität Berlin)

Prof. Dr. Geraldine Rauch (Technische Universität Berlin)

Jörg Schäfer (Charité)

Dr. Aline Oloff (Technische Universität Berlin)

Dr. Pichit Buspavanich (Charité) 

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Martina Erlemann (Freie Universität Berlin)

 

12:30 – Closing & Informal Networking
Networking over snacks and drinks

Registration:
The link will be sent in time before the start of the event. Register until July 4 by sending a short E-Mail to:
DiGENet@berlin-university-alliance.de

About the DiGENet Junior Research Groups

DiGENet supports four Junior Research Groups in the field of gender and diversity studies. Using innovative questions, methods, and approaches, they generate scientific foundations for empirically informed organizational development in the areas of diversity and gender equality in higher education. Building on Berlin’s strong research base and extensive data resources, the groups critically examine existing equality and anti-discrimination measures and assess their potential for adaptation to new diversity-related strategies.

Research Group Spotlights

• ADOMiS: Attitudes toward Diversity, Objectivity and Meritocracy in Science – Multiple Barriers to Academic Excellence
  Led by Prof. Dr. Mirjam Fischer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
  This group conducts a large-scale survey among university members to examine prevailing norms and attitudes toward diversity, objectivity, and meritocracy within the BUA. They investigate both career trajectories and psychological stressors, including experiences of discrimination, internalized stigma, and mental health.

• Intervention for Equity in Academic Medicine and Life Sciences
  Led by Dr. med. Pichit Buspavanich, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
  This group develops and tests targeted interventions aimed at improving equity for underrepresented groups in research, teaching, and clinical practice. Their approach includes peer- and personality-based group formats designed to support identity development and self-acceptance among marginalized communities.

• Fix the Institution, not the Excluded! Reframing Diversity Policies and Anti-Discrimination Work in Higher Education
  Led by Dr. Aline Oloff, Technische Universität Berlin
  Focusing on institutional structures rather than marginalized individuals, this group explores how discrimination operates at the organizational level. It combines quantitative methods to better measure representation gaps with qualitative monitoring processes, particularly in the context of anti-discrimination counseling.

• Fixing the System: Historical Analyses of Gender and Diversity Structures in Academia
  Led by Dr. Sarah Bellows-Blakely, Margherita von Brentano Center, Freie Universität Berlin
  This group examines the historical reasons why institutional structures for gender and diversity have not been sustainably established. It centers on bureaucratic mechanisms and policy implementation, including empirical studies of institutional responses to sexual harassment and discrimination at Berlin’s universities.