MoA Workshop Series »Building Skills for Research Leadership« as a Diversity Measure
Recap and Outlook
In an increasingly diverse academic landscape, the challenge of a gender- and diversity-sensitive leadership culture is more relevant than ever. Beginning in November 2023, MoA launched its ongoing workshop series Building Skills for Research Leadership with the goal of offering its members key competencies for diversity-sensitive leadership qualification, particularly to researchers in team or project leadership roles. The program was designed to address frequent questions about equity and inclusion at the Cluster. Participation was certified.
For this measure, we invited different experts to half-day training sessions on decolonizing research and antidiscrimination, bias management, and preventative measures against sexual harassment in academic workspaces. Through hands-on exercises, participants developed criteria for a discrimination-free work environment within existing research projects and were provided with tools for productive application. The courses also developed first-improvement steps for creating discrimination-free spaces on an organizational level.
Creating a culture of awareness is part of excellent research. Participants expressed a need for ongoing training and support in this area as well as opportunities for reflection. Many members are involved in complex, multilateral and intercultural research processes and constellations (including Cluster teamwork, international collaborations, and field research). An anonymous survey confirmed the demand to continue and develop this workshop series further. Suggested issues included deeper reflections on race and powersharing as well as active bystander trainings. If you have any concrete suggestions for future workshop topics in 2025, please contact the diversity officer, Elisabeth Obermeier.
In addition to these in-house workshops addressing Cluster-specific issues and structures open to all its members, the Women’s and Equal Opportunities Officers from HU Berlin have acquired funding to offer a total of 30 diversity training courses until November 2024. HU members in leadership positions (managers, advisors, board members, and all persons involved in hiring decisions) are encouraged to train themselves in diversity competency.