University Culture & Diversity

The Department of University Culture and Diversity sees itself as a central point of contact for all those who want to experience and help shape the university as an open, supportive and diverse space - for students, prospective students and city society.

We are committed to a university culture based on solidarity, participation and justice. In doing so, we aim to strengthen the university as an active player in social and urban transformation processes. With projects such as the "Niederrhein Urban Lab" or through participatory research with urban society as co-researchers, we build bridges between science, the city and the region, promote dialogue and create new spaces for encounters.

Three teams work closely together in the department: The Central Student Advice Centre supports and guides prospective students on their educational path. The Anti-Discrimination Officer and the family service are committed to equal opportunities, diversity and the reduction of discrimination within the university. The Third Mission is committed to working with the urban community and opening up the university to the region.

Together, we want to provide impetus: from the university to society and from society to the university.

We are committed to a participatory, solidary and diverse university. We advocate the principle of zero tolerance towards discrimination, violence and abuse of power in relation to all members of the university.

We state this in our preamble:

We understand diversity as a social reality and as an enrichment for joint learning, teaching education and collaboration. Our thoughts and actions are characterised by a culture of mindfulness, an attitude of recognising different realities of life, solidarity and intersectional awareness.

We oppose all forms of discrimination, violence and abuse of power, especially where different forms of discrimination overlap and reinforce each other, for example through racism, heteronormativism, classism and bodyism. We are aware that intersectional power relations also have an impact in educational spaces. That is why we are committed to structures that enable discrimination-critical thinking, self-reflection and inclusion.

We create spaces in which participation is lived and promote the co-design of teaching and learning processes by students. In doing so, we recognise different requirements, burdens and needs. In order to enable fair participation, we promote equal opportunities through needs-based support and the removal of structural barriers. Our goal is a supportive, participatory and discrimination-sensitive educational environment.

A central anti-discrimination office at The Hochschule Niederrhein is currently still being set up.

The task of the anti-discrimination office is to continuously work towards strengthening and developing a university culture that is critical of discrimination and power and to permanently anchor anti-discrimination as a central value in the university context.

It is aimed at all university members who:

• are themselves affected by discrimination,
• have observed and/or witnessed discrimination,
• want to show solidarity and actively oppose discrimination as allies,
• would like support in recognising their own gaps.

Contact: Antidiskriminierung(at)hs-niederrhein.de

The Hochschule Niederrhein promotes the compatibility of family and studies or career.

In addition to the strategic handling of the topic by the Equal Opportunities Officer, the family service is a permanent programme at The Hochschule Niederrhein. Offers are made at the various locations to support our university members with family and care responsibilities. These include the possibility of confidential counselling, the arrangement of childcare places, the organisation of meeting formats and our parent-child facilities on the campuses.

Contact: Familienservice(at)hs-niederrhein.de

In addition to the traditional tasks of universities in studies and teaching education as well as research and transfer, the term Third Mission stands for the exchange of science with society. The Hochschule Niederrhein's Third Mission encompasses a wide range of activities in the areas of knowledge and technology transfer, continuing education programmes and social commitment. Our aim, particularly in the Niederrhein region, is to contribute knowledge to society and to learn from society.

Discover The Hochschule Niederrhein as a place of dialogue and take part in the exchange between science and society. Gain an insight into our knowledge, ideas and discoveries, just as we benefit from your wishes as well as your knowledge and expertise. Join us as a guest student, as a participant in lectures, as a student in workshops, follow our activities or get involved as part of the research with your questions and your expertise. Together we can shape the dialogue.

We cordially invite you to join in and get in contact with us.

The Central Student Advice Centre (ZSB) is the first point of contact for all questions relating to studies. We advise pupils, prospective students, parents and teachers.

We tailor our counselling to the individual needs and personal situation of those seeking advice. Counselling is open-ended.

At both campuses (Krefeld South Campus and Mönchengladbach Campus), we offer advice on all degree programmes offered by The Hochschule Niederrhein.

Contact: Student Advice@hs-niederrhein.de

Under the motto "Hochschule Niederrhein - Your way", the NRW talent scouting team at HSNR supports and accompanies talented individuals in Krefeld, Mönchengladbach and the district of Viersen.

With its talent scouting programme, the university is joining a network of colleges and universities that aims to open doors for people and pave the way to a professional future that suits them individually.

By participating in the NRW talent scouting programme, we at The Hochschule Niederrhein would like to

• make a contribution to more equal opportunities in education
• open doors for people and pave the way to an individualised professional future
• support the development of talents and potential in young people, regardless of their
  parental home.

Contact: Talentscouts(at)hs-niederrhein.de