RESIST promotes equal opportunities and diversity
RESIST supports all members regardless of gender, origin, age, state of health, family commitments, sexual orientation, religion or culture. Since RESIST is embedded in the MHH, supporting MHH programmes can be used that include a range of measures (see figure).
In addition, RESIST has added its own components (marked in dark blue in the figure) to provide all members with the best possible individual support. It is of central importance that family and career can be reconciled. Equally important is the support of women in science.
Nurseries and emergency childcare
The MHH offers more than 400 full-time childcare places for children of crèche, kindergarten and school age, including before- and after-school care. All three day-care centres are bilingual (German/English). Day care is provided between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., including during the school holidays.
In addition, RESIST researchers at the MHH can also take advantage of childcare at short notice during off-peak hours, as the MHH cooperates with pme Familienservice GmbH and Fluxx. More information can be found on the corresponding website of the MHH Equal Opportunities Office.
Support for fathers
The interface between career and family is also a challenge for active fathers. In order to be able to manage this better, there is information for fathers at the MHH in a ‘Best Practice Guide’. It emerged from the research project ‘Fathers’ support at the MHH‘. In addition, there is a fathers’ representative at the MHH who represents the interests of fathers at the MHH.
DFG Poolen-Programme
RESIST researchers and researchers from other DFG networks at the MHH can participate in the ‘DFG Poolen Programme’ via the MHH Equal Opportunities Office. It includes workshops and events on topics such as team leadership, conflict management and self-presentation. In consultation with the RESIST management, RESIST covers the participation fee. More information can be found on the homepage of the MHH Equal Opportunities Office.
Family LOM
At the MHH, scientific achievements by women are calculated with a factor of 1.5 in the performance-oriented allocation of funds (LOM) for research. In this way, the working groups benefit directly financially from the work of female scientists. With the new ‘Family LOM 360 degrees’ concept, from 2025 doctors and scientists will also be supported if they take at least six months of parental leave as ‘active fathers’.
Programmes for female scientists
The MHH’s ‘Ellen Schmidt Programme’ enables female scientists to complete their habilitation by releasing them from routine duties. The MHH’s ‘Ina Pichlmayr Mentoring Programme’ supports female postdocs who aspire to a professorship in science. In addition, the BMBF provides financial support for professorships for female scientists (BMBF Women Professors Programme). You can find more information on the homepage of the MHH Equal Opportunities Office.
Support for (expectant) mothers
RESIST supports female scientists in their re-entry after childbirth by financing a technical employee or a student assistant. For clinical female scientists, RESIST covers part of the salary so that they can concentrate on research (programme ‘Re-entry’). Even during pregnancy, RESIST scientists can apply for a RESIST-financed student assistant or technical assistant as support (programme ‘Maternity’).
Women in RESIST (WiR)
RESIST has established the network ‘Women in RESIST’ (WiR). The participating female scientists support each other scientifically, interdisciplinary, interculturally and personally. If necessary, external speakers can be invited to the meetings.
International researchers and diversity
We are pleased that RESIST is so international: numerous people in our RESIST team come from abroad and/or work with colleagues in institutions around the world. The point of contact at the MHH for questions regarding international exchange and cooperation is the MHH’s International Office. You can find everything you need to know about the topic of ‘international affairs’ on a separate subpage of this RESIST homepage, where we also report on our specially designed German course, among other things.
Gender & Diversity Portal
The MHH’s Early Career Mentoring programme is a programme for doctoral students that includes mentoring partnerships, workshops and networking evenings. It is aimed at women and people who, due to various diversity characteristics, belong to marginalised groups and who are confronted with structural hurdles and discrimination in their daily lives. In addition, the MHH has a Gender & Diversity Portal with helpful information, for example, the contact details for the MHH anti-discrimination office can be found there.
RESIST supports funding measures
RESIST partner institutions offer numerous other programmes to promote equal opportunities. RESIST supports these measures. Further information on equal opportunities can be found online at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo).
