Gender Equality
During the summer semester 2011, the share of female students at the BGSE is 26%. This number corresponds with the international situation: In the United States as well as in Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and even Sweden only about 1/4 to 1/3 of doctoral degrees in economics are awarded to women (source: Jonung, Christina and Ann-Charlotte Stahlberg: "Reaching the Top? On Gender Balance in the Economics Profession", Econ Journal Watch, Vol. 5 Number 2, May 2008, pp 174-192).
To close the gender gap in the future, the BGSE strongly encourages qualified female students to send their application material.
In general, we believe that the structured format of our Phd program - compared to the traditional German system - makes it much easier to create an environment in which traditional gender barriers become less important. Students take classes together and there are plenty of opportunities to work together with other students in small groups. Young women find an appealing environment in which it is easy to meet and work with other women. (For an impression on international networking by our students, you may want to have a look at the section "BGSE students at conferences".)
Numerous gender studies underline the importance of role models. The BGSE is proud of their female alumni. By visiting the section "BGSE Alumni" on this website, you will figure out that women who have studied at the BGSE are nowadays postdocs, assistant professors and full professors at renowned universities. Among the five BGSE-juniorprofessorships established within the Excellence Initiative in 2006, there are two female professors. Furthermore, the BGSE asks female students to talk about their experiences themselves at appropriate events (e.g. DAAD workshops and study fairs).
BGSE students, regardless of their gender, have the chance to participate in soft skill seminars, e.g. seminars on academic presentations skills.
Students who have children and receive a scholarship by the DFG can ask for a children's allowance and under certain conditions for financial help for childcare. Furthermore, scholarships for students with small children can be prolonged in line with the regulations of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundations - DFG) (download DGF rules - excerpt in German) .
The equal opportunity office of the University of Bonn has numerous offers for female students in general and for students with children as well as for female Phd students in specific. For example, female Phd students have the possibility to participate in coaching and mentoring programs (flyer as pdf download), parents find help in arranging child care, female postdocs can apply for funds to realize research visits abroad. For details, visit the website of the equal opportunity office.
If you have any questions related to gender equality at the BGSE, feel free to contact the managing director Dr. Silke Kinzig (skinzig@uni-bonn.de).
If you prefer addressing your question regarding parenthood and gender equality at the BGSE to current students, you can e-mail Jasmin Gider (jgider@uni-bonn.de) or Thomas Deckers (thomas.deckers@uni-bonn.de).
external links:
You may be interested in the website of the Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession (CSWEP). CSWEP is a subcommittee of the American Economics Association charged with addressing the status of women in the economics profession.
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundations - DFG) provides background information, facts and figures on gender equality in research promotion by the DFG (DFG equal opportunities).
