In order to ensure the quality of high-level research and teaching as well as to promote the internationalisation of a competitive university of the future, RWTH Aachen has to attract and retain diverse people. The university needs people who perceive their diversity as chance and potential for themselves and the university, as “the inclusion of equal opportunities is not only a question of justice but rather a question of sustainability.” Univ.-Prof. Dr. Carmen Leicht-Scholten.

The scientific unit Integration Team – Human Resources, Gender and Diversity Management (IGaD) - situated at the rector’s office - supports and accompanies the university in this comprehensive process. The IGaD is the central stakeholder within the measure "Mobilising People" which is part of RWTH Aachen’s Institutional Strategy set in the framework of the German Excellence Initiative.

RWTH Aachen has been the first German university to establish a strong and sustainable structural framework for the realisation of a coherent gender and diversity strategy. The IGaD works in the areas of Human Resources and Organisational Development, Work Life Balance, Research and Teaching. Therefore its main objective is to contribute to the establishment of equality and diversity as fundamental principles at all levels of decision-making.

The integration of Gender and Diversity perspectives stands for:  

• The active and fair arrangement of upcoming change management processes at RWTH Aachen University
• The ability to embrace change, challenges, innovation and new developments
• The development of skills that will enable us to acknowledge, value and inspire people from diverse backgrounds
• The implementation of a coherent human resources and organisational development concept regarding gender and diversity aspects.

Hence, the main function of the IGaD is to sensitise different stakeholders at the university for gender and diversity issues and to support, advise and accompany them in carrying out a coherent human resources and organisational development strategy which integrates gender and diversity aspects.