Tasks and competences of the AKG

Source: https://www.tuwien.at/en/tu-wien/a-university-for-all/committee-on-equal-treatment/tasks Parent: https://www.tuwien.at/en/tu-wien/a-university-for-all/committee-on-equal-treatment

The AKG is a collegial body under Universities Act 2002 (UG 02), established by the senate.\ The members act upon the rights and duties arising from the regulations under the Universities Act as well as the Federal Equal Treatment Act individually, in a team of two or by the AKG as a body.

Our tasks

What is the AKG responsible for?

a) The AKG prevents and takes action against unequal treatment and discrimination, in particular by monitoring hiring procedures.

• Involvement in hiring procedures of scientific staff as well as of administrative and technical staff (including externally funded, limited-term and temporary employees).
• Exercising the right of control in other HR procedures (esp. contract extensions, promotions, changes in assignments).
• Involvement in procedures for the appointment of professors as well as habilitation procedures.
• Appealing to the arbitration board when decision-making bodies affirm their decisions.
• Making a formal request to the Federal Equal Treatment Commission for the preparation of written assessments of whether or not unequal treatment has occurred.

b) The AKG offers advice on matters related to equal opportunities as well as bullying and (sexual) harassment.

• Advising the senate and the advising collegial bodies at TU Wien.
• Advising and supporting university members regarding gender equality, equal treatment under B-GIBG as well as the career advancement of women.
• Participating in working groups at the university and together with other universities or networks and sharing knowledge on crating equal opportunities.
• Advising on and raising awareness about bullying and (sexual) harassment among people in leadership positions and members of TU Wien.
• Advising on and raising awareness about possibilities to create a humane working climate.
• Developing new strategies for the protection against discrimination, gender quality, career advancement of women, gender Mainstreaming or the compatibility of university careers and with family care.

c) The AKG informs about equal opportunities (in language), gender equality, gender mainstreaming and the career advancement of women.

• Preparing and publishing summaries of relevant topics
• Raising awareness and providing information on specific issues, such as (sexual) harassment or bullying.
• Customized information services in the areas of equal opportunities, gender equality, equal opportunities in language, gender mainstreaming and the career advancement of women upon request.
• Preparing an annual report for the university council and the rectorate.

What rights does the AKG have to enforce its mandate?

Legal basis for the activities of the AKG

• Right to access all documents and data that are essential in order for the AKG to fulfil its duties.
• Right to appeal to the arbitration board.
• In the meetings of the university council, the chairperson of the AKG has the right to give its opinion on agenda items that fall within the tasks of the AKG.
• Right to make a draft proposal for the university's career advancement plan for women.
• Right to information on all in-house matters, as far as this is necessary for the fulfilment of its duties laid down by law.
• Right to give its opinion on draft legislation and decrees in the area of university law, equal opportunities and related matters.
• Right to propose the childcare officer
• Members are independent and free from directives.
• AKG members may not be obstructed in the fulfilment of their duties and may not be hindered in their careers because of this work.

What are the guarantees for those affected by unequal treatment or discrimination?

• The members of the AKG are independent and not bound by any instructions.
• The members of the AKG are obliged to respect requests for confidentiality and privacy when they deal with matters brought to their attention (advice, information, support).
• If desired by those affected, a case can be taken up with the relevant bodies at TU Wien.

What formal sanctions are possible?

• Appealing to the arbitration board

What is the AKG not responsible for?

The AKG is neither a decision-making body nor a ruling body.

What is the goal of the AKG's activities according to the law?

The target to increase the proportion of women to at least 50% (pursuant to B-GlBG) remains a long way off in most areas of personnel, resources and co-determination.\ This makes it even more relevant to integrate equal opportunities and anti-discrimination, gender equality and the career advancement of women into all HR decision-making processes in research and teaching as well as in the target agreements (Principle of gender mainstreaming, cf. § 2 UG 02). As a collegial body for advising on and monitoring equal opportunities, the AKG therefore provides support for the implementation of the career advancement plan for women and reports on successes in its annual report. If necessary, it gives its opinion on decrees issued by the university and makes suggestions for improvements.