Overview of Advising Services and Complaints Offices at TU Berlin

Source: https://www.tu.berlin/en/about/organization/advising-services-complaints-offices Parent: https://www.tu.berlin/en/studying

With over 33,000 students and more than 7,000 staff members, TU Berlin is a diverse hub for studying, researching, teaching, and working. Yet despite this diversity, our members unfortunately still have to contend with discrimination. We are committed to preventing discrimination, and the University offers a wide range of advising and support services.

The Executive Board at TU Berlin is committed to a University free from ableism, abuse of power, ageism, antisemitism, bullying, discrimination, homophobia, Islamophobia, queerphobia, racism, sexism, and sexual harassment, discrimination, and violence as well as other forms of discrimination and violence (listed in alphabetical order). Although the University does not have a separate point of contact for every type of discrimination, you can always be sure of a sympathetic ear, and we would like to assure you that we are constantly working to expand our measures to combat discrimination.

Below you can find an overview of the structures at TU Berlin that can help you in difficult situations. Each resource outlines which status groups they can support and some of the circumstances and topics they can support you with.\ \ Please note: This list will be updated regularly.

Antidiscriminiation - Advising and Complaints Office

The primary goal of this office is to support people who are forced to deal with experiences of discrimination, power abuse, and sexualized violence. If this is you, you are welcome to contact me (Dr. Sagi Schaefer). I will do my best to help you understand the situation and figure out what the best way forward is for you. \ Topics:\ - Discrimination\ - Abuse\ - Sexualized violence\ - Counseling and support \

Antisemitism Officer

The antisemitism officer Professor Uffa Jensen serves as a point of contact and advisor for Jewish and non-Jewish University members, both students and staff, and also advises the Executive Board on relevant matters. He is there to help if you need support regarding antisemitic incidents or if you require counseling. Inquiries will be treated with discretion and confidentiality.

Coordinating Office for Women’s Advancement and Gender Equality

The Coordinating Office for Women’s Advancement and Gender Equality is managed by the main women and gender equality officer and involved in a number of tasks and projects. The gender equality advisors represent the interests of transgender, intersex, and non-binary people and act as points of contact for these members, among others.\ \ Topic:\ - Gender diversity

Family Services Office

All University staff and students can contact the Family Services Office for assistance regarding family issues. Advising encompasses questions on issues such as:\ \ Topics:\ - Balancing your career/studies and family life\ - Possibilities for flexible working hours (part-time, home office, special leave)\ - Support options while studying during pregnancy or parental leave\ - Financial and legal possibilities regarding maternity protection, parental leave, parental allowance, and child benefit\ - Searching for daycares, schools, or babysitters\ - Childcare options, including for visiting scholars; organizing childcare during TU events\ - Guidance for individuals with care responsibilities\ - Implementation of family-friendliness in line with the “audit familiengerechte hochschule” certificate\ - Application and possible use of equal opportunities funds through third-party funding\ - TU Berlin childcare offers: flexible childcare, holiday care\ - TU Tandem: mentoring program for students with families

Internal Reporting System ("Whistleblower System")

The TU Berlin has entrusted the law firm Scheja & Partners GmbH & Co. KG with the operation of an internal reporting system to process information about violations of applicable law and to carry out the tasks of the internal reporting office. The reporting system is available to all employees and temporary workers and all other persons who are in contact with TU Berlin in the course of their professional activities. Via the reporting system, you have the possibility, also completely anonymously, to submit reports on violations of laws. Your reports will be processed by selected attorneys in compliance with legal regulations and confidentiality. You also have the option of arranging a personal meeting with a lawyer from Scheja & Partners GmbH & Co. KG via the internal reporting system.

Main Women and Gender Equality Officer

The main women and gender equality officer is the elected representative of the female members of the University. She works to eliminate existing disadvantages for women, increase equal opportunities, and to counteract and dismantle discrimination. Students and staff are welcome to contact her for confidential and independent advice.\ \ Topics:\ - Sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence\ - Equality issues \ - Gender-based discrimination \

Ombudspersons and Investigation Commission for Scientific Misconduct

The ombudspersons work to ensure good research practice at TU Berlin. You are welcome to contact them if you suspect scientific misconduct. The ombudspersons will endeavor to resolve the situation through mediation and, if required, forward the case to the Investigation Commission for Scientific Misconduct, which will then examine and evaluate the allegations and submit a draft resolution to the Executive Board.\ \ Topics: \ - Scientific misconduct

Racism Officer

The position of the Racism Officer primarily serves as a contact and counselling centre for all members of TU Berlin who are affected by racist discrimination in all its forms. In addition, the Racism Officer advises the Presidential Board on relevant matters. Please contact the Racism Officer if you have experienced racist discrimination and need advice or simply need to talk. Enquiries and contacts will of course be treated confidentially.\ The position is currently vacant. In urgent cases, please contact the ‘Antidiscrimination – Advising and Complaints Office’.\

Please note: Further services available to students throughout their degree programs can be found here.

Academic Advising Service

The Academic Advising Service provides guidance both before and during your studies in the form of individual advising sessions, events, and information, and can put you in touch with the right person to help you with specific concerns.\ \ Topics:\ - Study-related topics: choosing a degree program, career prospects, problems, etc. \ - Studying as a parent

Advising for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses

Chronic illnesses or physical disabilities can make it harder to study. TU Berlin has many services providing you with a wide range of assistance. \ \ Topics:\ - Academic adjustments and adjustments to study and examination conditions \ - Accessibility and reachability

Center for Junior Scholars

The Center for Junior Scholars is the central facility for supporting doctoral students and postdocs in all their questions. You can call or email us at any time and we will offer you confidential advice. \ \ Topics: \ - Problems in the relationship with the supervisor of your doctoral project (or with your supervisees)\ - Questions about roles, tasks and time frame in the doctoral examination procedure from submission to assessment \ - Sufficient opportunities for your own qualification (doctorate or postdoc)\ - workload due to non-qualification tasks

General Students’ Committee (AStA) of TU Berlin

AStA represents all students at the University and offers special advising for specific target groups. Its services include:\ \ Topics:\ - BAföG and social counseling\ - Legal advising for all legal questions; legal representation may be arranged

Psychological counseling

Psychological Counseling helps students to deal with personal concerns as well as cope with crises and the psychological issues and problems which can affect your ability to study. \ \ Topics:\ - Confidential and free counselling\ - For university difficulties such as exam anxiety, procrastination, pressure to perform, feeling overwhelmed\ - For mental illness\ - For finding therapy places\ - For difficult life situations, life crises and problems of all kinds\ - Experiences of discrimination\

Staff Council for Student Assistants

Student assistants can contact the Staff Council for Student Assistants with any questions relating to social and labor law, and in the event of conflicts and difficulties with the HR department, their workplace, managers, or the president. \ \ Topics:\ - Advising regarding employment, employment contracts, assignments, contract duration, (special) leave, illness, maternity protection and parental leave \ - Termination/annulment contracts, etc.\ - Conflict advising for problems with managers, colleagues, etc.\ - General information about child benefit/nursing and pension insurance (no legal advising)\ - Monthly meetings for new hires

AGG Complaints Office

The AGG Complaints Office at TU Berlin offers employees the opportunity to defend themselves against discrimination. All employees, including applicants and trainees, who feel discriminated against on the grounds of race or ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual identity can contact the AGG Complaints Office.\ The complaints office offers confidential and low-threshold counselling to help affected people. With their consent, further steps can be taken to resolve the conflict and process the complaint. Complaints can be submitted to the AGG Complaints Office by telephone, e-mail or in writing. Gina Cajar is responsible for the AGG Complaints Office. \ \ Topics:\ - Complaints under the AGG due to discrimination based on race, ethnic origin, gender, religion, ideology, disability, age, sexual identity (in accordance with Section 1 AGG)

Conflict Management

Conflict Management supports all TU Berlin staff in the event of conflict with one or more parties. Your concern will be treated with confidentiality and proceedings will be impartial and neutral.\ \ Topics:\ - Conflicts \ - Communication

Medical Service

The Medical Service is on hand to help University staff with medical matters.\ \ Topics:\ - Advising in situations of conflict accompanied by or resulting in a health (psychosomatic, psychic, and/or physical) impairment\ - First aid in conflict situations of all kinds

Office of Staff with Disabilities

The Office of Staff with Disabilities is responsible for supporting the integration of people with disabilities, representing their interests within the University, and providing them with advice and assistance. The services cover all issues affecting a person with disabilities as an individual, as well as disabled persons as a group. \ \ Topics:\ - Advising, guidance, and assistance with application procedures\ - Advising and introduction to workplace equipment and work integration\ - Advising in the case of conflict\ - Promoting integration within the workplace\

Staff Council

All employees at the University, whether covered by staff agreements, working as civil servants, or as apprentices, can contact the Staff Council for assistance with handling a conflict in their direct work environment. Its services include:\ \ Topics:\ - Advising and support regarding problems in the workplace\ - Conflict advising for conflicts among employees and between employees and managers (often individual/strategic advice)\ - No mediation, no moderation, no professional conflict advising

Social Counseling for Staff provides individualized and professional counseling and support for TU employees who encounter personal or professional challenges. The discussions are confidential and subject to the duty of confidentiality in accordance with Section 203 of the German Criminal Code. The service offers counseling over the phone, online, and in person. \ \ Topics:\ - Psychological and psychosocial crises at work and at home\ - Conflicts \ - Integration management

Awareness/De-Escalation Team

The team's remit includes events that are considered particularly sensitive due to their thematic focus (e.g. socially controversial topics). The team must be identifiable for everyone present (through wearing vests), facilitate direct communication, and demonstrate a willingness to engage in dialog (e.g. in the form of discussions, but also in response to negotiation requests including lists of demands). The aim is to demonstrate that TU Berlin takes the relevant issues seriously, can be approached, and is willing to listen. The A/D team is committed to dialog, but no form of discrimination will be tolerated. The team acts as an interface in communication between protesters and the Executive Board, but clearly communicates that it cannot make any decisions for TU Berlin. TU Berlin can request the presence of the A/D team at an event. The organizers of the event can also contact the team directly.

Technische Universität Berlin takes all inquiries and complaints about discrimination-sensitive content at its events very seriously. Whenever such communications are received, they are immediately and carefully examined by the relevant anti-discrimination units.

To ensure the greatest possible transparency, the units provide feedback on the procedure and outcome of their assessments both to the person submitting the inquiry or complaint and the event organizers.

TU Berlin is fully committed to an open discourse providing space for different opinions and perspectives. However, discriminatory statements and behavior will not be tolerated.

If there are indications of discrimination-sensitive content, the University will inform the organizers of potential problems and reserves the right to involve the awareness and de-escalation team as well as the security service in order to ensure a respectful and safe environment for all participants.

Doctoral candidate representatives

Doctoral candidate representatives are elected locally at the faculties and represent the interests of faculty’s doctoral students in various committees. Together, the representatives form the doctoral candidate representation.

Faculty I Anti-Discrimination Counselling

The Faculty I Anti-Discrimination Counselling provides counselling to students (peer-to-peer) and other members of Faculty I who have experienced or witnessed discrimination at the University.\ \ It is part of the Faculty I Anti-Discrimination Department under the direction of the Anti-Discrimination Counsellor, Nina Hackmann (she/her), who also coordinates the counselling work. The findings are incorporated into the structural anti-discrimination measures.\ \ Confidential counselling provides an opportunity to talk about specific incidents and institutional barriers and to develop needs-based solutions. The legal basis for this is provided by the state anti-discrimination law LADG §2, which addresses various forms of discrimination that regularly occur in the university context. The task of the Anti-Discrimination Department of the Faculty I is to counteract these forms of discrimination.

Part-Time Women and Gender Equality Officers

The part-time women and gender equality officers work in the faculties and institutes at TU Berlin to create an equitable, open, and diverse environment for working, researching, and education. You are welcome to contact us for advice and support, also anonymously.\ \ Topics:\ - Sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence\ - Equality issues \ - Gender-specific discrimination \

Point of contact for experiences of unequal treatment at the School of Education at TU Berlin (SETUB)

The School of Education (SETUB) is dedicated to addressing various issues relating to anti-discrimination and diversity in teacher training at TU Berlin. In doing so, SETUB is responding to its commitment to equality, which aims to address all students and provide them with the best possible conditions for their studies on the path to becoming teachers. SETUB works closely with the Faculty I Anti-Discrimination Unit.\ \ The contact point for experiences of unequal treatment was established in autumn 2024 and is aimed at teacher training students who have either experienced unequal treatment themselves or observed it among their fellow students. The aim is to offer a low-threshold contact option. All conversations are treated confidentially. Depending on the issue and the wishes of the person concerned, they may be referred to other services – the decision is entirely up to the person concerned.

Ombudsperson for doctoral candidates in the faculties

The faculty ombudsperson for doctoral candidates is the first point of contact for all doctoral candidates when seeking guidance on problems and conflicts.

Countering abuse of power at TU Berlin

The issue of abuse of power in academia has gained traction since the extent of #MeToo at universities was revealed, showing that our structures facilitate abuse of power in many areas. It is very important to us that there is a broad understanding of abuse of power at TU Berlin so that we can combat it together wherever possible. The following web page provides a definition of the term as well as a statement by TU president Professor Dr. Geraldine Rauch. You can also read some examples that will help you recognize and understand how abuse of power manifests. The web page is regularly updated and is also designed to highlight ongoing projects at the University.

External services

In addition to the various resources available at TU Berlin, the State of Berlin also offers a wide range of advice and support centers.

Against racism at TU Berlin

TU Berlin recognises that marginalised people also encounter difficulties at our university. TU Berlin strives to combat all forms of racism at our university. The website provides information on the topic – both internal and external.

There are various guidelines and recommendations in place at TU Berlin that define the procedures to be followed in the event of discrimination. The following is a list of relevant documents.

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