DEI Team

At the BCDSS, working towards countering discrimination and implementing DEI principles and strategies is a collective effort involving all BCDSS members. The following DEI Structures and Representatives take the lead in coordinating and implementing these efforts:

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator:

Is responsible for developing and implementing DEI concepts, strategies and policies at BCDSS. Main responsibilities and functions of the DEI Coordinator include:

Developing and improving Antidiscrimination policies and procedures at BCDSS
Developing and implementing the cluster’s Diversity Certificate
Conducting the monitoring and evaluating of DEI at BCDSS
Drafting BCDSS’s DEI Strategy document
Handling communications related to DEI and planning and implementing DEI events at BCDSS

Dima Al Munajed

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.

Equal Opportunity Representative:

Elected for a period of three years by all BCDSS members at the General Assembly meeting, the Equal Opportunity Representative is a permanent member of the BCDSS Steering Committee (the main decision-making body of the BCDSS). Main responsibilities and functions of the Equal Opportunity Representative include:

Using their right to vote at the Steering Committee to represent the interests of BCDSS members regarding equal opportunities.
Receiving suggestions regarding the promotion of equal opportunities from all BCDSS members and sharing these with the DEI Coordinator so they can be incorporated in DEI strategies.
Receiving discrimination complaints from all BCDSS members.

Sinah Kloß

Mercy Mashingaidze

DEI Working Group:

A voluntary advisory group that is open to all BCDSS members. Group meetings are coordinated by the DEI Coordinator. Some of the main functions of this working group include:

Reviewing and commenting on DEI policies and strategies that are put forward by the DEI Coordinator.
Coordinating DEI internal and external events, lectures and readings.

BCDSS members who wish to join the DEI Working Group can inform the DEI Coordinator via email

DEI Working Group

Antidiscrimination Team:

Antidiscrimination Team: A voluntary group of BCDSS members that agree to be first points of contact for BCDSS members who are experiencing any of the forms of discrimination outlined in this document. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator and the Equal Opportunity Representative are also members of the Antidiscrimination Team. Some of their main functions include:

Offering colleagues confidential counselling and initial guidance on how to proceed with complaints.
Engage in informal mediation between conflicting parities.
Attend trainings organized by the BCDSS on the topic of discrimination and handling discrimination complaints.

Antidiscrimination Team members are not involved in handling formal complaints related to discrimination or sexual harassment. Formal complaints are processed through the Legal Office (Dezernat 1 “Justiziariat”) at Uni Bonn. The details of this process are provided in Section IV of the BCDSS Antidiscrimination Policy.