19 May 2026: Let’s celebrate diversity! DIV DAY OWL at the Paderborn campus
We celebrate diversity: to mark Germany-wide Diversity Day in May, we also sent astrong message of tolerance, inclusion, equal opportunities and democratic coexistence on the campus of Paderborn University.
To mark Diversity Day, the universities in the East Westphalia-Lippe region regularly organise the‘DIV DAY OWL’event, thereby creating a platform for diversity and a meeting place for exchange, new perspectives and social initiatives. This year’s programme was once again varied: in the foyer of the O Building, a range of activities invited visitors to explore and get involved. These included a diversity quiz, creative discussion sessions and VR experiences centred on diversity themes. At the DIV TALKS OWL, students and researchers delivered concise short talks offering fascinating insights into projects focusing on diversity, social sustainability, queer life, social cohesion, international perspectives and support for refugees.
A particular highlight: the talks were livestreamed from the University of Paderborn’s film studio to the other participating OWL universities. The academic programme concluded with a keynote address on the topic ‘Diversity among PhD students: Room for improvement! Changing structures, creating opportunities and new pathways’ by Prof. Dr Isabel Steinhardt and Dr. Anda-Lisa Harmening, followed by an open Q&A session.
DIV DAY OWL impressively demonstrated how important spaces for openness, dialogue and mutual learning are, and how universities can actively help shape social responsibility.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved from Bielefeld University, Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, Catholic University of North Rhine-Westphalia, Detmold University of Music and the FH-Diakonie (Diakonie University of Applied Sciences – FHdD) Bielefeld, as well as to the guests at the talks: Dr. Isabelle Leitloff, Isabel Louise Niemann, Thiên Kim Schütte, Ronja Mende, Leah Schnitzler, Sina Marie H., Artiom Maruseac, Patrick Henschen and Alina Lemke for this inspiring inter-university event.
Das war unser Programm
Den Auftakt bildete von 11:00 bis 14:00 Uhr ein offener Aktionstag im Foyer des O-Gebäudes der Universität Paderborn. Besucherinnen und Besucher erwarte ein abwechslungsreiches Angebot an interaktiven Mitmach-Formaten.
Der offizielle Beginn des DIV DAY OWL erfolgte um 14:30 Uhr mit einer Eröffnung durch die Vizepräsidentin für Internationale Beziehungen & Präsidentin der Hochschulallianz COLOURS der Universität Paderborn, Prof. Dr. Heike Trautmann.
Ein zentrales Highlight waren die „DIV TALKS OWL“, die ab 15:00 Uhr stattfanden: In zwölf kompakten Kurzvorträgen präsentierten Studierende und Forschende Projekte und Ideen rund um Vielfalt und soziale Nachhaltigkeit. Die jeweils siebenminütigen Beiträge boten Einblicke in Themen aus Studium, Forschung, Wissenschaft, Gestaltung und Ehrenamt. Die Talks fanden vor großem Publikum im H-Filmstudio statt, wurden zusätzlich live aus dem Filmstudio der Universität Paderborn im Hörsaal O2 übertragen und später für Web und Social Media aufbereitet.
Nach den DIV Talks gab es die Möglichkeit sich bei einer Getränke- und Snackpause im O-Gebäude zu vernetzen und mit allen OWl-Hochschulen und ihren Vertreter*innen ins Gespräch zu kommen.
Abschluss des Tages und fachwissenschaftlicher Höhepunkt bevor die Veranstaltung um 18:30 Uhr endete: Unter dem Titel „Diversität von Promovierenden – Ausbaufähig! Strukturen verändern, Chancen und (neue) Zugänge schaffen“ sprachen Prof. Dr.in Isabel Steinhardt und Dr.in Anda-Lisa Harmening über aktuelle Perspektiven auf Diversität in der Hochschulforschung.
Your voices for diversity! Audio statements @UPB Campus 2026
We asked you to stand up for diversity and make a statement – and that’s exactly what you did! Here is an excerpt from the audio recordings we collected during Diversity Day 2026.
Vielfätige Perspektiven aus OWLs Hochschulen: Das waren die DIV Talks 2026
DIV TALK No. 1
DIV Speaker: Dr Isabelle Leitloff, Implementation Office Lead (CIO Lead) of the COLOURS Alliance
Title: “Where Diversity Drives Innovation: The COLOURS Alliance”
DIV TALK No. 2
DIV Speaker: Carmen Habbe, student of Elementary Music Education at the Detmold University of Music (HfM)
Title: ‘Find your voice’ – a participatory musical creative project
DIV TALK No. 3
DIV Speaker: Isabel Louise Niemann, Master’s student in Fashion Design (Department of Design) at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI)
Title: “Fashion in Dialogue – Participatory Design for a Diverse Society”
DIV TALK No. 4
DIV Speaker: Thiên Kim Schütte, Master’s graduate in Interior Design and Spatial Art from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences (TH OWL)
Title: “IMPULSES – For cultural appreciation”
DIV TALK No. 5
DIV Speaker: Ronja Mende, a student of English Studies, Philosophy and Educational Sciences at Bielefeld University
Title: “Breaking down career stereotypes – How early influences shape the future”
DIV TALK No. 6
DIV Speaker: Leah Schnitzler, a student studying to become a teacher of Art and English at the Paderborn University
Title: “Be someone’s Subway Story – Queer visibility in public spaces between New York and Paderborn.”
DIV TALK No. 7
DIV Speaker: Sina Marie Hinrichs, a student on the ‘Master Kultur und Gesellschaft’ programme, specialising in Gender Studies and Management, at Paderborn University
Title: “Anti-genderism as a target and weapon of far-right movements”
DIV TALK No. 8
DIV Talker: Artiom Maruseac, accordion student at the Detmold University of Music (HfM)
Title: ‘Et Expecto’, Parts 1 and 2, by Sofia Gubaidulina
DIV TALK No. 9
DIV Speaker: Patrick Henschen, Research Fellow, postdoctoral researcher and teaching staff in Media Studies/Cultures of Digitality at Paderborn University
Title: “How do we protect the university as a safe space? – On higher education institutions, their internal and external environments, and the necessity of the university as a safe space”
DIV TALK No. 10
DIV Speaker: Alina Lemke, a social work student at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI)
Title: “Disabled enough? On compensating for disadvantages, normalisation and boundaries”
Highlights from Diversity Day 2026 at Paderborn University
The universities of the DIV DAY OWL 2026 at a glance
- Paderborn University
- Dr Larissa Eikermann, Vice Dean for Sustainability, Equality and Diversity of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Laura Maring, Assistant for Diversity
- Bielefeld University
- Pia Ortwein, Assistant for Diversity
- Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences (TH OWL)
- Professor Ulrich Nether, Professor of Product Design and Ergonomics and Focus Professorship "Diversity Inclusivity Hub"
- Kristina Herrmann, employee of the Detmold School of Design
- Julia Etteldorf, interior design student
- Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI)
- Miriam Sprengel, Decentralised Equal Opportunities Officer
- Detmold University of Music
- Svenja Mank, Research Assistant in the area of "Equality|Gender Monitoring" and Deputy Central Equal Opportunities Officer
- Catholic University of Applied Sciences
- Fachhochschule der Diakonie gemeinnützige GmbH
Dr Carina Großer-Kaya, Professor of Social Work and Vice-Rector
