Equal opportunity is a decision-relevant criterion that can directly affect the approval or disapproval of research funds by national and international third-party funding bodies (e.g. DFG, BMBF, EU). Applications can be denied on the basis of an insufficient description or by a total lack of equal opportunity safeguards in a project proposal – as has happened in the past.

To support applicants for grant funds (as part of the university’s statement towards the DFG’s “Research-Oriented Standards on Gender Equality”) the university’s executive board decided to create consultation opportunities for grant applicants with a specific focus on the consideration of equal opportunity factors when submitting research proposals (such as for collaborative research centers, graduate schools, etc.). The consultation offers include:

• Information about the possibility of applying for additional funding to ensure equal opportunity;
• Consultation on developing Equal Opportunity Concepts (EOCs) tailored to a specific proposal;
• Advice on the implementation of those concepts.

More information on the topic of "Equal Opportunities and Diversity in DFG Research Funding" is available on the DFG website.

The issue of equal opportunities is also becoming increasingly important in EU funding; for example, gender aspects are a funding requirement in the Horizon Europe framework programme.