Within the scope of performance-oriented allocation of funding for the area of gender equality at Freie Universität Berlin, the department offers various options to provide financial support for women. These funds are used to support women in arranging a successful career in the research and teaching sectors. They are also intended to help implement the plan on the promotion of women at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and the Plan of Action to Support Women and toward Gender Equality and Family Friendliness.

Funding is available for the following in particular:

• Projects that motivate women to study mathematics, computer science, or bioinformatics and support them during their degree programs in these disciplines
• Measures aimed at promoting the careers of women at the department (such as career planning workshops)
• Research and teaching activities by women within a framework with a clear timeline and specific content (personal financial support), provided that there are no other funds available (example: travel expenses to attend a conference)
• Projects with a gender studies approach or measures to increase the visibility of women at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

For example, events and classes within the Rhoda-Erdmann-Program and travel to Informatica Feminale receive support in the form of grants, taking a reasonable contribution by attendees themselves into account.

All persons who are affiliated with the department are eligible to apply. Applications can be submitted to the women’s representative in electronic form on an ongoing basis. The department’s Women’s Financial Support Committee (KFFM) generally meets once per semester, at which point it decides on applications. Decisions made by circulation are also possible in individual cases.

Formal requirements for applications:

All submissions must include an application, including a statement of reasons, in electronic form and a cost estimate. No particular form is required for the application or statement of reasons. The application must state the intended purpose, duration, and reasons for which it is eligible for the department’s program to support and promote women. In particular, it should state why there are no other sources of available funding. Receiving retroactive support for projects that have already taken place is not possible.

The next meeting of the Women’s Financial Support Committee is scheduled for November
2015.

For further information, please see the process of allocating financial support for women..