About Us
Following a development process spanning several years, the Rectorate decided in September 2023 to establish the Central Office for Protection against Discrimination and Abuse of Power. During the implementation phase, we are housed within the Office of the Vice Rector for Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity; however, in the medium term, we are intended to operate independently. The ZVDM is supported by an Advisory Board that contributes the perspectives of different University stakeholder groups and regularly supports and evaluates its ongoing development. Our work is based on the Anti-Discrimination Policy of University of Cologne, which was released in 2022.
Through our work, we aim to promote a respectful, safe, and discrimination-free work and study environment at the University of Cologne. Our responsibilities include providing confidential counseling to students and employees, as well as coordinating and further developing existing university counseling and support services. In addition, we organize informational events, workshops, and other activities to raise awareness of these issues.
The guiding principles of our work are confidentiality, accessibility, and professionalism.
Our Work
Counseling
We offer confidential , counseling for students and staff who experience or witness discrimination, abuse of power, or other forms of boundary violations. During counseling sessions, we help individuals make sense of their situations, explore possible courses of action, and develop personalized next steps. The decision regarding further action always rests with the person seeking advice.
Coordination
We serve as an interface between various counseling and support structures at the university. We help make responsibilities more transparent, strengthen collaboration between the relevant departments, and refer those seeking advice to the appropriate contacts.
Prevention
To promote institutional awareness of abuse of power and discrimination, we implement targeted prevention measures. Our portfolio includes informational events, workshops, training sessions, and other activities aimed at sustainably raising awareness throughout the entire university.
Strategic Development
We are strategically and sustainably developing the university’s counseling and intervention structures. This includes establishing common quality standards for counseling, promoting training and exchange programs for counselors, and developing transparent processes, such as those for handling conflicts and formal complaints.