Chancengleichheit

For us, diversity is much more than just a concept: at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, we value, live, and promote diversity every day. It plays a central role in our interactions, in our conversations, in our actions, and in our dealings with our patients. It is the great diversity of our employees that makes the UKF so distinctive and enables us to respond empathetically to the diverse needs of our patients.

We are convinced that diversity enriches. It opens up new perspectives and creates heterogeneous teams in which people can inspire each other.

In order to specifically promote openness, tolerance, and diversity at the University Medical Center, we signed the Diversity Charter in 2022 and launched a round table on equal opportunities and diversity.  

Do you have any questions about diversity? Please contact us. We are happy to help.

Social diversity is also reflected in the workplace. This is also the case at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. In July 2022, we signed the Diversity Charter and are now part of a network that includes more than 4,800 organizations.

With the Diversity Charter, we commit ourselves to creating an environment for our employees and patients that is free of discrimination and exclusion. All those involved should experience appreciation, trust, and respect—regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, or worldview. Beyond the charter, employees with children or relatives in need of care are just as welcome at the UKF as colleagues who do not have family commitments. For us, every individual is valuable.

To implement the charter, we will:

Around 15,000 employees from a total of 106 nations work at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, and they are also diverse in many other aspects such as age, gender, disability, religion and worldview, work and family models, and educational backgrounds.

In order to create a non-discriminatory working environment and patient care, the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Round Table was established in spring 2022. The aim is to better connect and support the various stakeholders who are already committed to a constructive and non-discriminatory approach to diversity at the University Medical Center. Together, they identify areas where change is needed and develop ideas for practical implementation.

Head / Co-head

Members of the Round Table

Further dates for the 2026 Round
Table January 28, April 29, July 8, and November 4 

Managers play an important role in diversity management: they are responsible for creating an appreciative and non-discriminatory working environment and ensuring that it is firmly established within the organization and that the necessary resources are available.

The seminar aims to systematically address the diversity—the similarities and differences—of employees in the team, to question one's own ideas and unconscious thought patterns, and to develop helpful action and leadership strategies for dealing with diversity.

Contents

• What does diversity mean?
• Legal basis for dealing with diversity (Basic Law, General Equal Treatment Act, etc.)
• Reflection on one's own (unconscious) thought and behavior patterns
• Diversity management: paradigms, goals, and areas of action
• Opportunities and challenges of a diverse employee structure
• Working in and with heterogeneous teams
• Actively shaping diversity to develop an appreciative team culture and employee loyalty

Mix of methods

Technical input, exercises, discussion and exchange of experiences, group work, case studies

Would you like to participate in the seminar? We look forward to seeing you.

Your contact:
Angelika Zimmer Equal Opportunities
Officer
angelika.zimmer@uniklinik-freiburg.de

Our communication campaign on video interpreting

More and more patients at the Uniklinik speak a language other than German. Language barriers can make it difficult to provide the best possible treatment and communicate effectively with patients and their families.

Medical history, descriptions of symptoms, questions about further treatment, or explanations before procedures: all of this is easier to clarify when a common language is spoken. In addition, unnecessary diagnostic tests, appointment cancellations, avoidable hospital admissions, and longer hospital stays are reduced.

However, since an interpreter from the City of Freiburg's pool is not always available in emergency situations or for new patients arriving at night, the Medical Center – University of Freiburg uses video interpreters for consultations.

How it works An
interpreter is connected via video to translate the conversation. Special notebooks and tablets are available for this purpose at various locations at the University Medical Center. In addition, the online program can also be accessed on all infotainment devices. Once the employee has logged in, they can select the desired language from a list and establish a video connection with a professional interpreter.