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Diversity & Inclusion

Equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion are central aspects in the University of St.Gallen’s pursuit of excellence, fairness and responsibility. We see diversity as an opportunity, and respect as indispensable. In order to ensure this, HSG has specific specialist offices that work to further develop the university in this regard and ensure a comprehensive advisory service for students and employees.

Equal opportunities and personal integrity have the highest priority at the University of St.Gallen (HSG). The HSG strives to provide framework conditions that allow everyone, regardless of gender, skin colour, social and cultural background, sexual orientation, health and physical impairments, to enjoy studying, teaching, researching and working here equally and successfully. To this end, the HSG also has a Committee for Gender Equality.

Brochures

Guidelines for inclusive language (in German)

Protecting Personal Integrity at the University of St.Gallen

The Diversity & Inclusion team offers professional support and advice both for organisational units of the university and for individuals seeking advice. Students and employees are advised personally and confidentially. This also applies, for example, to concerns relating to personal integrity or sub-areas of the HSG Ethics Code.

The Special Needs Advice Centre is the contact point for enquiries about studying/working with a disability and/or chronic illness, as well as specific health needs as a result of psychosocial stress. HSG strives to continuously expand structural and digital accessibility.

The Equal Opportunities Advice Centre is the contact point for all other aspects of equal opportunities along the diversity dimensions of gender, sexual orientation, social, ethnic and cultural origin, and for concerns relating to personal integrity or sub-areas of the HSG Ethics Code.

“Our HSG Ethics Code states that we use inclusive language to ensure that everyday life at the university is free of discrimination. Our language guidelines support everyone in implementing inclusion linguistically using different and creative means.”
Prof. Dr. Christa Binswanger, Titular Professor and Head of Department Gender & Diversity
“Everyone should feel fully accepted and welcome on the HSG campus! This is the only way we can develop freely here. Since the founding of the LGBTQ+ Pride Month Initiative, we know that this is an important concern of very many HSG members.”
Andreas Oberholzer, HSG alumnus and initiator of Pride Month at HSG
“At the HSG, there is a very active research community on D&I topics that is also active locally on a practical level. The annual D&I Week, where researchers present their results in relevant formats, is a good showcase for this: from insight to impact!”
Prof. Dr Julia Nentwich, Titular Professor at the Chair of Organisational Psychology
“The University of St.Gallen creates inclusive conditions for individuals like me to feel valued and succeed. The HSG does not tolerate discrimination and truly embraces the uniqueness of employees and students from an intersectional perspective.”
Christian Pierce, Ph.D. student in the DOK Programme with a research focus on antiracism, Assistant Lecturer
“Diverse teams are more successful when it comes to finding innovative solutions for future challenges. At HSG we teach students to enable them to use that potential as 'inclusive leaders'.”
Prof. Dr. Gudrun Sander, Professor of Business Administration with a special emphasis on Diversity Management, Senior Lecturer
“Aggregating the experience and knowledge of the diversity of people for sustainable benefit requires a change in values towards equality. At the HSG, we therefore teach and live inclusion as mutual participation on an equal level.”
Prof. Dr. Nils Henrik Jent, Affiliate Professor of Diversity Management

Diversity & Inclusion in teaching and research

Equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion are central aspects of high-quality teaching and research. Diversity as a holistic and deep-rooted interdisciplinary cornerstone strengthens innovativeness and competitiveness and also informs the perception of our social responsibility and the awareness of socio-political challenges.

The Department Gender & Diversity at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) focuses on today’s working world and society, which in many areas are organised along gender differences and other distinctions, such as migration background, sexual orientation, ability or age.

 

At the Research Institute for Organizational Psychology (OPSY-HSG), gender and diversity in the context of work and organisation constitutes a research focus. With the programme “Leaders for Equality: Managers Taking Opportunities”, companies are supported in involving male managers in gender equality issues.

The Centre for Disability and Integration (CDI-HSG) is an interdisciplinary research centre that investigates the occupational inclusion of people with disabilities, as well as related topics, taking the perspective of the three disciplines of business management, economics and applied disability research. The knowledge gained is transferred both to university teaching and to entrepreneurial and business practice.

The Competence Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) also offers consultations and training for companies on the topics of anti-racism, equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion, as well as unconscious biases. With St.Gallen Diversity Benchmarking, the CCDI publishes the largest benchmarking report on diversity and inclusion in Switzerland and organises the renowned Diversity & Inclusion Week every year.

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