Compatibility of family and career/studies

TU Darmstadt has been certified as a familiy-friendly university by the berufundfamilie Service GmbH since 2005, undergoing regular re-certification audits. The University is also a founding member of the nation-wide Best Practice Club “Familie in der Hochschule e.V.” which was founded in 2018. To implement this objective, the Executive Board established the service unit Family Service, which addresses its programmes to students, employees and staff at TU Darmstadt and supports them in their endeavours to organise their career and family responsibilities. At the centre of the measures for compatibility of family and career is a comprehensive regular child care programme  for children between the ages of one to six years old. This is supplemented with a flexible child care programme for all ages which covers different times of day and can also be used during the university holidays or in ad-hoc situations as well as during congresses. Prof. Sorin Huss Fonds  supports students and doctoral candidates at TU Darmstadt in funding child care, especially in financially critical situations. Within the scope of training, coaching, advisory/counselling programmes, a large number of aspects relevant to students’, employees’ and staffs’ lives are addressed, including: career path with child, time management, compatibility, family, stress, career and getting older. 25 In practice, temporary employment contracts, irregular working hours, expected mobility and changing working locations make it harder to reconcile a scientific career with family responsibilities. In order to balance the disadvantages for Phd-students and Postdocs with family responsibilities or physical disabilities, the Gender Equality Office has initiated the Equality Grant in cooperation with Ingenium and the service unit Family Service. In the context of research-relevant activities within the scope of continued scientific development, it is possible to apply for a grant for care giving time periods and expenses. The strategic measures towards compatibility are not only focused on individuals with children but are also aimed at all University members who have the responsibility to care for other individuals, e.g., care-dependent relatives. Several programmes support employees, staff and students who need to assume responsibility for care-dependent relatives. In-House “Pflege-Guides”  (care guides) are available as the first points of contact as are annual seminar cycles on the compatibility of care and career/studies.