Anti-discrimination | Conflicts Counselling services
In the event of misconduct in accordance with the ‘Statute on Safeguarding Fair Conduct’ and work- or study-related conflicts, you can seek advice from various contact points at the university. Below, you can find out more about the joint counselling services offered by UNIFY and the contact persons of the Baden-Württemberg (State) Higher Education Act. Further internal and external contact points as well as initial recommendations for action can be found further down the page.
Good to know!
Our consulting services are aimed at...
- All employees, managers, students and trainees at Heidelberg University.
- We offer free and confidential advice.
- You remain in control: we will not take any action without your consent.
You can contact us if you...
- Experience (or have experienced) discrimination, bullying, stalking, (sexual) harassment or violence
- Are managers and would like to find out about their responsibilities and duties in relation to the above issues (including conflicts between employees)
- are unsure how to behave as a confidant (including those officially appointed, e.g. equal opportunities officers or similar) or as a witness
- are an employee or trainee and have a work-related conflict with colleagues or your manager
What we can do for you...
- We support and advise you on official procedures and your options if you are affected by the above issues. We can provide an initial assessment, but cannot give you binding legal advice. We are also not an official sanctions body, which means:
We do not take evidence or conduct investigations!
We can talk to those involved, but cannot impose sanctions or consequences for misconduct!
- We will help you find (confidential) internal or external contact points and refer you to the appropriate authority for your concern. We cannot initiate official complaints (legal/official, etc.) on your behalf. You can only submit these yourself in writing and under your real name to the relevant authorities.
Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that you seek confidential advice from us beforehand. Each complaint is reviewed individually by the relevant departments and opens up a specific sanctioning process over which we have no influence (i.e. possible sanctions or consequences are prescribed by law).
- Where appropriate, we will mediate the conflict or refer you to professional mediation services.
Mediation costs cannot be covered by UNIFY, but must be borne by the relevant institute.
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We support and advise you as a manager on your rights and obligations, for example in conflicts between employees in your own working group. However, we do not assume any managerial responsibilities of superiors in cases of conflict (e.g. conducting difficult conversations with employees).
We do not arrange psychotherapy places, do not replace therapy and cannot provide you or your case with long-term support!
Contacts - We advise you
We are here to listen to your concerns. Please feel free to make an appointment by email or telephone. When doing so, simply state that you would like a confidential consultation. You can then provide all further information during the consultation itself.
Dr. Nele Awad-Poppendiek
Central point of contact
Phone: 06221 54-3922
E-Mail: nele.poppendiek@uni-heidelberg.de
Prof. Dr. Christiane Schwieren
Contact person in accordance with Baden-Württemberg (State) Higher Education Act
Alfred Weber Institute for Economics
Phone: +49 66221 54-2953
E-Mail: christiane.schwieren@awi.uni-heidelberg.de
Charlotte von Knobelsdorff
Contact person in accordance with Baden-Württemberg (State) Higher Education Act
UNIFY (Unit for Family, Diversity and Equality)
Phone: +49 6221 54-3927
E-Mail: charlotte.knobelsdorff@uni-heidelberg.de
Dr. Marie-Claire Kabengele
Contact person in accordance with Baden-Württemberg (State) Higher Education Act
UNIFY (Unit for Family, Diversity and Equality)
Phone: +49 6221 - 54 3932
E-Mail: marie-claire.kabengele@uni-heidelberg.de
Dr. Dennis Dietz
Contact person in accordance with Baden-Württemberg (State) Higher Education Act
Heidelberg School of Education
Phone: +49 6221 477-6742
E-Mail: dietz@heiedu.uni-heidelberg.de
Confidential guides
Since November 2024, 68 confidential guides have been offering confidential initial contact at various locations throughout the university. The confidential guides are trained volunteers from various areas of the university. They are available for initial contact and refer people internally or externally.
