Close the Gap Fund

Studies show that female* researchers have submitted fewer research projects and publications than their male* colleagues during the coronavirus pandemic. This is mainly due to the pandemic-related challenges of reconciling family and  career. Lacking or limited childcare and health services have contributed to intensify  already existing inequalities in the research and higher education system especially for female* researchers with family responsibilities. In particular, the so called “Gender Publication Gap” which indicates the reduced number of publications is an indication of the increased inequality.

In addition, the use of laboratories is either completely or severely restricted, and research trips as well as surveys or treatments are being postponed. Furthermore, the increased requirements of digital teaching duties take up more of early career researcher’s time, and thus limit the number of publications.

As part of the Close the Gap Project , funded by the Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research, Equalities and Districts (BWFGB), Universität Hamburg invites applications for the Close the Gap Fund to address the pandemic-related publication gap as well as challenges for researchers with family obligations due to the pandemic.  

Eligible applicants are:

• female* researchers
• researchers with family or caregiving responsibilities

 who have been working at Universität Hamburg since Winter Semester 2020/2021. Members of the medical faculty/ UKE are excluded from the application process.

Applications can be made for:

• support when preparing publications (e.g. through student assistants)
• individual coaching sessions
• offers of flexible childcare
• individual funding to compensate for pandemic-related restrictions and challenges (scholarships and teaching assignments excluded)

Specific information on funding opportunities:

• student assistants
  - funding is available for up to 6 months, covering up to 100 hours in total
  - consecutive applications may be submitted
• individual coaching sessions:
  - maximum of 6 individual coaching sessions
  - coaching offered by the Equal Opportunity Unit: Coaching for doctoral students with children/ Coaching for doctoral students
• Information for flexible childcare

Your informal application for the Close the Gap Fund must contain the following information:

• the nature, scope, and period of assistance required
• your faculty, department and, if applicable, subject group
• name(s) and birth certificate(s) of your child(ren) or the name(s) of your dependent relative(s) where applicable
• information on the scope and division of family and caregiver duties where applicable
• short description of the situation, as well as your planned implementation

The application may be submitted to the equal opportunity commissioner of Universität Hamburg between 1 March 2021 and 30 June 2022.

All completed applications will be processed in the order of submission. A decision will be made at the discretion of the equal opportunity commissioner and subject to the availability of funds.

Please email the completed application form along with the required documents as a PDF to gleichstellung"AT"uni-hamburg.de.

Be aware that we can only process completed applications.