Since 2008, the DFG's Research-Oriented Standards on Gender Equality have strengthened gender equality policy at universities and other scientific institutions. With this voluntary commitment, DFG members defined individual and structural standards for a sustainable gender equality framework. Initially, they submitted quantitative reports on the status of gender equality. Since 2018, however, members have been filing qualitative reports on changing topics, based on which the DFG then draws up recommendations for higher education institutions. For the 2020-2022 reporting cycle, the University of Oldenburg has submitted two reports:

UOL 2021: Report on increasing the proportion of women in the postdoc phase

UOL 2021: Report on how universities deal with the issue of multiplicity/diversity

From 2018-2020 the university and the DFG issued the following documents:

UOL 2018: Report on relief for female researchers in connection with committee work (in German)

UOL 2018: Report on recruitment procedures for attracting female researchers (in German)

DFG 2020: Summary and recommendations of the DFG on the Research-Oriented Standards on Gender Equality (in German)

Further general information on the Research-Oriented Standards on Gender Equality and Diversity can be found on the website of the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Established as a funding programme in 2008, the Women Professors Programme of the Federal Government and the Länder ('Professorinnenprogramm III des Bundes und der Länder') aims to increase the proportion of female professors at German universities and to strengthen university gender equality structures. In 2018, the University of Oldenburg applied for funding in the third phase of the programme with its future gender equality strategy. The roadmap was evaluated positively, and the three applications submitted by the university were approved. As a result, two regular appointments of female professors and one early appointment are funded by the programme.

• 11/2018: Press release on the positive evaluation of the future concept on gender equality (in German)
• 05/2018: University of Oldenburg's future concept on gender equality, submitted in application for funds of the Women Professors Programme III of the Federal Government and the Länder (PDF) (in German)

Further general information on the Women Professors Programme (in German) can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The dialogue initiative "Gender Equitable University Culture" (DINI for short) is a forum on Gender equality and quality management at universities in Lower Saxony. It was founded by the Lower Saxony State University Conference (LHK), the State Conference of Equal Opportunities Officers at Universities in Lower Saxony (lakog Niedersachsen) and the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture (MWK Niedersachsen). The 4th round of the dialogue initiative focuses on the design of "intersectional equality policy" in the university context.

In order to counteract the underrepresentation of women in science and to compensate for the structural disadvantage of women, there are several support programmes at the University of Oldenburg:

• Courses for (post-)doctoral students offered by the Graduate Academy
• Measures to ensure equal opportunities for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers
• Helene Lange Mentoring Programme for female researchers
• Leadership in Science Programme (seminars, workshops, coaching) (in German)
• Helene Lange Visiting Professorship for female professors (PDF) (in German)