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University of Vechta shines in the 2025 university ranking for equality!
The University of Vechta received a high rating for equality aspects in the CEWS university ranking 2025 and secured a place in the top group.
University of Vechta shines in the 2025 university ranking for equality!
On June 25, 2025, the Competence Center for Women in Science and Research (CEWS), part of the GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, will publish the current “University Ranking According to Equality Aspects 2025”. This comprehensive study evaluates the equality of women and men at universities in Germany. The University of Vechta is an outstanding example and achieved an overall rating of 10 out of 12 possible points.
Of a total of almost 80 universities evaluated, only seven institutions achieved 11 points. This illustrates the high level of competition when it comes to equality at German universities. The aim of the ranking is to compare the institutions' performance in the area of gender equality using quantitative indicators.
Evaluation criteria of the ranking
The assessment in the CEWS ranking is carried out by analyzing seven specific indicators that are based on current figures from the Federal Statistical Office. The indicators follow the cascade model, with the proportion of female students and the proportion of women doing doctorates representing central reference variables. The universities are divided into three groups: “top group”, “middle group” and “development needs”.
The following relevant indicators and their results can be listed for the University of Vechta:
| category | Evaluation | Proportion of women |
|---|---|---|
| promotions | midfield | 48.21% |
| Postdocs | Top group | 42.86% |
| Full-time academic staff | midfield | 55.56% |
| Professorships | Top group | 45.31% |
| Changes in the area of full-time scientific staff since 2018 | Top group | -4.44% (to 55.56%) |
| Changes in the area of professorships since 2018 | Top group | +1.98% (to 45.31%) |
| proportion of female students | Top group | 77.31% |
| Proportion of female doctoral candidates | Upper midfield | approx. 55% |
Long-term trends in equality
The CEWS university ranking has been published every two years for 20 years and not only serves as a source of information, but also to ensure the quality of equality at universities. It complements other instruments such as competitions, evaluations and certifications. The ranking puts the focus on structured equality measures, which is becoming increasingly important in science.
In addition to the role of the CEWS ranking, there are related rankings such as the “THE Impact Rankings by SDG: Gender Equality”. This evaluates the efforts of universities with regard to gender equality using various indicators. This includes not only research and recruiting measures, but also the proportion of women in management positions and degrees. Continuous exchange and methodological comparability are crucial in order to document and make progress in equality visible.
Overall, the University of Vechta shows with the results achieved that a consistent and transparent equality policy can produce fruitful results. This is of considerable interest not only for the institution itself, but also for the entire higher education landscape in Germany, as [gesis.org] explains. Further information on gender equality at universities is available in the analysis of developments in higher education provided by [ssoar.info].