It is to be a guiding principle in all programmes and projects in education and research, and it is to be understood as a means to improve quality and performance and to make more efficient use of existing potential. This paradigm shift requires rethinking by all those responsible in politics and industry, as well as in science and research.
Equal opportunity is also a top priority at the European level.
In the face of international competition, Europe can no longer afford not to fully exploit women's great potential for innovation in science and research. It is therefore a primary goal of the Federal Government to increase the participation of women in science and research, and particularly their share of leadership positions at universities and research institutions. Above all, action must be taken to increase the proportion of women holding both professorial posts and leadership positions in non-university research institutions. In 1998 only 9.5 per cent of all professors in Germany were women, in non-university research institutions only 3.7 per cent of all persons having leadership positions were women. It is the task of the universities to support the implementation of equal rights.