More careers for women at the HSZG

Ms. Ebertz, what makes a professorship an attractive career option for young female researchers in your view?

A professorship at a university of applied sciences (HAW) offers women unprecedented opportunities and possibilities. In addition to the increased autonomy, I see the role as having a lasting impact on people and society. Because of the strong practical focus of a University of Applied Sciences, there are opportunities to bring about change, especially here in our region, which is shaped by structural change.

Universities of Applied Sciences are actively recruiting good faculty, including the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. How can female researchers learn about our opportunities?

Currently, it’s challenging to quickly and clearly find information about opportunities and pathways to a HAW professorship. A campaign titled “The HAW Professorship—A Career with Impact” has been launched to significantly improve this situation. One of my first tasks after joining the university was to organize our institution’s participation in this campaign. (For more information: HSZG profile at www.academics.de)

Once the path to HSZG has been paved, the integration of new female professors at HSZG should be as targeted as possible. What do you envision as a successful onboarding process at the university, and what measures could be considered to help new faculty members find their footing at the university in a timely manner?

A good onboarding process not only inspires new employees, but also has a positive impact on early turnover and employer branding. There is significant potential for optimization and automation, particularly in the onboarding process. The process should begin even before the new employee starts at HSZG. In addition to the traditional aspects of preparing for a new hire—including all necessary documents and work materials—this involves maintaining contact, staying in communication, and providing support. Onboarding doesn’t end after the first day or week on the job; rather, it then shifts to helping new employees settle in socially and become familiar with their professional responsibilities—in other words, it involves ongoing support.

When you’re not focusing on the career paths of potential female professors at HSZG, what other responsibilities do you have?

Digitalization in human resources—that has always been an exciting topic for me. In the PP III project, I’m working on the digitalization of application management and onboarding.

Under the name Hi!Lusatia, partners from academic institutions, research institutes, innovative, research-oriented employers, and the business and social sectors will collaborate within an association. I am involved in the founding of this association. One of the association’s first priorities will be to establish a dual-career and talent pool.

My responsibilities also include supporting the work of our equal opportunity officer, Dr. Reinhold. I have already assisted her in updating the equal opportunity policy. Currently, I am working on aspects of gender equality efforts, such as creating overviews for the active recruitment of women in tenure-track appointments, and I am contributing to the development of a Gender Equality Plan.

Where does your passion for this work come from? What goals have you set for yourself?

I’ve had a passion for working in human resources for a long time. In my previous professional roles, I worked in manufacturing companies and was able to gain valuable experience there. I would like to bring this experience to the university. My goal is to support gender equality efforts at the university in order to promote equal opportunities for all genders and to contribute to the digitization of processes.

With such a diverse scope of work, how do you recharge your batteries?

In my free time, I like to stay active and find a balance through hiking and biking with my family. I also enjoy traveling and reading.