Initiative "Respekt! Time for Diversity, Time for Sustainability"
The initiative "Respekt!" starts the new semester with a photo contest. All university members are invited to participate under the motto "Respekt! at H-BRS means to me...". More information can be found under the following link:
The diversity of modern society, influenced by globalization and demographic change, also influences H-BRS. The people who study, live and work with us are very diverse. This diversity is a treasure that we welcome and value. Diversity leads to ideas, innovations and new perspectives, broadens horizons. The appreciation of others and of being different is a central value of our democratic society.
The initiative receives strong support from all H-BRS departments and also offers actors in the Bonn/Rhine-Sieg region the opportunity to place their topics in cooperation with our university. The initiative flourishes on the great commitment and strong motivation of a wide variety of partners.
"Respekt!" does not focus on certain dimensions of diversity, it fosters togetherness. The topics of the events change and focus on different aspects of diversity.
The diversity of the events becomes particularly visible every year during an activity period. During this period of time various events (e.g. workshops, lectures, exhibitions, hands-on actions) are offered by internal and external players. The events are open to all university members and interested citizens.
A highlight of the “Respekt!” activity period in 2016 was the signing of the "Charter of Diversity". The University of Applies Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg thus joined by now more than 3,000 supporters of the idea of diversity, including more than 100 universities.
"Respekt!" received the first integration award of the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis in the category of preventive activities. Find out more in this press release (only in German).
Current university-wide activities:
As part of the "Respekt!" initiative, the equality body supported the campaign "Pencils make girls strong". By recycling pencils, the grassroots movement Women’s World Day of Prayer Germany provided resources for a team of teachers and psychologists who enabled 200 Syrian girls (and also some boys) to attend school in a refugee camp in Lebanon. At H-BRS about 38 kg of material was collected! The campaign was successfully completed in January 2019 with the total collection of 23 tonnes empty pencils and a fundraising sum of 33,000 Euros.