BTU Cottbus: FEM*Lights: A Review of a Pioneering Program for Gender Equality and Academic Excellence

Over the past six years, the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) has strengthened its position as an attractive employer and center of scientific research through the Women Professors Program III. Thanks to this funding, female professors were appointed or supported, innovative gender equality measures were implemented, and sustainable structures for equal opportunity were established. In this way, the program made an important contribution to the university’s strategic development and to attracting outstanding female researchers.

As the 2020–2026 funding phase comes to a close, BTU takes stock: The Women Professors Program III has generated momentum that extends far beyond the support of individual female researchers. Among the achievements are the establishment of data-driven gender monitoring, innovative mentoring and career development programs, the strengthening of networks for women in academia and STEM fields, and numerous measures to highlight female research excellence.

The past five-plus years have had a lasting impact on gender equality efforts at BTU. Whether female professors, doctoral candidates, academic staff, women serving on committees, or STEM students and tutors—they have all benefited from the additional gender equality measures funded by the federal government. Today, female researchers at BTU are more visible and influential than ever: Their research garners national and international attention; they contribute their expertise to major research consortia and transformation projects; and they are increasingly featured in the media as experts. In doing so, they enrich scientific and societal debates with important perspectives and contribute to the university’s innovative strength.

A particular focus was placed on recruiting and supporting female high school and college students for STEM degree programs. A total of 32 STEM scholarships for women were awarded. The scholarship recipients received both academic and personal support from the STEM ambassadors. Many of them are now actively involved as BTU ambassadors themselves, presenting their own projects at schools in the Lausitz region and inspiring young women to pursue careers in technology, the natural sciences, and research. The Geek Girls exemplify a new generation of self-confident STEM talents and have become visible role models for schoolgirls in the region.

The program is also having a significant structural impact: the proportion of female professors at BTU has increased from 21 to 31 percent. With its established gender monitoring system, the university now has an important tool for tracking developments and strategically pursuing gender equality goals. The data also show that women at BTU are more actively involved in committees than ever before and are playing an active role in shaping the future of their university.

Overall, the Women Professors Program III has sparked a noticeable cultural shift. Gender equality, diversity, and equal opportunity are now even more firmly anchored as cross-cutting priorities in research, teaching, and university development. This is also evident in new participation and exchange formats, as well as in the work of the Senate Commission on University Culture and the University Community. The funding has contributed to diversity at BTU being perceived not only as a stated goal, but increasingly as a lived practice.

The program’s results and their significance for the university’s future development will be the focus of the closing event “FEM*Lights” on June 25, 2026.

The event will be opened by Brandenburg’s Minister of Science, Manja Schüle, and BTU President Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande. Key findings from the funding phase will be presented, along with projects such as the Geek Girls, the STEM Women’s Network, the “GENial” project funding initiative, and the FEM*Vision Mentoring Program featuring the VisionärinnenSalon.

“The Women Professors Program III has strengthened the university far beyond the funding of individual female researchers. It has enabled us to attract renowned female professors to our university and to establish sustainable structures for equal opportunity. I am convinced that cultural diversity and equal opportunity open up new avenues for development and are essential prerequisites for academic excellence and innovation,” emphasizes BTU President Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande.

Female Scholars in Conversation

A highlight of the event is the FEM*Lights salon talk featuring the female professors supported by the program: Stefanie Kiwi Menrath, Juliane Noack Napoles, Melanie Jaeger-Erben, and Johanna Blokker. They will discuss their research, their experiences at BTU, and the program’s significance for their career paths. An accompanying poster exhibition provides insights into the development and impact of the Female Professors Program III.

At the same time, the Decarbon Days will take place on the central campus—an international cleantech and transformation festival that will bring together stakeholders from academia, business, and politics on June 24 and 25, 2026. The focus will be on decarbonization, green industry, innovation, and the economic development of Lusatia as Europe’s first “Net Zero Valley.”

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Event Details

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Main Lecture Hall and Pavilion, Central Campus of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
All interested parties are cordially invited.

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