Rules for the 50% female quota on commissions

  • Explanation of the procedure for the occupation of commissions
  • Forms required in this respect

HTU Wien - Nominations for student curia

This guide, opens a file in a new window explains how to proceed with appointments to collegial bodies, taking account of the 50% female quota.

Procedure for the occupation of commissions for the purpose of checking compliance with a female quota of 50%, as per the Universities Act (UG) amendment of 2015

Due to the recent UG amendment, with effect from 1 March 2015, compliance with a female quota of at least 50% is required for the occupation of professional, habilitation and study commissions. The Working Group on equal opportunities is responsible for verifying that the composition of these commissions is in accordance with the law and, if it is not, it is responsible for raising an objection with the arbitration committee and reporting it to the ministry.

The AKG proposes the following procedure, following a discussion with the deputy chairman of the Senate representatives of the dean's offices and the spokespersons for groups represented in the Senate (hereinafter referred to as "curia"):

  1.  After the Senate has appointed a professional, habilitation or study commission, the representatives of the three curia of the faculty or Service Unit concerned nominate their delegated members of the commission. If the nomination proposal for a curia contains fewer than 50% female members, the reasons for this must be substantiated and transparent.

  2. The nomination proposal for the respective curia and its justification must be submitted internally to the relevant AKG faculty representative on the collegial body form AND forwarded to the AKG's office (see contact).

  3. After receiving the nominations for all three curia (= groups), the AKG's faculty representative will check compliance with the overall female quota of 50% for the commission thus composed; where there is no compliance, they will check whether the reasons stated for non-compliance are transparent.

  4. If the female quota is met or if the reasons for the non-compliance are accepted, the nomination is forwarded by the responsible AKG faculty representative with a corresponding statement from the AKG on the "BMWF collegial body form" to the relevant dean's office, with a copy to the secretary for the Senate chairperson. In this case, the commission is deemed to be properly constituted.

  5. If a nomination proposal is not accepted by the AKG because it does not comply with the 50% quota without sufficient justification, the AKG can ask the curia (= groups) to revise their nomination proposals. If the curia uphold their nomination, the AKG will forward the "nomination proposal internally form", on a collegial body form, to the relevant dean's office and the office of the Senate chairperson with no confirmation statement (or with the statement "not confirmed"). At the same time, within 4 weeks of the constituent sitting of the commission concerned, the AKG will, in this case, raise the objection of the incorrect composition to the arbitration committee by means of the "BMWF collegial body form".

The enclosed forms should be used to facilitate the procedure. The names of all persons nominated and the evidence of reasons for non-compliance with the 50% quota must be attached to the form.

The quota rule must also be applied to commissions that have already been set up by the Senate but have not yet been convened. Commissions convened prior to 1 March 2015 are not affected.

If a member of an existing commission resigns and has to be replaced by a new member, this is formally deemed to be a reconstitution and the 50% quota applies. In this case, the AKG must be informed immediately of the new appointment.