Our mission

If we want to make a difference in the world, we need diversity around us. For us, it's about the unique value that each person brings to the university and that reflects who each individual is. That's all that matters.  

Diversity drives innovation, inclusion offers new perspectives and a sense of belonging creates the trust we want to generate at IU International University of Applied Sciences.   

In the self-image of IU, the entirety of people includes not only men and women but also all those who do not assign themselves to these identity categories. The recognition of individual and cultural diversity includes protection against discrimination on the basis of gender, origin, sexuality, age, religion, disability and chronic illness, as well as the promotion of life-stage and family-oriented equal opportunities.  

The university motivates all its members to actively deal with challenges that may arise from heterogeneity and diversity, with existing access hurdles and barriers in everyday university life, and to address these in order to jointly experience a "culture of everyone". This culture should enable everyone to feel that they belong at IU International University of Applied Sciences just as they are - authentic and real!   

The range of studies offered is diverse, IU International University of Applied Sciences wants to admit diverse students (different admission channels, different ages of students, global students, working students, students with children, etc.).   

This heterogeneity leads to a wide variety of challenges to which IU is committed as an open university and for which the university defines supporting and/or advisory measures and continuously evaluates and develops them further. In terms of accessibility and inclusion, all offers should be accessible to all interested parties with as low a threshold as possible.   

IU International University of Applied Sciences takes into account the needs and circumstances of the people in the university. IU listens to them, is open to their concerns and reacts appropriately to the situation. In designing its services, the university works together with its members, partners and society. 

The diversity of civil society is reflected in IU International University of Applied Sciences. The university is committed to this. It develops - together with all university members - suitable strategies and measures, and regularly reviews these through internal monitoring and external audits as part of the quality assurance of the diversity policy work.   

Against the background of the self-understandings and self-commitments outlined above, IU International University of Applied Sciences pursues a number of overarching goals. The main focus of the short- and medium-term measures implemented to fulfil the diversity mission statement is on raising awareness among university members as well as on the visibility and low-threshold access to offers. The long-term goal is to ensure a lived egalitarian culture that is anchored in the university through sustainable structural changes and is an integrated part of IU's quality assurance.  

We want to strengthen the self-confidence of all IU members, so that everyone appears self-confident with their own individuality and identity. We value authenticity and individuality.   

We aim for equal opportunities for all and a strengths-based and strengths-oriented development, not only, but also related to gender equality. We support and demand that equal opportunities not only refer to men and women, but to be extended to all orientations and identities.  

Balancing a career, job and studies while having a family can be very challenging. Due to the university’s open access, IU has an above-average number of students who are parents. Due to the flexibility of the study programmes, individual scheduling is already possible at many points for learners. IU International University of Applied Sciences also believes in the possibility of flexible working time and workplace models for almost all employees. In this self-image, IU would like to support its members in reconciling professional/academic obligations and responsibility for children, as well as in caring for relatives in need of care.   

IU International University of Applied Sciences is open to staff and students from a wide range of cultures and nations. Part of the IU’s DNA since its foundation has been the teaching of intercultural skills and the promotion of "global citizenship".  

Barrier-free access to the university's services is a prerequisite for participation. Accessibility refers to both didactic and structural barriers as well as other obstacles. Barriers are presented differently depending on the target group. The employees of IU International University of Applied Sciences recognise existing access barriers and work actively to remove them where possible or to offer appropriate compensation for disadvantages.  

As an employer, the university wants to give employees with disabilities equal opportunities and not only fulfil the minimum legal requirements. Employees with disabilities should be represented at all levels and in all status groups. IU International University of Applied Sciences is committed to making workplaces barrier-free and disability-friendly as far as possible or to redesigning them for employees at short notice. Rehabilitation and reintegration are encouraged in the event of prolonged illness.