Advisory Services
In our faculty, it is crucial that your studies run smoothly and you do not encounter any problems. However, studying for a Master's degree, especially abroad, can lead to various challenges. Therefore, we offer an overview that helps you find the right contact person quickly and easily.
Program Coordinationteam
The Marepol has a coordination team consisting of Prof. Matthias Kortmann (Chair of the Examination Board), Magdalena Franz (Marepol Student Advisory), and Ian Singendonk, Ghulam Zahra, Hosai Ayobi and Ahmed Ali (Student Assistants). If you have any questions that are not addressed in the FAQ, please do not hesitate to contact us via email.
International Office and Student Advisory Service
The International Office is the primary contact for international students regarding all questions related to studying in general, but not concerning Marepol. For example, questions about applications, enrollment, and finances such as scholarships and grants. Below you will find an overview of the various counseling options offered by the International Office.
The Student Advisory Service of TU Dortmund University has listed various counseling services you can contact via e-mail. These services range, for example, from contact persons at the Department of Disability and Studies (DoBuS) to social counseling services for students with financial, social, or family issues or questions about their residence status.
Central Equal Opportunity Representative
Questions, concerns, or suggestions about gender equality, pregnancy during the master's program, or the compatibility of your studies and your family are essential matters that you can discuss with all our teaching staff and/or -of course- with our Equal Opportunities Representative. The Equal Opportunity Representative, Lara Westermeyer is the contact person for equality-related matters in the Faculty of Humanities and Theology.
Counseling Centers for Protection against Discrimination and Boundary Violation: AMiGa and SchuDS
…there are many forms of inappropriate behavior. Have you observed such behavior or are you yourself affected by transgressions, (sexualized) violence, harassment, or other forms of inappropriate behavior?
Are you unsure whether a particular incident was or is inappropriate? According to a Europe-wide study, only 13% of those affected by gender-based violence reported it to an official body – in many cases because they did not even perceive it as a form of violence. Even in such cases, you can contact us or seek more information from the offices listed below.
The Department of Humanities and Theology's contact point is Amiga - Contact Point for Abuse and Boundary Violations. They offer you the opportunity to report incidents in a safe environment, support you in taking further steps and accompany you throughout the process. Feel free to write to us at any time. You are also welcome to contact a specific person directly using the personalised contact details.
If you experience discrimination or harassment, you can also contact the university's Protection Office SchuDS - Central Counseling Center for Protection against Discrimination and Sexualized Violence.
The variety of discrimination, abuse, and boundary-crossing experiences is shown, among other things, in the Report by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency. It finds that German universities not only face cases of social degradation and material disadvantage but also physical assaults. These include devaluation of performance through poor grading, to bullying, and various forms of discrimination and abuse.
The report identifies numerous characteristics that correlate with experiences of harassment at universities. These include sexual orientation, origin, biological sex, and gender identity. Anyone can be a victim of discrimination, and such discrimination can come from both faculty (43.2%) and fellow students (56.2%).
According to a survey of students in Germany, already in 2021 over a quarter (26%) of students experienced discrimination in a university context, and almost half observed discrimination by other students. Discrimination is understood here as any form of disadvantage based on objective characteristics. Additionally, 60% of students report a degrading experience during their studies.
According to the 2022 UniSAFE study “Gender-based violence and its consequences in European Academia”, 62% of surveyed students and staff at European universities experienced gender-based violence. This includes violence based on gender or disproportionally affecting one gender. More than half experienced psychological violence, almost a third sexual harassment. Particularly affected were people with non-binary gender identities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities. In NRW, 5.2% of employees reported sexual harassment at the workplace (Gender Report 2022).
- Obscene or degrading remarks/gestures
- Suggestive comments or intrusive questions about body, lifestyle, or private life
- Inappropriate compliments or gifts
- Unprofessional and inappropriate behavior such as invitations to private homes
- Whistling ("cat calling"), intrusive stares, etc.
- Unwanted advances involving promises of benefits or threats of disadvantages
- Displaying and spreading pornographic/sexual material
- Unwanted physical closeness and touch
- Stalking (in-person or digital)
- Harassment or inappropriate contact via phone, SMS, email, or letter
- Physical assaults up to (attempted) rape
- Exclusion or avoidance of people based on sexual orientation, gender, origin, or other non-professional traits (including differential treatment)
- Ignoring language issues of international students, like repeating loudly or using childish language
- Derogatory behavior based on appearance (e.g., due to a headscarf)
- Insults and other forms of overstepping boundaries through posters or graffiti
These examples largely come from the Federal Conference of Women’s and Gender Equality Officers at Universities and are part of a systematic approach to anti-discrimination protection at universities by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (2020).
Complaint Management
The Department of Humanities and Theology has had its own complaint management system in place since 2006. Prof. Dr. Egbert Ballhorn is responsible for complaint management. All students of the faculty can contact him with their problems, suggestions, or ideas for improvement. You can reach Professor Dr. Ballhorn by email, by post, or of course, in person during his office hours.
Every complaint is reviewed and personally answered. Your name is only known to those responsible for handling the process and will not be disclosed. If, during the process, a direct conversation with all parties involved appears appropriate, we will ask for your permission beforehand.
Please understand that we cannot respond to anonymous messages. If you still prefer to remain anonymous, you may contact the student council, which will then take the necessary steps.
All complaints received are reviewed without delay. A statement is obtained from the individuals concerned in order to reach a final decision. If the complaint is upheld, the specifically agreed measures will be implemented immediately. You will then receive prompt feedback regarding your complaint.
At the end of the year, the relevant committees of the faculty receive a report on all complaints along with a summary of the actions taken.
If, from your point of view, the complaint is not handled satisfactorily by the faculty, you are welcome to contact the Examination Board of TU Dortmund. Complaints to the Examination Board can be submitted online or in writing (Address: TU Dortmund, Department 2, 44221 Dortmund).
Student Representatives
For student inquiries, you are welcome to contact any of the faculty's student representatives at any time. Since the faculty consists of three institutes, three student representatives are at your disposal. Current information on the specific student representatives as well as contact details can be found on the respective websites. (At the moment, some of these websites are in German. The student representatives will soon provide information in English.)
Student representatives of the Institute of Philosophy and Political Science
Student representatives of the Institute of Protestant Theology
Student representatives of the Institute of Catholic Theology
The Institute of Philosophy and Political Science student representatives organize an 'Orientation Week' for new students at the beginning of each semester. This usually includes, among other things, a campus tour, a 'get-to-know-evening,' and the opportunity to ask questions about studying at the Faculty of Humanities and Theology in general.
Furthermore, the ASTA (General Student Committee) also offers Counseling for International Students on various topics.
Contact
Here you will find our FAQ. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
You are always welcome during office hours. Please make an appointment in advance. We also offer virtual office hours upon request.