A university commited to Equality

Our video for International Women’s Day 2025 is the result of an intensive collaboration involving many dedicated individuals at Heilbronn University. Created as part of the Professorinnenprogramm III, it not only showcases our vision for the future but also highlights the existing structures, projects, and key players in the fields of equal opportunities and gender equality.

The Protagonists

At the heart of the video are strong women from Heilbronn University who drive equality efforts forward every day:

Each of these protagonists represents a crucial aspect of our equality work – from research and teaching to specialised support programmes.

Our Thanks

A special thank you goes to everyone who contributed to the success of this project, both in front of and behind the camera. The production of this video would not have been possible without the support of the Professorinnenprogramm III, the commitment of our Gender Equality Officers, and the contributions of participants from the WoMent and doctora programmes, as well as all the protagonists.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the production team, whose technical expertise and creative vision brought our ideas to life. The result exceeded all expectations and impressively demonstrates the diversity and innovation of gender equality work at Heilbronn University.

Imagine this: A brilliant discovery is made, groundbreaking research is published – yet the recognition goes to someone else. Not because of the quality of the work, but because of the researcher’s gender.

This phenomenon has a name: the Matilda Effect. And this very issue is at the heart of our image video.

In the video, Matilda is the voice that embodies our vision of equal opportunities and the visibility of women in science and education. The name Matilda was deliberately chosen to draw attention to the Matilda Effect.

The Matilda Effect was named after women's rights activist and sociologist Matilda Joslyn Gage, who, in her 1870 essay "Woman as Inventor", challenged the widespread belief that women lacked scientific talent. She criticised the systemic invisibility of women’s achievements in science. More than a century later, science historian Margaret W. Rossiter coined the term Matilda Effect to describe exactly this form of discrimination: the tendency to give women less recognition for their scientific contributions or to attribute their work to male colleagues.

A well-known example of the Matilda Effect is the story of Lise Meitner, who played a crucial role in the discovery of nuclear fission but did not receive a Nobel Prize – instead, it was awarded to her colleague Otto Hahn. Unfortunately, the Matilda Effect is still evident today: female scientists are often cited less frequently, and their work receives less attention, limiting their career opportunities.