Even though discrimination is banned under international, European, and national legislation, it still occurs in everyday life. As a public educational institution, WU places particular importance on providing a work and study environment that ensures equality for all of its students and employees.

Discrimination means that people are treated unequally and put at a disadvantage on the basis of individual or group-specific characteristics such as gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, ideology, and sexual orientation. Discrimination is based on unlawful biases, and there are no facts that justify it. Discrimination violates the dignity of people who are discriminated against, and it prevents them from exercising their human rights.

Working together as equals

WU is committed to creating a positive, motivating, and non-discriminatory work and study environment where all WU students and employees feel safe and work together based on trust and equality. A positive and motivating environment requires mutual appreciation, a tolerant attitude towards different ways of thinking, and respect for personal boundaries. Against this background, WU’s seeks to prevent all forms of discrimination and harassment as early on as possible. As a public university and an employer that takes social responsibility seriously, WU also has a legal obligation to offer the WU community a study and work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.

Harassment refers to behavior that violates or is intended to violate the dignity of the affected person, behavior that is unwanted, inappropriate, and offensive to the affected person, and behavior that creates or is intended to create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, environment for the person targeted by the harassment. This includes sexual harassment, which may be nonverbal, verbal, or physical.

What can I do in cases of harassment? WU-Hilfe_nach_Belaestigung_final.pdf (in German)

Non-discriminatory language

Fair and inclusive language allows people to identify with what is being said, and it appropriately reflects the realities of life of different groups of people. Language is considered to be fair and inclusive when it uses words and images that make people’s diversity visible. Using fair and inclusive language helps to overcome discriminatory stereotypes and avoid subtle forms of unequal treatment in how people are described. The use of gender-fair language is also enshrined in the WU By-Laws.

More information about WU’s anti-discrimination measures: Vienna University of Economics and Business: Anti-Discrimination and Networks – Diversity & Inclusion – About WU (in German)

Code of Conduct for Students: Vienna University of Economics and Business: How We Treat Each Other – Code of Conduct – WU Campus (wu.ac.at)

Code of Conduct for employees: WUPOL_Code_of_Conduct_EN.pdf