Photo Gallery: Recap of the Diversity Week 2025

In the Same Schloss Together: Between Walls and Ways Forward

From 13 to 16 October 2025, the University of Mannheim was all about diversity: Under the motto “In the Same Schloss Together: Between Walls and Ways Forward,” the Department of Equal Opportunity and Diversity invited university members to this year’s Diversity Week. For four days, the university offered a varied program including presentations, workshops, and networking meetings that opened up different perspectives on diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities.

The full text of the recap can be found here.

Main event: “A Room for Change? Current Challenges for Democracies”

On 15 October 2025 in the Katakomben, baroque palace at the University of Mannheim

Professor Heiko Paulheim is on the podium speaking in the Katakomben during the Diversity Week. The audience is sitting in front of him and listening. — The Vice President for Digitalization, Equal Opportunity, and Diversity, Professor Heiko Paulheim, is opening the main event of the Diversity Week 2025 in the Katakomben at the University of Mannheim.

Sabine Kußmaul is welcoming the audience to the main event of the Diversity Week. — The Head of the Department of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, Sabine Kußmaul, is moderating the main event on the topic: “A Room for Change? Current Challenges for Democracies.”

Laura di Natali and Eddy Kolb are giving a concert during the main event of the Diversity Week. — The evening was accompanied by a musical performance providing special moments by Laura di Natali (she/they) from the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg (Mannheim) and Eddy Kolb, who accompanied her on the keyboard.

Dr. Jessica Steinberger is standing at the lectern on stage during the main event of the Diversity Week 2025. She is gesturing towards a PowerPoint slide, which is outside the area shown on the photo. She has her hair put up and is wearing a dark blue T-shirt and glasses. — Professor Jessica Steinberger (HS Mannheim) spoke about the online phenomenon of tradwives and how traditional roles and toxic masculinity norms are gaining new visibility on social media.

Spectators in the Katakomben are listening to Dr. Oliver Rittmann’s presentation during the Diversity Week. Dr. Rittmann is standing at the lectern. The PowerPoint slide showing the title page of the presentation can be seen in the background. — Dr. Oliver Rittmann (MZES) presented the results of his study on gender-specific attention in the Baden-Württemberg Landtag.

A spectator is asking a question with a microphone in hand during the main event of the Diversity Week.

Dr. Rittmann and Professor Steinberger are on stage. Dr. Rittmann is holding a microphone in his hand. He is answering questions from the audience. To their left, Sabine Kußmaul is standing at the lectern, looking at the speakers. — This was followed by a lively Q&A session including discussions on which structural or unconscious prejudices could play a role in this.

A spectator is speaking into a microphone asking a question during the main event of the Diversity Week. She is making gestures with her hands. Other spectators can also be seen in the background. — The presentation on the tradwife phenomenon was also discussed enthusiastically and clearly showed that there is still a need for further research.

Exchange and getting involved on campus

Information stand at the Mensa for the Diversity Week 2025

Three women are standing in front of a metaplan board at the Mensa and sticking pins into the poster. The poster shows the wheel of privilege. — At the stand at the Mensa, students and staff could fill the wheel of privilege with pins to “check their privileges.”

In the center, the wheel of privilege poster with pins in its categories can be seen. In the foreground and out of focus, two people with long hair are sticking pins into the poster. — On the wheel of privilege, participants could mark various dimensions of privilege applying to them: for example, they could indicate whether they came from a rich, middle-class, or poor family.

At the stand at the Mensa during the Diversity Week 2025, there is a table with several business cards, posters, and gummy bears. — Members of the University of Mannheim also had the opportunity to get informational material, for example on counseling by the Department of Equal Opportunity and Diversity.

Someone is pinning a card with wishes for measures and comments on a metaplan board at the University of Mannheim. The card says “more accessibility.” — Participants also had the opportunity to make comments and suggestions for improvement.