To promote gender equality and thereby increase the number of women participating in DFG coordinated programmes in which the applicants are research institutions, the applicant institutions are asked at the proposal stage about the relevant measures they take and these are discussed during the on-site evaluation.

As well as specific equal opportunity measures (such as support programmes and mentoring programmes for women), efforts by the university to enable researchers to balance their career and family lives, particularly in terms of childcare, play an important role. Recommendations arising from the review process relating to the number of women at each level of projects or the number of childcare places required are passed on to the research institution in question by the DFG. During the next review, the progress made is discussed and evaluated.