Family friendly University

University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt / Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da) was, for the first time, certified by the Hessisches Ministerium des Innern, für Sicherheit und Heimatschutz (HMdI) - Hessian Ministry of the Interior, for Security and Home Security – on April 23, 2015 rewarded by the seal of approval “family friendly university federal State of Hesse”.  

On April 11, 2019, h_da received the award for the second time by the above-mentioned Hessian Ministry. Again, individual goals and activities were written down in a target agreement (2019 - 2023).

On June 22, 2023 h_da was awarded for the third time. Aims and measures can be found in the new target agreement (2023 - 2027).

• The Family Office as a central point of contact for students and employees in all matters relating to the compatibility of studies, career and family
• Ad-hoc childcare possibilities
• Holiday games and holiday childcare programmes for children of students and employees
• Parent-child room at the h_da media campus in Dieburg
• Campus Darmstadt one parent-child room (building A10, room 3.17)
• Care Guide, information on all aspects of care is available from: Ms Jung and Ms Amann

Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (h_da) is participating in the Hessian initiative "Reconciling work and care" and has signed the charter on reconciling work/study and care. In doing so, h_da is driving forward the process of becoming a family-friendly university. Then Family Minister Stefan Grüttner presented the charter to the then h_da Chancellor Norbert Reichert on 16 July 2015 at the Bildungswerk der Hessischen Wirtschaft e.V. in Frankfurt am Main.

76 per cent of people in need of care in Hesse are cared for by relatives - an immense burden for those affected. By signing the charter on the compatibility of work/study and care, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences has committed itself to improving the framework conditions for employees and students with relatives in need of care and to anchoring this in the organisational culture.

According to the charter, an important goal is to establish a working environment in which caring for relatives is recognised as an important social responsibility and thus removed from the taboo. Employees and students should also be informed about the legal framework and available support services for caring for relatives.

At Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, so-called "care guides" have been established - trained employees with a guiding function who can be contacted by those affected with questions and thus provide initial guidance.

The charter for reconciling work/study and care in Hesse was launched at the time as a Hesse-wide initiative by the Hessian Ministry of Labour, Integration, Youth and Social Affairs, Beruf und Familie gGmbH, AOK Hessen and Bildungswerk der Hessischen Wirtschaft e.V. (Hessian Business Education Association).

on reconciling work and care - Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences