University of Applied Sciences

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Our approaches to Diversity and Inclusion are ever-changing to suit the needs of our community. Take a look at our initiatives so far.

CODE sees diversity and inclusion as an opportunity in terms of attitude and policy, and we cultivate a culture of participation for everyone and their specific skills and characteristics.
For this reason, respect, recognition and empowerment of all members of the university has the highest priority—regardless of gender, abilities, cultural or ethnic background, religion or belief, age, sexual identity or preference, or other reasons that may lead to discrimination and/or exclusion.

Studying at CODE has been a great experience. When I needed help, my male peers were encouraging and helpful, but not from a patronizing standpoint, but like peer-to-peer. Working in a diverse team is so important: the work is better, and it’s more fun.Lotta Melcher
Software Engineering student at CODE

Learn more about diversity & inclusion at CODE

Our strategy for Diversity and Inclusion is a living document, able to change as our needs do. Inclusion is an ongoing conversation, one whose ending has not yet been written.

Community

We are a community full of a variety of perspectives and concerns. Here’s a few of the ways we give space to those various voices:

  • Townhall meetings for transparent discussions about sensitive or urgent topics
  • Cultural Evenings to share food, traditions and other tidbits from various cultures, lead by members of those communities (we’ve explored Israel, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Turkey, China, Brazil, Bavaria, India and others in the past)
  • Cultural Movie nights to learn more about a culture through the lens of a movie with the aid of an expert to explain and answer questions (like Genocide in Cambodia; Freelance work culture in Bangkok, Thailand; Humor in Denmark; Germany in 1930s; Apartheid in South Africa; and 1970s Mexico City)
  • Family-friendly rooms and considerate meeting scheduling for those with children
  • English-language use by all students and team members while on campus
  • Diversity & Inclusion events throughout the semester (where we discuss topics like gendered language, codes of ethics, children of lesser-educated parents in academia, difficulties of being a foreigner in Berlin, working in sex trade and coded advertising campaigns)
  • Glimpses of Diversity workshops during onboarding days for all new students

Women at CODE

23% percent of the CODE student body and 49% of the team identify as female. We started holding meetings for women back in our first year of studies to be sure women could see each other, hear each others’ stories and support one another through:

  • Regular student-hosted events for all women in the CODE community
  • A feminist book club open to everyone in the CODE community
  • Female founder and mentoring opportunities

LGBTQI+

CODE’s queer community is more visible than ever before, and one of the best ways to tackle that is to celebrate who we are! Part of this initiative is our Pride Week during June, planned by team members and students. Other steps we’re taking:

  • Using pronoun stickers we choose for ourselves at community and admission events
  • Multi-gendered bathrooms on campus
  • Name and pronoun changes for students and staff are always possible and embraced

Campus Accessibility

We are working with Factory, our campus host, to make our campus more accessible for members of our community with physical disabilities, whether visible or not. We are adjusting and expanding our facilities to make it as easy as possible for all CODE members to move about campus as independently as possible at all times.

Learning Accessibility

CODE’s unique curriculum does more than help our students learn by doing. Our project-based, self-directed learning allows all types of learners to thrive and show off their skills, especially for those who haven’t always been comfortable with traditional learning formats. We also address visual and auditory impairments by providing learning tools to suit various needs. Students are actively encouraged to co-design more accessible learning journeys that address their individual requirements.

Mental Wellbeing

Mental health is of great importance in a learning community that encourages self-drive. We reduce stigma around mental health issues through community events and open discussions. At CODE, we:

  • Educate students through courses on wellbeing
  • Educate staff mentors on best practices in mental health first aid and safeguarding
  • Provide confidential psychological in-house counseling for students