As an Adventist university with a distinctive profile, Friedensau Theological University promotes the holistic development of individuals and, through teaching, research and continuing professional development, equips them to engage in service to others, within the Church and in society.

1. Focus

We focus on disciplines centred on serving others. This is carried out within the departments of Theology and Christian Social Work. We are an international university committed to interculturalism and equal opportunities, and we continue a long history of relationships with countries across all continents.

2. Community

We are a campus-based university where our teachers, employees and students form a close-knit community based on trust, tolerance, multiculturalism and cooperation. We aim to support all members of this community in a holistic manner. Equality between women and men is a fundamental principle here, as is respect for other religions, world views and cultures. As a family-friendly university, we aim to create the right conditions to make it easier to balance study, work and family life. The spacious layout of the campus, set amidst natural surroundings, also contributes to this.

3. Research and teaching

We are committed to providing students with a grounding in the fundamentals of their respective disciplines, as well as an understanding of the latest research findings. Research and teaching are based on scientific methods, an open-minded approach to findings, and a sense of responsibility before God and humankind. The aim of our teaching is to combine research and practical skills so that our graduates can meet the demands of their respective fields of work to a high standard.

We also offer further education and professional development programmes in line with the principles of lifelong learning. Both teachers and students contribute to academic discourse through their publications. Our teaching and research are grounded in Christian ethics and take a holistic and interdisciplinary approach.

4. Society and spirituality

We are convinced that faith, education and the way we live our lives form a unified whole. We strive to reflect, in all we do, a spirituality rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why we foster the development of personal identity by encouraging and empowering people to engage in self-reflection. It is also our aim to play a constructive and critical role in shaping the Church and society. It is in this comprehensive sense that we, as a university community, wish to fulfil our mission.

Guiding Principle

We aim to create an environment and opportunities in which students and staff at the university can grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and support the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
To this end, we have outlined the spiritual foundations and atmosphere, the Adventist identity and the development of mission work in terms of unity, diversity and exemplary conduct. Here is a brief excerpt:

Identity

Friedensau Theological University has a Christian, Free Church, Adventist profile. The university’s Adventist identity is an expression of what we understand by following Jesus and Christian convictions. The legacy of Friedensau’s history, spanning over a century, and God’s guidance of the university are, for us, a precious asset and a spiritual commitment.

Atmosphere

In Friedensau, a Christian ethos is intended to shape every aspect of life and work. The university and the parish, the care home and the village form a single community; institutions and residents live in harmony with one another. We therefore strive to treat one another with respect and love; we recognise and honour the value and dignity of all people as God’s creatures. The Christian approach to time, which is also reflected in the biblical Sabbath, and an ecological outlook rooted in the Christian responsibility for stewardship are among our core values. Our focus on the Second Coming of Christ gives our entire Christian life a clear perspective.

Friedensau Theological University is committed to fostering a respectful, appreciative and equitable community on campus and in all aspects of university life. We consider it our responsibility to protect the dignity and integrity of all people.

We take a firm stand against all forms of discrimination and unfair treatment. In particular, we oppose sexual harassment, sexual discrimination and violence, as well as stalking. Such behaviour causes harm to people, creates a hostile environment and is incompatible with the values and legal principles of our university.

The principles set out for this purpose provide binding guidelines on how we fulfil this responsibility, how we take preventive action and how we deal with incidents.

We encourage those affected to seek support and to raise any incidents. People who witness such situations are also urged to take notice and take action. The university provides contact persons and counselling services for this purpose and follows up on reports thoroughly.

The ThHF is a research-based university dedicated to teaching, research, and further education in the fields of Adventist theology and Christian social work, as well as related disciplines, and is run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In accordance with the mission statement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the ThHF’s guiding principles, and the provisions of the Basic Law and ordinary legislation, the ThHF works to ensure the equality of all students and staff with regard to
1. ethnic origin,
2. Religion and worldview,
3. Gender and sexual identity,
4. Disability or chronic illness,
5. Age and marital status,
6. Social background and circumstances
both within and outside the university.

To put this into practice, the Senate has adopted an equality policy at the ThHF. This policy is implemented by an equality officer, who is elected by all staff and the members of the Students’ Council for a term of three years.

The Equality Officer has the right to participate in the university’s governing bodies and must, for example, be involved in appointment procedures. For members of the university with disabilities, he or she acts as a point of contact for removing barriers to participation.

Members of the university can seek advice or support from the Equality Officer on all matters relating to equality or discrimination.

The university management and the designated representative are obliged to use the means at their disposal to prevent or put a stop to bullying, sexual harassment, denigration and discrimination. Every member of staff has a duty to contribute to a positive working environment, to respect the dignity of every colleague (including external staff) and to refrain from any behaviour that could harass, demean, discredit or discriminate against colleagues.

In the event of actual or potential conflicts, the employee representatives – who are elected by the workforce for a two-year term – provide a point of contact for advice and support regarding difficult discussions, whether these take place amongst colleagues, with line managers or between departments, without immediately involving senior management; or, if senior management is already involved, to request their support.

Friedensau Theological University promotes equal cooperation and coexistence amongst its members and the wider university community on campus and at all levels of the organisation, including administration, facilities management, the guest house, student life, teaching and research.

It attaches great importance to relationships based on trust and to acting in a respectful and appreciative manner, and is committed to actively combating all forms of discrimination at all levels, such as racism, bullying and abuse of power. In particular, in cases of discrimination, disadvantage or harassment – including sexual harassment – or breaches of the university’s safety policy – the Complaints Office is the right point of contact for anyone studying, working or even just visiting the campus.

Sometimes a mediating discussion is not enough; sometimes you need a competent body that can investigate complaints through a formal procedure and put forward specific proposals to management on how to improve a situation or impose sanctions on an individual.

The Complaints Office provides advice, offers guidance and recommends courses of action; it is also responsible for proposing or implementing preventive measures in collaboration with the student representatives and the Equal Opportunities Officer.
The members of the Complaints Committee are elected for a term of three years as a rule, whilst the student representative is elected for one year.

As a university, we have set up an internal channel through which anonymous reports of breaches of laws, regulations and internal compliance rules can be made. This applies to all areas of work, such as health and safety, hygiene, accounting, tax matters, or official orders and requirements.The aim is to enable the secure and accessible reporting of even suspected cases, so that breaches can be rectified quickly and without red tape, without running the risk of having to contact an external body in cases where the legal situation or evidence is unclear, and thereby potentially committing breaches of confidentiality or data protection themselves.

To do so, you can contact the Compliance Officer directly or via a joint whistleblowing portal operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a central reporting point.