Pride Month at FERNFH: Making Diversity Visible, All Year Round
Pride Month is coming to an end, but our commitment to diversity and equality remains. Through initiatives, events, and structural measures, FERNFH—led by the GG&D Committee—works year-round to foster a university culture characterized by respect, openness, and equal opportunity.
What remains when Pride Month is over? Rainbow flags are taken down, campaigns and events come to an end, and Pride Month bids farewell for another year. The question that remains is: How can we make diversity visible in our everyday lives?
At FERNFH, the answer is: through ongoing commitment and a dedicated university department responsible for equality, gender, and diversity. At FERNFH, diversity isn’t just a topic for a few weeks—it’s part of a university culture that thrives on openness, appreciation, and mutual respect.
This commitment was also evident during Pride Month 2026: A welcome banner in the entrance area, stickers, and other campus activities sent a message of diversity. In addition, FERNFH actively supports this year’s Pride Biz Research Award, an honor that recognizes outstanding academic work on LGBTIQ+ topics. As a university, it is important to us to support academic engagement with these important issues and to send a clear message both internally and externally.
Diversity is reflected in action
However, visibility does not come about through symbols alone. What matters most is how diversity and equity are put into practice in everyday university life. During the past academic year, the Committee for Equity, Gender, and Diversity (GG&D) launched numerous initiatives that fostered dialogue and opened up new perspectives.
During the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign in November/December 2025, an orange-lit student lounge, together with the discussion event “Violence Knows No Age or Place: Three Women—Three Perspectives—One Conversation,” drew attention to a socially relevant issue.
As part of the "Positively Purple" initiative on December 3, 2025, the student lounge was illuminated in purple, and a social media post was created. This event was also featured as a highlight on the myAbility website; see "Positively Purple 2025: Commitment to Accessibility" | myAbility.
During Women’s History Month in March 2026, the GG&D Committee invited all students, faculty, and staff to participate in a digital “Wall of Inspiration—Women in Art & Culture” and to share their ideas, thoughts, and messages with one another.
Topics such as digital accessibility, neurodiversity, and mental health were also in the spotlight. Lectures, workshops, and an informational presentation titled “Learning Differently Is Normal: How Neurodivergent Students Can Benefit from Distance Learning” —which included tips for neurodivergent students—made it clear that diversity has many facets. Nicole König, BA MSc, co-chair of the GG&D Committee at FERNFH, sees this as a development that goes far beyond individual initiatives: “This year, many topics have resonated with us, and just as many remain on our agenda. This makes it all the more true to say: Over the past year, FERNFH has become noticeably more inclusive and diverse. We’re proud of that.”
Diversity as a Matter of Course
Pride Month raises awareness. What’s important, however, is what happens before, after, and beyond it. At FERNFH, the Committee for Equality, Gender & Diversity—with its two co-chairs and 10 members—continues its work on an ongoing basis and is constantly refining existing programs. For Mag.a Astrid Braun, co-chair of the Committee for Equality, Gender & Diversity, that is precisely the most important message: “Just as diverse as Pride Month is, so too is life, and so too are people—not just at FERNFH. May we celebrate and cherish this diversity every day, because a diverse life is simply more joyful—on every level!”
Anyone who wants to stand up for diversity even beyond Pride Month will soon have the opportunity to do so: Pride in Wiener Neustadt will take place on July 11, 2026, and the GG&D Committee is pleased to extend an invitation to everyone in the area to stand up for openness, respect, and diversity.
Contact & More Information
You can find all the information about the Committee on Equality, Gender, and Diversity, as well as contact details, on the FERNFH GG&D page. If you have any questions, you can contact the committee chairs , Mag.a Astrid Braun or Nicole König, BA MSc, at any time.
Here are a few more impressions from FERNFH
