Universitas Negeri Semarang has formally reinforced its commitment to gender equality, social justice, and educational inclusivity by issuing Circular Letter No. B/996/UN37/KP.06.05/2024 on Strengthening Inclusive and Anti-Discriminatory Campus.
Faculties and units are encouraged to create an academic environment that supports women’s access, participation, and empowerment, while ensuring that women are free from discrimination and have equal opportunities to contribute in academic, leadership, and research activities.
UNNES aims to guarantee fair access for women in the admission and selection process across all study programs, promote active female participation in academic and leadership roles, and establish a safe, family-friendly, and gender-sensitive campus culture. It also seeks to strengthen UNNES’s institutional capacity as an inclusive and gender-responsive university.
In practice, faculties and administrative units are expected to uphold gender equality in several key areas:
1. Student Admission and Access
Admission committees are required to ensure non-discriminatory selection systems and maintain equitable representation of women in student enrollment. UNNES promotes equal opportunities for prospective female students to access higher education across all study programmes, regardless of their social, economic, or cultural backgrounds. Equal access is emphasized throughout the admission process, from application and selection to enrollment. As part of this commitment, the Faculty of Law (FH UNNES) conducted a student admission outreach activity entitled “Empowering Future Women in Law” on 18 February 2025, encouraging prospective female students to pursue legal education and professional careers. The activity highlighted women’s opportunities in legal studies, leadership, and the legal profession, reinforcing UNNES’s commitment to gender equality and inclusive access to higher education.
2. Academic and Leadership Participation
Faculties and university units must encourage women’s involvement in academic governance, decision-making bodies, and strategic committees. Women’s participation in institutional leadership can be seen in the organizational structure of UNNES, particularly within the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), where numerous female academics serve in leadership and coordination positions. The LPPM management team includes women holding key responsibilities across various divisions, including research, community engagement, environmental innovation, and institutional programme development. Their representation within the organizational structure highlights women’s active involvement in leadership and decision-making at the university.
3. Research and Community Engagement
Female lecturers and students are supported through funding, mentoring, and research networking opportunities. UNNES encourages women’s active involvement in research, innovation, and community service, including interdisciplinary collaboration and community-based projects. One notable example is the Women as Pioneers of Mental Health programme organised by the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FIPP) on 20 May 2025 in Sambirejo Village, Semarang Regency. Led by female academic staff, the programme engaged local women through mental health education, stress management training, and discussions on family and community well-being. This initiative highlights UNNES’s commitment to empowering women as leaders in promoting mental health awareness and strengthening community resilience.
4. Campus Environment and Social Protection
UNNES provides gender-sensitive facilities such as lactation rooms, fair maternity and menstrual leave policies, and access to the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Unit (ULDKS) for protection and counseling. These facilities and services address practical needs related to health, family responsibilities, and personal safety. Lactation rooms provide space for breastfeeding mothers, while protection and counseling services are available to university members who need assistance.
Implementation of these efforts is coordinated by the Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, while the Quality Assurance Unit monitors progress and reports through the UNNES SDGs Monitoring System.
Through these efforts, UNNES reaffirms its role as a Conservation University committed to equity and inclusivity, strengthening women’s roles in higher education and advancing UNNES’s vision as a just, sustainable, and world-class university.
