Project Agency

Who We Are

The Hildegardis Society  (Hildegardis Verein) is the oldest association promoting women studies in Germany. It was founded in 1907 by Maria Schmitz and other politically active female Catholics. Their aim: to provide young women with interest-free loans that would allow them to attend university or take part in a professional (further) qualification and training course.

Since that time, the Hildegardis Society has continually developed its support portfolio, adapting to contemporary requirements.

Today, the Hildegardis Society supports Christian women of all academic areas of study and intended professional careers (especially in advanced study periods) with interest-free loans. The Society's particular concern is an improvement of the compatibility of family and career and the facilitation of lifelong learning in all biographical phases.

With funding from the German Contergan Foundation (Conterganstiftung), the Hildegardis Society carried out the first Germany-wide Mentoring Project for Female University Students with a disability or chronic illness. In the course of the five-year program (2008 till mid-2013), 60 female students from all courses of study received personalized coaching and counseling by a (male or female) mentor (many of whom live with a handicap themselves) for the duration of 12 months each.

In March 2013, the Hildegardis Society launched the project "Life inclusive: CompetenceTandems" for female university students with or without a disability or chronic illness. The underlying project is sponsored by the BMBF under the project funding reference number 01FP1261.