Applying for a professorship
What is important when applying for a professorship in Germany?
What needs to be included in an application to successfully secure a post as a professor? © shironosov / iStock.com
The documents to be submitted when applying for a professorship differ significantly from those in other professional fields. From the letter of motivation, curriculum vitae and list of publications to the teaching and research plan: What is essential in an application for a professorship and how should it be structured? A guide.
Published: 2024-01-31
By: Maike Schade & Julia Becker
Professorship: Who can apply when and where?
Vacant professorships are usually advertised publicly and internationally, and unsolicited applications are not possible. Vacant W1, W2 or W3 professorships in Germany are primarily advertised on the relevant job sites for academics – on academics.com, for example – and usually at least one and a half years before the position is set to become vacant.
The reason for this relatively protracted period of time is that when it comes to the appointment of a professor, only thebest and most suitable person may be granted the position. The appointment procedure is correspondingly time consuming and cannot be compared with the application process in other professional fields. The same applies to the application, which must fulfill certain specifications.
The requirements for an optimal candidate for a professorship are usually described precisely in the job advertisement. It only makes sense to apply if the requirements are met as precisely as possible – including the research focus and teaching experience, but also the civil service requirements. The job listing states to whom the application should be addressed. Digital applications are now common and even required at most universities.
Which documents should be included in the application?
The documents should provide the appointment committee with an initial but comprehensive impression of the applicant’s professional background and academic qualifications.
The application should include:
- a letter of motivation,
- a curriculum vitae including details of research activities, a list of publications and lectures, third-party funding, teaching activities and collaborations,
- in most cases a research and teaching plan,
- certificates (academic degrees and job-related references).
In some cases, special references are still required. Information on what data and documents the specific university requires – and in what form – is usually provided on the website and/or by the dean’s office. A telephone call with the chair of the appointment committee can also be advantageous.
Tip: The DHV application portfolio check
Having another set of eyes look at an application can be very helpful. The German Association of University Professors and Lecturers (DHV) offers professional support in the form of an application portfolio check.
A second association of professors and lecturers, HLB, also offers seminars on the topic of applying for a professorship.
Application design
The more extensive the qualifications are, the more advisable it is to limit the application to job-relevant information so that readers can grasp the essential points at a glance. Applicants should also consider the fact that not all members of the appointment committee will be professors familiar with the subject or even with everyday university life. External experts and, for example, the gender equality officer are also involved.
The design should be clear and the font size shouldn’t be too small. If the application documents are not submitted in digital form, pure white paper is recommended, as they may be copied several times. The name, including titles, should appear in the header and/or footer of each page. Applicants should also always provide their business and private contact details.
Special considerations when applying for a junior professorship
In principle, the same rules apply to an application for a junior professorship (W1) as for a W2 or W3 position. Since junior researchers usually have fewer references, the selection of activities and qualifications listed may be broader and less specialised. It is important that the references provided demonstrate the soft skills required for a junior professorship, such as leadership qualities or organisational talent.
How should the letter of motivation be formulated?
The letter of motivation for a professorship application should be 1.5 to two pages in length and should describe the applicant’s qualifications and motivation as well as his or her current professional situation. It is extremely important that the applicant’s research focus matches the vacant position, which can be demonstrated, for example, by mentioning relevant research projects, publications and teaching activities. It is also essential to for applicants to describe their experience with third-party funding. Also important to mention are:
- research stays abroad,
- international connections,
- cooperation with industry,
- special achievements in promoting young talent,
- offices in academic self-administration or scientific associations,
- prizes, awards, scholarships or patents.
Equally important is the applicant’s motivation: Why is the candidate seeking this particular advertised position? It is a good idea here to provide an outlook on planned teaching and research projects that perfectly match the nature of the vacant position.
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The professor CV: What does it need to include?
The curriculum vitae is particularly important when applying for a professorship. Some universities, like the University of Hamburg, work with application forms. They provide a good insight into what data is important for a successful application for a professorship in addition to a cover letter and certificates – not only the stages of academic and professional training, but also detailed information about the candidate’s scholarly career.
A list of publications and lectures as well as an overview of teaching activities, third-party funding experience and research projects carried out are required. Detailed information on the content and structure of an academic CV can be found in this academics guide.
Five tips for applying for a professorship
from lawyer Dr Juliane Lorenz, the legal counsel and application coach at the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers
1. Focus on the listed requirements
Analyse the text of the job advertisement very carefully and determine the specific requirements for the position. Imagine being a member of the appointment committee. Who would the committee want to recruit for this professorship?
2. Know the general conditions on site
Find out about the general conditions at the potential employer. For example, research the possible directions or future plans of the respective faculty or university. Specific development plans, the university's mission statement or target agreements with the respective state ministry can also be helpful in this context. The same applies to background information on the advertised professorship.
3. Know the conditions of the appointment
Get informed about the appointment conditions on site. Many universities now work with guidelines for appointing professorships. These sometimes contain criteria catalogues that are applied by the appointment committee. The criteria that could be applied here are, for example, relevance, the fit in terms of content, international experience or success in acquiring third-party funding. These criteria should also be covered in the letter of motivation.
4. Create a meaningful letter of motivation
Candidates should explain their suitability for the vacancy in a convincing letter of motivation. The letter should include references to the candidate’s experience in research, teaching, promotion of early career researchers and their own research or teaching profile in ways that tie it in directly with the profile of the position advertised here. It may also be useful – if it hasn’t already been requested – to draw up a research or teaching plan. In it, the candidate can express their specific ideas about the structure of the professorship and their areas of specialisation and thus show the appointment committee that they have already given a great deal of thought both to the professorship to be filled and to the institution.
5. Structure the application documents well
Given that many commissions work with “applicant profiles” to enable a quick, comparative examination of the candidates, the application documents should be arranged in such a way that the necessary information can be recorded quickly and correctly. In view of the volume of application documents, it is also advisable to prepare a cover sheet or table of contents.
Application for a university of applied sciences professorship
Those interested in teaching and conducting research as a professor at a university of applied sciences generally need to have practical professional experience. That experience must be made clear in the application. You'll find more information on that topic here.
Application submitted? What happens next?
Once the deadline application has passed, the application committee reviews the applications received and invites the most promising candidates to give a presentation and usually also a test teaching session. Ultimately, the three best candidates – weighted according to suitability – are presented to the head of the department in an appointment proposal. The university leadership then makes the final decision and awards the professorship. This is followed by the hiring negotiations, in which the conditions are finalised. The appointee has the final right for accepting or rejecting the posting.
