Professorship in Germany
Junior and Tandem Professorships in Germany
HAW: What is the W1 junior professorship? © supersizer / iStock
Those applying for a professorship at a university of applied sciences (abbreviated as HAW in German) or at a technical university (FH) are normally required to have a doctorate, a solid teaching background and several years of professional experience. In some German states, however, it is possible to accumulate professional experience or finish a Ph.D. dissertation while also teaching university classes – positions referred to as "tandem professorships" (Tandemprofessur) or "junior professorships" (Nachwuchsprofessur). Read on to learn more.
Published: 2023-07-03
By: Maike Schade
The advantages of junior or tandem professorships at HAWs
The job of professor at a university of applied sciences in Germany (called Hochschulen für Angewandte Wissenschaften or HAWs in German) is demanding: It entails not only practically focused teaching, but also practice-oriented research, largely in cooperation with companies.
In most states, applicants for these positions must demonstrate five years of professional experience (three of which must have been accumulated outside of academia) and teaching experience. A habilitation, an academic level above a Ph.D. that is required to obtain a university professorship in Germany, is not a prerequisite, but a doctorate is.
Many HAWs have a shortage of professors
Not many people fulfil all of these demanding prerequisites, which is why many HAWs have trouble filling vacant professorships. Tandem professorships or junior professorships have been created in part to remedy that problem.
As a rule, teaching and research activities are reduced to 50 percent for these professorships. That leaves time for those holding these positions to gain the necessary professional experience at a (cooperating) company or to complete their dissertation. Upon successful completion of this three-year, half-time professorship on the W1 salary scale, HAW junior faculty members will meet the requirements for a W2 professorship.
Tandem professorships and tandem positions
Prof. Dr. Jörg Bagdahn, the president of the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, vice president of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) and spokesperson for the universities of applied sciences (HAWs) member group of the HRK, emphasises the difference between tandem professorships (Tandemprofessur) and tandem positions (Tandemstelle).
Similar to a tenure track position, the contract for a tandem professorship includes provisions for the subsequent W2 professorship upon successful completion of the program. With a tandem position, junior faculty “only” attain the necessary prerequisites to subsequently apply for an HAW professorship. It is up to the university to decide whether to advertise the vacant position as a tandem professorship with the prospect of tenure or as a tandem position.
In addition to the tandem models, other measures included in a large-scale, federal and state funding program are intended to help alleviate the shortage of professors at HAWs:
- more specialist professorships with W3 pay and lower teaching loads
- more doctoral cooperation programs
- establishment or expansion of networking structures
According to Bagdahn, nearly 100 HAWs were to receive extra funding at the beginning of 2023, with federal and state appropriations totalling 431.5 million euros.
"The tandem positions model is off to an extremely promising start."
Prof. Dr. Jörg Bagdahn, President of Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and Vice President of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK)
State regulations governing tandem professorships and junior professorships
The tandem professorship model was first established by the Münster University of Applied Sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia, which launched a pilot project in 2012. Since then, several German states have adopted it. The junior professorship or tandem professorship has now been introduced in:
- Baden-Württemberg
- Rhineland-Palatinate
- Bavaria
- Hesse
- Saarland
The legal parameters and even the names of the positions are regulated differently according to respective state law. The following table provides an overview.
| State | Legal regulation |
|---|---|
|
Baden-Wuerttemberg |
Tandem professorship for obtaining the necessary teaching experience, Ph.D. degree or professional experience; non-university work must serve the purpose of obtaining the necessary qualification and must be remunerated by a third party. |
|
Bavaria |
Junior professorships for Ph.D. completion or obtaining necessary professional experience; temporary civil servant status or private law employment; duration: min. 3 years and max. 6 years (Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act, Art. 64) 1 |
|
Hesse |
Tandem professorship for obtaining the necessary three years of non-academic professional experience (Ph.D. is a prerequisite); employment limited to a maximum of four years on a half-time basis at an HAW; remuneration based on W1 salary scale (Hesse Higher Education Act § 71) |
|
Rhineland-Palatinate |
Tandem professorship for obtaining necessary professional experience (Ph.D. is a prerequisite); private-law employment for a period of up to three years (no temporary civil service status); half-time employment at an HAW; remuneration based on W1 salary scale (Rhineland-Palatinate Higher Education Act § 56) |
|
Saarland |
Junior professorship for obtaining necessary professional experience (Ph.D. is a prerequisite) for a period of up to three years, with an interim evaluation taking place at the halfway mark; remuneration is based on W1 salary scale (Saarland Higher Education Institutions Act § 42a) |
Saxony and Brandenburg are planning to introduce models of their own. North Rhine-Westphalia is a special case: Although junior professorships are not enshrined in state law, the model is often used.
Opportunities and criticism of tandem and junior professorships
Is the tandem professorship model suitable for addressing the shortage of professors facing HAWs in Germany? As of the beginning of 2023, there was too little data for conclusions to be drawn, in part because figures for the number of tandem and junior professorships in Germany are not collected centrally.
HLB fears a loss of quality
According to Dr. Karla Neschke, deputy managing director of the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers (HLB), around half of the young professors who gain professional experience in parallel with their HAW teaching obligations move to the private sector after completing the three-year program. Neschke is sceptical: "The model will not ensure the quality thus far seen in practically focused teaching and in practice-oriented research. It should only be used in cases where professorships cannot be otherwise filled, and such professorships should not amount to more than 5 percent of all professorships at HAWs to preclude a loss of quality."
She argues it is necessary to create other "incentive systems" – more professorships on the W3 salary scale, lower teaching loads and more time for practice-oriented research – to make positions more attractive for highly qualified applicants. Currently, the teaching load for HAW professorships is 18 semester hours per week. “That is far too much to allow for reasonable research and knowledge transfer on top of that,” says Neschke.
Did you know?
HAWs and FHs – What’s the difference? The answer is simple: There is none. The renaming of Fachhochschule (FH), technical universities, to Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften (HAW), or university of applied sciences, is intended to improve the image of these universities and more clearly communicate their mission. HAWs are more practice-oriented than theoretically oriented universities, but they are equally good.
HRK: Strengthen relationships between companies and universities
Prof. Dr. Jörg Bagdahn of the HRK, on the other hand, offers a positive assessment of tandem positions and professorships. "Even if half of the tandem professors decide to move to the private sector after the three-year programs, the other half will remain with the HAWs, which translates to the successful filling of vacant professorships. Just as important: Long-term relationships between companies and universities are formed through the individuals who move into the private sector." It is important, he says, to offer opportunities and options for individuals early in their careers.
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