(openPR) “Bund-Länder-Programm zur Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses” (Federal and State Programme for the Promotion of Junior Researchers) funds the expansion of tenure-track professorships at the University of Konstanz
---
The University of Konstanz plans to systematically expand tenure-track professorships in all of its thirteen departments in order to advance the scientific careers and early independence of its junior researchers. The “Bund-Länder Programm zur Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses” (Federal and State Programme for the Promotion of Junior Researchers) is now supporting the comprehensive career advancement of junior professors at the University of Konstanz by approving the funding of six additional tenure-track professorships. This was announced by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) on Thursday, 21 September 2017. The expansion of the tenure tracks in Konstanz is supported by comprehensive measures in the areas of human resources development, equal opportunity and quality management.
“For German universities, the systematic implementation of the tenure-track professorship is driving a cultural shift forward. With its clear criteria for the transition from the junior professorship to a permanent professorship, the so-called tenure track provides junior researchers more reliability in regard to the planning of their scientific careers”, says Professor Dirk Leuffen, Vice-rector for Research and Academic Staff Development at the University of Konstanz. “The funding approval of six tenure-track professorships by the ‘Bund-Länder-Programm’ advances our goal of entrenching the tenure-track model in all departments of the University of Konstanz. Together with the already existing tenure-track professorships at the University of Konstanz, we can now incorporate this career path in more than half of our departments. We will continue to increase the number of tenure-track positions in the coming years in order to achieve university-wide implementation”, explains Dirk Leuffen.
With 1,000 additional tenure-track professorships until 2032, the BMBF’s “Bund-Länder-Programm zur Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses” supports the expansion of the tenure-track system throughout Germany. The aim is to establish tenure track as a transparent, independent career path to a professorship – alongside the traditional appointment process. Tenure track is a structural development for the junior professorship. After a positive evaluation, it provides a junior professor the opportunity to be directly appointed to a permanent professorship. In 2014, the German Council of Science and Humanities recommended that the tenure-track professorship in Germany undergo structural expansion. The University of Konstanz is one of the first German universities to establish junior professorships and has in fact been implementing junior professorships with tenure track since 2010.
Beyond the tenure-track professorship, the concept of the University of Konstanz, funded by the “Bund-Länder-Programm”, aims to comprehensively strengthen the career options for junior researchers. It includes measures in the areas of human resources development and equal opportunity as well as the implementation of a quality management system for the promotion of junior researchers.
Facts:
- The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has approved the funding of six tenure-track professorships at the University of Konstanz as part of the “Bund-Länder-Programm zur Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses”.
- The “Bund-Länder Programm” is providing a total of one billion euros to establish 1,000 additional tenure-track professorships throughout Germany by 2032.
- In 2014, the German Council of Science and Humanities recommended that the tenure-track professorship in Germany undergo structural expansion.
Quelle: idw
