Information for habilitation candidates

Once accepted, the habilitation candidate status is generally limited to a period of four years, excluding the time needed for the evaluation procedure.

The interdisciplinary group of subject-specific mentors consists of a chairperson and two other mentors.

The following conditions must be fulfilled according to the HabilO 2008:

• All members of the group of subject-specific mentors must be university professors.
• At least one subject-specific mentor must represent the habilitation candidate's chosen subject.
• At least two subject-specific mentors must be active professors of the faculty.
• Only one subject-specific mentor can, therefore, belong to another faculty or university.

The group of subject-specific mentors and the habilitation candidate have agreed on the type and scope of the assessments in research and teaching required for the acquisition of the teaching qualification (agreement on objectives, Section 9 (1) sentence 1 HabilO 2008). In the case of habilitation candidates who are employed as graduate research/teaching assistants or assistant professors of the university, § 9(3) sentence 2 et seq. HabilO 2008 must be taken into account.

The original interim evaluation document must be signed by hand by all subject-specific mentors as well as the habilitation candidate and then submitted to the dean as per § 10 HabilO 2008:

• after no later than two years by the subject-specific mentors
• prognosis on the successful completion of the habilitation project
• Possible modifications to the agreement on objectives

The habilitation procedure establishes the candidate's:

1. pedagogical aptitude based on qualifications in higher education didactics and his or her past teaching
2. ability to conduct independent research based on his or her habilitation thesis (monograph or publication-based)

(§ 2 HabilO 2008)

1. Pedagogical aptitude

Assessment of pedagogical aptitude on the basis of teaching performance:

The teaching report is to be prepared by the subject-specific mentors; for this the candidate must submit:

• teaching overviews and
• e.g. evaluations and, if applicable, completed qualification measures in academic teaching, etc.

2. Ability to conduct independent research

The habilitation candidate must submit a written habilitation thesis in the form of a monographic habilitation thesis or in an equivalent publication-based form as per §9(4) sentence 1 HabilO 2008. The purpose of writing the habilitation thesis is for the habilitation candidate to demonstrate his or her qualification to undertake independent research in accordance with international standards and to provide an essential contribution to academic scholarship (see § 9(4) sentence 8 HabilO 2008).

Evaluation of the thesis:

• Two external professors are appointed as referees by the dean in consultation with the subject-specific mentors.
• The external referees and those subject mentors who represent the habilitation subject each prepare a written appraisal and propose acceptance or that the teaching qualification not be granted – outlining the reasons for their decision.
• In total, a minimum of three appraisals are required.
• Each referee receives a copy of the written thesis with an affidavit stating that the written habilitation thesis was written independently and that the sources of the material used or quoted has been properly identified.
• The appraisals must be received by the subject-specific mentors no later than three months after submission of the habilitation thesis.

The recommendation of the subject-specific mentors is to be based on:

• the appraisals and
• the teaching report

The final opinion must be submitted to the dean in writing.

• The habilitation thesis and the appraisals are displayed in the Dean's Office for a minimum of two weeks during the semester teaching period
• The faculty council decides on the proposal of the subject-specific mentors

After the candidate has successfully demonstrated the ability to teach (facultas legendi) by successfully completing the habilitation procedure, the University will, upon application, bestow the licence to teach (venia legendi) upon the candidate.

Process:

Applications to the university president:

• from the dean, requesting that the habilitation candidate be granted licence to teach
• from the habilitation candidate, requesting licence to teach

Once candidates are given the licence to teach, venia legendi, they receive the academic title of Privatdozent or, in the feminine form, Privatdozentin; those holding this status are required to teach courses to maintain this status.

Once accepted, the habilitation candidate status is generally limited to a period of four years, excluding the time needed for the evaluation procedure.

The interdisciplinary group of subject-specific mentors consists of a chairperson and two other mentors.

The following conditions must be fulfilled according to the HabilO 2023:

• At least one subject-specific mentor must represent the habilitation candidate's chosen subject.
• The chairperson must be a member of the faculty.
• One member should belong to another faculty or university.

The group of subject-specific mentors and the habilitation candidate have agreed on the type and scope of the assessments in research and teaching required to acquire the teaching qualification (agreement on objectives, § 9(1) sentence 1 HabilO 2023). In the case of habilitation candidates who are employed as graduate research/teaching assistants
or assistant professors of the university, § 9(3) sentence 2 et seq. HabilO 2023 must be taken into account.

The original interim evaluation document [German content] must be signed by hand by all subject-specific mentors as well as the habilitation candidate and then submitted to the dean as per § 10 HabilO 2023:

• after no later than two years by the subject-specific mentors
• prognosis on the successful completion of the habilitation project
• Possible modifications to the agreement on objectives

The habilitation procedure establishes the candidate's:

1. pedagogical aptitude based on qualifications in higher education didactics and his or her past teaching
2. ability to conduct independent research based on his or her habilitation thesis (monograph or publication-based)

(§ 2 HabilO 2023)

1. Pedagogical aptitude

Assessment of pedagogical aptitude on the basis of teaching performance:

The teaching report is to be prepared by the subject-specific mentors; for this the candidate must submit:

• teaching overviews and
• e.g. evaluations and, if applicable, completed qualification measures in academic teaching, etc.

2. Ability to conduct independent research

The habilitation candidate must submit a written habilitation thesis in the form of a monographic habilitation thesis or in an equivalent publication-based form as per §9(4) sentence 1 HabilO 2023. The purpose of writing the habilitation thesis is for the habilitation candidate to demonstrate his or her qualification to undertake independent research in accordance with international standards and to provide an essential contribution to academic scholarship (see § 9(4) sentence 8 HabilO 2023).

Evaluation of the thesis:

• Two external professors are appointed as referees by the dean in consultation with the subject-specific mentors.
• The external referees and those subject mentors who represent the habilitation subject each prepare a written appraisal and propose acceptance or that the teaching qualification not be granted – outlining the reasons for their decision.
• In total, a minimum of three appraisals are required.
• Each referee receives a copy of the written thesis with an affidavit stating that the written habilitation thesis was written independently and that the sources of the material used or quoted has been properly identified.
• The appraisals must be received by the subject-specific mentors no later than three months after submission of the habilitation thesis.

The recommendation of the subject-specific mentors is to be based on:

• the appraisals and
• the teaching report

The final opinion must be submitted to the dean in writing.

• The habilitation thesis and the appraisals are displayed in the Dean's Office for a minimum of two weeks during the semester teaching period
• The faculty council decides on the proposal of the subject-specific mentors

Upon conclusion of the procedure, you will be issued a certificate in accordance with § 13 HabilO 2023. It bears the date of the resolution of the faculty council and indicates the subject area of the teaching qualification (§ 13 sentence 2 HabilO 2023).

After the candidate has successfully demonstrated the ability to teach (facultas legendi) by successfully completing the habilitation procedure, the University will, upon application, bestow the licence to teach (venia legendi) upon the candidate.

Process:

Applications to the university president:

• from the dean, requesting that the habilitation candidate be granted licence to teach
• from the habilitation candidate, requesting licence to teach

Once candidates are given the licence to teach, venia legendi, they receive the academic title of Privatdozent or, in the feminine form, Privatdozentin; those holding this status are required to teach courses to maintain this status.