Information for Applicants

The procedure to fill a professorship at the University of Bremen is subject to a number of laws and regulations.

The special features of the appointment procedures at the University of Bremen include the release agreement, a non-specialist consultation as well as the examination of the non-specialist suitability. These measures aim at ensuing the quality of appointments and surrounding procedures.

The appointments procedure at the University of Bremen involves the following steps:

Agreement on description of the position & call for applicants
Selection of candidates
Appointment report & subsequent approval by University bodies
Offer of appointment

Below you will find a brief description of the main procedural steps.

Current appointment procedures

Contact persons in the faculties

The professorships at the University of Bremen are predominantly tenured professorships. All others are usually tenure-track-professorships, especially junior professorships.¹ The basis for filling a professorship is the Higher Education Development Plan (HEP). It defines the staffing and resources needs of the faculties in a long-term perspective and is coordinated between the Rectorate, the Academic Senate, and the Deans’ Offices of the faculties.

Before the professorship to be filled is advertised, the Rector and Dean of the respective faculty negotiate how the position is to be described and classify the position within the overall planning of the academic field, taking into account possible strategic reorientations.

In the resulting agreement to advertise the position, also the timing of the process, members of the appointment committee, the assessment of individual qualification profiles and the independent consultation process are specified. Measures to increase diversity among the professors are also agreed upon here.

The rectorate applies for the release of the position with the Senator for Environment, Climate, and Science (short: SUKW). The professorship cannot be advertised until the Senator has approved it.

Following the agreement to advertise the position, the respective faculty forms an appointment committee. The appointment committee consists of

five university professors
two research assistants
two students
up to two employees in technology and administration

In order to ensure the quality of the appointment procedure, the composition of the appointment committee must ensure adequate representation of the field in question. Appointment committees should be appointed with equal gender representation. In addition, professors from other faculties and other universities are included. In Bremen, an independent consultant who advises on the appointments procedure and compliance with the strategic goals of the University supports the committees.

The appointment committee specifies the selection criteria and invites the most suitable candidates to attend a hearing. The hearing usually consists of an academic presentation followed by a discussion, a demonstration lecture for students, and a description of the candidate’s teaching and research concepts in dialogue with the Appointment Committee.

Not only excellent skills in research and teaching, but also personal skills are crucial for a professorship. The increasing networks among research units or the management of institutes call for honed leadership capabilities and organizational management skills. These competences should also be taken into account when selecting candidates. The University of Bremen generally passes this task to a human resource consultancy specialized in such assessments.

For each applicant who is shortlisted after the hearing, the appointments committee obtains at least two expert opinions. Upon receipt and evaluation of these reviews, the appointments committee arrives at a final proposal list, which typically includes three names.

When evaluating academic performance, family time (maternity leave, parental leave, or caregiving responsibilities) is also taken into account.

The appointment proposal and the ranking of short-listed candidates have to be explained in detail. The explanation, a description of the process, all minutes of meetings and expert opinions are to be included in the appointment report. The complete report has to be passed on to the faculty board.

The faculty board decides either to accept or to reject the appointment proposal.

The faculty board submits its decision on the appointment proposal to the rectorate for approval. The rectorate usually decides on the appointment proposal within six weeks.

After the Rectorate has decided on the appointment proposal, the Rector usually issues the appointment offer within two weeks.

If you have received an offer of appointment, you can find further information here.

If the advertised professorship is connected with the appointment to a management position in a state or state-funded research institution (cooperative professorship), a joint appointment procedure is carried out together with the research institution.

In the case of cooperative professorships, the Senatorial Authority for Environment, Climate, and Science (SUKW) issues the appointment offer.