University of Bremen: Even Better Career Chances for Young Academics

Young academics at the University of Bremen now have even better chances for a plannable career. 6.6 million euros from the Federal Government and Länder Program for the funding of junior academics make it possible for the university to fill seven further tenure-track professor positions.

Tenure track: With regard to academic careers at universities and higher education institutes, this term refers to the possibility of receiving a professorship for life after a temporary probation period. This process is therefore quite different from the appointment procedures for a professorship that have been practiced to date. The aim is to make the path to a professorship more secure and plannable for academics in the early stages of their career.

“Junior Academic Support of an Exemplary Nature”

“We are pleased that after the success we had in the first grant phase in 2017 – we received the maximum possible amount of seven tenure track professorships for the state of Bremen then – that we have once more received seven professorships and that we have again attained the maximum,” says the President of the University of Bremen, Professor Bernd Scholz-Reiter. “With our junior professor model with a Bremen perspective, we went down the path of showing young academics an alternative route to a professorship many years ago. We used the insight that we gained through this for the sustainable introduction and structuring of the real tenure track professorships. That our support of junior academics is of an exemplary nature has been proven by the fact that the grant committee has once more included the University of Bremen.”

The Senator for Science and Ports, Dr. Claudia schilling, was also extremely happy: “Not only the University of Bremen with its seven tenure track professorships has shown its exemplary character in terms of support of young academics. The city of research and science Bremen will also gain seven young academics on their journey to a professorship. Their teaching and research will not only strengthen the university but also the attractiveness of Bremen as a place to study.”

The federal government and states are investing a great deal into the new and independent career path. During the program duration from 2017 to 2032, the federal government is providing up to a total of one billion euros over both funding phases; the states are securing the total funding. Since 2017, 468 professorships at 34 universities were financed in the frame of the first phase. By 2032, 1,000 tenure track professorships will be established.

Tenure Track Process at the University of Bremen

Tenure track professor positions are always advertised with a guarantee of a lifelong professorship after a positive evaluation has taken place. The appointment procedures are carried out in a transparent and quality assured manner and are accompanied by external and international experts. Tenure track professors conduct appointment and equipment negotiations and have the rights and obligations of a professor. In order for the evaluation to be transparent, criteria and expectations are set in an evaluation agreement. A standing committee for the tenure track procedure – the Tenure Board – develops general criteria for the evaluation agreement and provides recommendations for the structuring and improvement of the process. Moreover, the Tenure Board accompanies each evaluation procedure and decides upon the granting of the lifelong position. These steps ensure equal quality standards as well as transparency and process assurance for the evaluations across the university.