A doctorate opens up numerous career paths for you. If you enjoy scientific work and can also imagine working in teaching, perhaps a university professorship is right for you?

Universities of applied sciences (HAW) are particularly dependent on highly qualified staff. However, pending appointments at HAWs pose a particular challenge because, unlike universities, there is no structured career path to a professorship. In addition, a professorship at a university of applied sciences requires extensive professional experience as well as outstanding academic and teaching qualifications. Both of these factors mean that UASs generally have to recruit their staff from outside the university environment. This is becoming increasingly difficult.

Against this background, the federal and state governments have launched the "FH-Personal" programme to promote the recruitment and qualification of professorial staff at universities of applied sciences. The initiative focuses on strategically justified, structurally effective instruments for improving the recruitment and qualification of professorial staff. In this way, the federal and state governments want to sustainably strengthen universities of applied sciences/UAS in their important role for Germany.

ProfQuaNB qualification programme

With the structured qualification programme ProfQuaNB (funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research), our university specifically supports the path to a professorship at universities of applied sciences. Between 2022 and 2027, the ProfQuaNB programme will test career paths to university professorships and qualify young academics for future teaching positions.

What are the routes to a university professorship?

In principle, there are several ways to qualify for the profession of university professor. In principle, a completed doctorate with outstanding achievements is required. A further requirement is at least five years of practical experience, of which at least three years must have been gained outside the university. The doctoral period can be recognised as professional experience within the university. In addition to the doctorate and practical experience, experience in the field of teaching, publications in relevant journals and networking in the respective subject area are desirable.

What does the ProfQuaNB qualification programme at Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences do?

In each of the four departments of the university, a half-time position for academic collaboration has been allocated within the programme, on which a doctorate will be awarded according to the orientation of the department. The doctorate is a cooperative programme, i.e. with initial supervision by a professor at a university. Where practical experience was not yet available at the beginning of the doctorate, the university offered to place students with practical companies in order to provide the necessary experience in the professional world during or after the doctorate. In addition, seminars and colloquia are held to provide qualifications in teaching, academic writing and structured academic work.