The tenure-track procedure at Humboldt-Universit?t
At Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin, tenure-track professors are appointed for 6 years. After a successful probationary phase, you have the prospect of being immediately appointed to a permanent professorship. The value of the subsequent position is already determined when the position is advertised. The transition to a permanent professorship depends on a successful probationary period in the fourth year and a successful tenure evaluation in accordance with the performance requirements agreed at the time of appointment.
A clear requirements profile from the outset
Together with the tenure-track professors, the university concludes a joint target agreement at the time of appointment in which performance requirements are specified. As a basis for this, the concrete performance requirements for the specific professorship are determined in advance during the appointment process from a university-wide framework catalogue.
Support and promotion
The tenure-track phase serves to qualify for a lifetime professorship. During this time, the appointees are given the opportunity to sharpen their academic profile by carrying out research projects and working in teaching. They also gain experience in academic self-administration and in supervising students and doctoral candidates. They receive mentoring and targeted support in their academic development through further training programmes.
A transparent procedure
The tenure-track professorship concludes with a tenure evaluation, which is initiated at least 15 months before the end of the employment relationship. A tenure committee at faculty level checks whether the performance requirements agreed with the candidate at the time of appointment have been met. If successful, the tenure-track professor is appointed to a lifetime professorship. If the result is negative, an application can be made to extend the employment relationship for a transitional period of up to one year in order to give the evaluated person the opportunity to reorient themselves. A permanent tenure board monitors the implementation of tenure-track appointments and tenure evaluations across all disciplines.
Which statutes apply?
The Appointment and Tenure Track Statutes 2023 (BTTS 2023) entered into force on 4 March 2023. Please note: For tenure-track professorships that were appointed in accordance with the Appointment and Tenure Track Statutes 2019 (BTTS 2019), the interim evaluation and tenure evaluation will continue to be carried out in accordance with BTTS 2019.
How does the tenure track phase work?
The fixed-term tenure-track professorship serves to qualify for the lifetime professorship already established at the time of appointment. To this end, the performance requirements agreed at the time of appointment to the tenure-track professorship must be fulfilled. The basis for this is the university-wide framework catalogue, from which the specific requirements are determined in the course of the appointment procedure. Tenure-track professors sharpen their academic profile during this time by carrying out research projects and teaching. They also gain experience in academic self-administration and the supervision of doctoral and postdoctoral students. During the tenure-track phase, the academics also acquire personnel management skills and are committed to equal opportunities. They receive mentoring and targeted support in their academic development through coaching and further training programmes.
- Tenure-track professors appointed in accordance with the 2023 appointment and tenure-track statutes are initially appointed as temporary civil servants for a period of six years.
- In the fourth year of the tenure-track phase, the probationary assessment takes place, which is carried out at HU Berlin in accordance with the applicable appointment and tenure-track statutes.
- The tenure-track phase is concluded by the tenure evaluation. The procedure is initiated no later than 15 months before the end of the period of service. If successful, the candidate will be offered a tenured professorship.
How does the tenure evaluation work?
As part of the tenure evaluation, it is checked whether the performance requirements agreed with the appointee at the time of appointment have been met. This is based on the university-wide framework catalogue, from which the specific requirements are determined during the appointment process. If the appointment is successful, the tenure-track professor is appointed to a permanent professorship. The basis for the evaluation is the Appointment and Tenure Track Statutes (BTTS) of Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin. The tenure evaluation procedure is initiated at the candidate's request no later than 15 months before the end of the fixed-term employment contract.
Tenure Commission
The Faculty Council appoints a Tenure Commission. The tenure committee checks whether the performance requirements agreed in connection with the appointment or recruitment have been met in all categories. To this end, the tenure committee obtains expert opinions from at least three outstanding and, if required by the focus of the professorship, international external university lecturers. The tenure committee prepares a written report and, if the result is favourable, recommends the appointment to the intended lifetime professorship. The tenure committee discusses the development of the tenure professorship and the achievements with the candidate.
Decision
On the basis of the written report and the recommendation of the Tenure Commission, the Faculty Council decides to appoint the candidate to a tenured civil servant position or a permanent employment contract.
Statement of the Tenure Board
The Tenure Board receives the documents of the procedure immediately after the Faculty Council has passed a resolution. It examines the comprehensibility of the decision and ensures that only the performance requirements specified at the time of appointment were used in the evaluation. The Tenure Board makes a written recommendation on the implementation of the decision. Based on the recommendation, the President can return the process to the faculty for further consultation and decision-making.
Acknowledgement of the Academic Senate
The Academic Senate of Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin receives the result of the evaluation for (favourable) acknowledgement. If the result of the evaluation is favourable, the procedure for a tenured appointment will be initiated.
Frequently asked questions about the evaluation phase (FAQ)
The assessment is based on the candidate's self-report including documentation, external reviews and teaching evaluations by students. The evaluation is based on the performance requirements specified in the appointment agreement. Outstanding performance in the research category must be demonstrated for a positive evaluation. The performance requirements in the academic teaching category must be met in full. The tenure committee may take particularly outstanding performance in the categories of research and academic teaching into account when making its decision. Furthermore, achievements in the categories of participation in academic self-administration, promotion of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and acquisition of personnel management skills must be demonstrated.
If it is determined during the tenure evaluation that the candidate has not met the performance requirements agreed at the time of appointment, the employment relationship ends. The evaluated candidate can submit an application to extend the employment relationship by up to one year (phase-out period).
The probationary phase of the tenure-track professorship should be fully utilised. If an early tenure evaluation is desired (e.g. in the case of an external appointment), the tenure evaluation can be brought forward. In the case of junior professorships, the determination of probation is a prerequisite for this.
Documents for download
Berufungs- und Tenure-Track-Satzung (2023)
Rahmenkatalog Berufungs- und Tenure-Track-Satzung (2023)
Berufungs- und Tenure-Track-Satzung (2019)
Rahmenkatalog Berufungs- und Tenure-Track-Satzung (2019)
Contact us
Gwendolyn Papke
Tenure-Track Programme Officer
Phone: +49 30 2093-20064
Dr Anke Sharma
Tenure-Track Programme Officer
Phone: +49 30 2093-12528