Information for applicants
Steps in the appointment procedure at Paderborn University
The procedure for filling a professorship is based on Paderborn University’s Appointment Regulations dated 13/08/2013. On the basis of the North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Education Act (HG), these regulations govern the procedure for filling university professor and junior professor positions.
The appointment procedure at Paderborn University comprises the following steps:
Call for applications
The Dean of the relevant faculty initiates the procedure for the appointment or replacement of a professor.
Work of the appointment committee
The appointment committee is made up of a group of university teachers, a group of academic staff and a group of students. It should comprise roughly the same number of males and females. In addition, professors belonging to a Paderborn University faculty other than the faculty looking to fill the vacancy in question must also have a place on the appointment committee to act as inter-faculty members. The Equal Opportunities Officer and the representative body for disabled persons must be involved in all procedural steps.
The Faculty Council or appointment committee draws up a list of criteria. The shortlisted applicants are invited to a presentation event. Presentation events consist of at least one presentation that is open to all staff and students at the university and related to the subject area in question, as well as, where applicable, a demonstration lesson of appropriate duration, a discussion in which the future research profile and teaching plan are also presented and a private discussion with the members of the appointment committee in which the questions of resources are also discussed.
Presentation events should be designed in such a way that didactic skills can also be assessed.
For applicants who are shortlisted after the presentation events, the appointment committee requests at least two academic references. After receiving and evaluating these references, the appointment committee draws up a list of recommended candidates, which usually comprises three names. The candidates on this list and the order in which they are listed must be justified in detail. The relevant reasons, details on the process to date and all reports created and references obtained during the procedure form part of the final report, which is submitted to the Faculty Council for decision.
Decision in the academic bodies and committees
The Faculty Council approves or rejects the shortlist of candidates submitted by the appointment committee at the next possible closed meeting. It votes on each candidate on the list individually by secret ballot. If it does not agree with the shortlist submitted, it refers it back to the appointment committee.
The Faculty Council submits the shortlist of candidates to the Executive Board for decision and for forwarding to the Senate. If any provisions of the Appointment Regulations have not been observed or the shortlist of candidates has not been convincingly justified, the Executive Board may (once only) refer the list back to the faculty concerned for renewed consideration and decision by the appointment committee and Faculty Council.
Job offer
Once the Senate has also approved the list of recommended candidates, the President of the University offers the position to the candidate at the top of the list.
Overview of the appointment procedure
Further information for candidates for appointment