Tenure track and other evaluation and continuation procedures for temporary (junior) professorships

At a glance

• Five- or six-year procedure with subsequent tenured professorship (W1 to W2, W1 to W3, or W2 to W3)

• Two (W1, in the 3rd and 6th year) or one (W2) evaluation(s) (in the 5th year) with external reviews

• Support through subject-related mentoring, non-subject-related collegial support and annual status meetings

Tenure track procedure

The tenure track procedure is designed to offer excellent young scientists attractive career prospects at the University of Cologne. At the end of a successfully completed tenure track procedure, they are transferred to a permanent professorship.

The procedure for junior professors and research assistants usually consists of two three-year phases, each of which is concluded by an evaluation. The result of the aptitude evaluation (formerly mid-term evaluation) serves to determine the qualification as a university lecturer and, in the case of a positive result, leads to an extension of the professorship or the employment contract for a further three years. The tenure evaluation (formerly: end evaluation) serves as a quality-assured basis for the decision on the continuation of the professorship or the employment contract. The tenure track procedures for W2 and W3 professors consist of a single phase, usually lasting five years, which concludes with the tenure evaluation. The aptitude evaluation is omitted in these procedures.

Junior professorships without tenure track

The junior professorship without tenure track offers young academics the opportunity to perform research and teaching tasks independently at an early stage of their career and to qualify for a lifetime professorship. With the establishment of the junior professorship, a new career path was created that is intended to provide young scientists with a modern and independent access to a professorship.

Junior professorships without tenure track are usually limited to six years. After three years, the junior professor undergoes a aptitude evaluation (formerly: mid-term evaluation), which corresponds to the aptitude evaluation of junior professors and research assistants with tenure track. The result of the aptitude evaluation (formerly: mid-term evaluation) also serves in these procedures to determine the qualification as a university teacher and, in the case of a positive result, leads to an extension of the professorship or the employment contract for another three years. A tenure evaluation can be carried out at the request of the junior professor.

The procedures described above are governed by the Tenure Track Regulations plus (TT-Oplus), which was published as an Official Notice (AM 89/2021) on Sept. 22, 2021. This regulation replaces the tenure track regulation from 2018 (TT-O, AM 34/2018). Evaluation procedures that were started before this order came into force on 23.09.2021 will be continued according to the provisions of the order in force at the time of the start of the procedure. Junior professors without tenure track and tenure track candidates who started their service before the new regulations came into force shall be given the choice of whether they wish to be evaluated according to the new regulations.