Tenure-Track Professorship

»Tenure Track« means that the call for applications for a fixed-term W1 professorship (junior professorship) includes a binding commitment to career progression, with the prospect of appointment to a permanent professorship at a higher level.

By sending us your application for advertized tenure-track positions. Please also check the appointment requirements set out in the Thuringian Higher Education Act (Section 89). Further information on the appointment procedure can be found in the Appointment Regulations.

As a W1 professor, you will carry out your research, artistic and teaching duties independently. In practical terms, this means: 

• developing your academic or artistic profile
• teaching with a reduced teaching load
• supervising degree theses and doctoral research
• leading your professorial team
• carrying out duties relating to academic self-governancedevelloping
• develloping further skills towards a tenured professorship  

As a junior professor, you are a member of the academic staff. This applies in particular to representation on university bodies (Thuringian Higher Education Act, Section 21).

You will hold the academic title of ‘Professor’, provided that your status as a junior professor is indicated in an appropriate manner. Upon termination of your employment, you may no longer use this academic title (Thuringian Higher Education Act, Section 98).

As a tenure-track professor, you will initially be appointed to a fixed-term W1 professorship. Following a successful interim evaluation, usually after three years, and a successful tenure evaluation, you will be appointed permanently to a W3 professorship.  This generally takes place in the sixth year.

The interim and final evaluations are conducted according to criteria-based procedures established in the development objectives agreement. Both the procedures and the criteria are set out in the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar’s Tenure-Track Regulations.

If the interim or final evaluation does not confirm that you have successfully completed the probationary period, you will receive support during a transitional year while realigning your academic profile.

In addition to providing appropriate facilities, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar supports you through annual feedback meetings with your dean to discuss your development goals, as well as the BauhausTrack qualification and development programme, which includes personal guidance, training opportunities and networking initiatives.   

Your faculty’s Graduation Committee is responsible for the interim evaluation, which is initiated by the Dean’s Office. You must prepare a self-assessment report on your development objectives agreement. The Graduation Committee will then obtain expert opinions and prepare a recommendation for the Faculty Council. 

On the Faculty Council’s recommendation, the Praesidium (Executive Board) decides whether to extend the junior professorship (Section 4 of the Tenure-Track Statutes). For the final evaluation, a committee similar to an appointments committee is formed to assess your academic, teaching and personal suitability. 

The committee obtains expert opinions, invites you to give a public lecture at the university and conducts an interview with you before preparing a recommendation for the Faculty Council. The Executive Board decides whether to convert the professorship into a permanent position based on the Faculty Council’s recommendation, the Senate’s opinion and, where applicable, additional expert opinions (Section 5 of the Tenure-Track Statutes).

Following the successful completion of the tenure evaluation, the President, together with the Chancellor and the Dean, will hold a meeting with you to discuss the future development and resourcing of the professorship. The Human Resources Department will initiate the formal appointment procedure. The appointment takes effect upon the President’s presentation of the certificate of appointment (see Section 5(11) of the Tenure-Track Statutes).

If the interim or tenure evaluation does not confirm your suitability for a university lectureship or your eligibility for appointment, you will receive support during a transitional year while you refocus your academic profile (see Section 5(11) of the Tenure-Track Statutes).

Yes, following the interim evaluation, development objectives may be amended in consultation with the faculty and the President's Office.

Yes, you may take a leave of absence for reasons related to the interests of the service or the public, or for important personal reasons, provided that the leave does not conflict with the interests of the service (see Section 67 et seq. of the Thuringian Civil Service Act).

Upon application, your employment relationship may be extended by the duration of the leave, up to a maximum of two years (see Section 97(4) of the Thuringian Higher Education Act). To do so, you must submit an informal application through official channels to the President. The start of the interim or tenure evaluation may also be postponed accordingly. It is advisable to apply for this postponement at the same time as you apply for the leave of absence.

Due to parental leave, sabbaticals or periods of part-time work, as well as in the case of extended years of study, the start of the interim evaluation or review may be postponed upon request.

Many Tenure-Track professors also have care responsibilities. Please discuss with us what conditions are important to you to balance both: whether this involves parental leave and/or periods of part-time work, or even an additional extension of the tenure-track period – up to two years per child is possible (Section 6 of the Tenure-Track Statutes). If required, we can also advise on childcare options, support with day-to-day life and ensure you have a strong support network.