Research professorships

Research professorships at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam are usually awarded to appointed professors on a temporary basis for a maximum of five years. During this time, their teaching load is reduced to 9 to 12 teaching hours in order to be able to devote more time to research topics.

The decision to award research professorships is made by the president. The basis for the decision is an application in which the respective professor proves that he or she fulfils certain criteria and describes the research project, the approval of the dean of the respective department, and a review and recommendation by the research commission under the leadership of the vice president for research and transfer.

According to the Brandenburg university act, a maximum of 20 % of professorships may be designated as research professorships.

Decision Criteria
The following criteria in particular are taken into account in the decision-making process:

• Potential for the research profile of the department and the university
• Promotion of young academics
• Application orientation and practical relevance of the research project
• Presentation and public effectiveness of the ongoing and completed research and transfer projects of the last three years
• Interdisciplinary impact and positive effects on other research areas within the FHP
• Intensity of cooperation with regard to regional aspects (companies, universities, non-university research institutions, civil society actors)
• Contribution to internationalisation.

In addition, the following requirements apply:

a) Technical and engineering subjects

• Total third-party funds raised over 3 years ≥ 300,000 euro or up to 6 years on average ≥ 100,000 euro/year, and
• ≥ 2 publication points1 per year and a total of ≥ 6 publication points over 3 years, or an average of ≥ 2 points/year over the last 6 years.

A slight shortfall in one of the criteria of third-party funding or publications can be compensated for by a corresponding overfulfilment of the other criterion.

b) Other subjects

• Total third-party funds raised over 3 years ≥ 150,000 euro or up to 6 years on average ≥ 50,000 euro/year, and
• ≥ 1 peer-reviewed publication per year and a total of ≥ 15 publication points over 3 years, or an average of ≥ 5 points/year over the last 6 years.

A slight shortfall in one of the criteria of third-party funding or publications can be compensated by a corresponding overfulfilment of the other criterion.

Legal basis
In the Brandenburg university act, professors with a focus on research are regulated in section 47, paragraph 3. It states:

(3) Universities of applied sciences may establish professorships with a focus on research. The share of these professorships in the total number of professorships at a university of applied sciences may not exceed 20 per cent. The extent of the teaching duties of professors with a focus on research may not be more than 50 per cent less than the teaching duties of professors at universities of applied sciences without a focus on research. For appointment as a professor with a focus on research, Section 41 shall apply with the proviso that the requirements under section 41(1)(4)(a) and (b) must be met or, in addition to the requirements under section 41(1)(4)(b), special academic achievements in research must be demonstrated. The assumption of a professorship with a focus on research is also possible on a temporary basis.

The statutes for awarding research professorships and the criteria for awarding research professorships regulate the internal university procedure.