November 30, 2023: Career Path to the Professorship
2:00 p.m. | Language: German and English | Conference Room of the University Library
Talks and Panel Discussion with Professors from Universities of Saxony-Anhalt
Moderation: Dr. Sara Binay
For many scientists, a professorship is an attractive career goal. The debates about the "Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz" (Academix Fixed-Term Contract Act), #IAmHanna and the increasing shortage of specialists in many fields show the brisance and also the ambivalence of this topic. While in some areas professorships can hardly be filled due to a lack of suitable applicants, there are also fields in which there are many interested candidates for only few available professorships.
It is worth taking a closer look, because a professorship at a university of applied sciences differs in some aspects from a university professorship, and both paths have their very specific advantages.
Panellists:
- Prof. Dr. Fabian Behrendt, Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal | Logistics, Production Management, SAP
- Prof. Dr. Jeannette Brosig-Koch, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg | Behavioral Social Policy
- Prof. Dr. Christof Hamel, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg | Chemical Process Engineering
- Prof. Dr. Elvira Mavric-Scholze, Hochschule Anhalt | Food chemistry and analytics
Synopsis
The information event on the career path to a professorship was jointly organised by the Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) of Saxony-Anhalt and the OVGU Graduate Academy - a good example of how the cooperation agreement on the qualification of academics in the early career phase signed by the universities and UAS in October is being filled with life.
Following a keynote speech by Anne-Marie Becker (Anhalt University of Applied Sciences) and Adeline Reinemann (Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences), the four professors reported on their very individual paths to a professorship in Saxony-Anhalt.
While there are no fundamental differences in the selection process or remuneration between a professorship at a university or a UAS, the four professors discussed the differences that do exist: Prof Mavric-Scholze made it clear that the teaching load at a UAS is significantly higher. Prof Brosig-Koch and Prof Hamel explained that there is significantly more time for research at a university, especially basic research. The latter was already a professor at an UAS before his professorship at OVGU.
All four professors agreed on the question of what the best thing about being a professor is: the bouquet of opportunities such as flexibility, freedom, self-determination, versatility, co-determination and working with young people.
A few practical tips for a career as a professor:
- You can also use committee work for networking and learn tricks there
- There is no "wrong turn" on the path to a professorship
- Even events where the added value is not immediately recognisable could prove valuable in retrospect
- Legal advice is available for appointment negotiations, e.g. from the DHV