Recruitment processes for professors are conducted on the basis of the Hamburg Higher Education Act and the recruitment regulations of the Hamburg University of Technology. We aim to complete appointment procedures within 9 months after advertisement.

The selection and evaluation commitee

For each faculty recruitment process, the Academic Senate, the highest self-governing body of our university, appoints an selection and evaluation committee. The selection committee is composed of at least three professors, one research assistant and one student of the Hamburg University of Technology. In addition, the President appoints two so-called external members. These are professors from other universities who are particularly qualified in the field of the advertised professorship. The Gender Equality Officer and - in the case of severely disabled applicants - also the Disability Officer participate in the appointment process in an advisory capacity.

The work of the selection and evaluation committee

In a constituent meeting, a chairperson is elected, the time schedule of the recruitment process is planned and the criteria for the selection of applicants based on the job advertisement are elaborated. In the second meeting, all incoming applications are reviewed to determine whether they meet the hiring requirements and to assess how well individual applicants meet the selection criteria. The most promising applicants are then invited to an interview. All other applicants will be informed that their applications could not be considered at the moment. However, the selection committee may decide at a later stage to invite further applicants for interviews.

The interview consists of a research presentation, a teaching demonstration, and an interview with the selection and evaluation committee. If you are invited to an interview, the chair of the selection committee will explain the format of these presentations in detail.  Following the interview, the selection and evaluation committee will determine which candidates will be shortlisted. For each of these applicants, at least two experts in the field of the professorship will be asked to provide expert opinions.  In the final meeting, the selection committee decides on its appointment proposal. The appointment proposal should contain three names and is arranged hierarchically.

Decision of a short list and negotiations

The chair writes a report on the recruitment process and then forwards the short list to the Academic Senate. The Academic Senate decides on the short list in a confidential meeting and forwards it to the Presidential Board for consideration. As a rule, the President then offers the applicant on the first place on the list the professorship. The candidates on the second and third places on the list are informed by the president about their place on the list. All other applicants will be informed that their application could not be considered in the short list.

The Presidential Board subsequently negotiates the appointment with the successful candidate. If the negotiations are successful, the appointment process is completed. If the appointment negotiations are unsuccessful, the next-ranked applicant will be offered the professorship. As soon as a candidate is appointed, all applicants are informed about this. The name of the successful applicant will also be communicated as part of the legally required notification of competitors (Konkurrentenmitteligung).