General conditions
Akademischer Rat auf Zeit
Many chairs offer postdoctoral researchers positions as ‘Akademischer Rat/Akademische Rätin auf Zeit’ or ‘Akademischer Oberrat/Akademische Oberrätin auf Zeit’. These are fixed-term public service contracts which are initially restricted to three years. A doctoral degree or the Second State Examination (Zweite Staatsprüfung) must be obtained to qualify for an appointment as Akademischer Rat. The only exceptions to this are for engineering subjects and Catholic and Protestant theology. For more information, see FAU’s human resources handbook (German).
As an ‘Akademischer Rat’ you should be aware of certain conditions.
The salary is generally higher than for research associate positions. However, these positions require employees to have private health insurance. Once you have switched from statutory to private health insurance, it can be difficult to switch back, which may be necessary if you are later employed under different conditions. It is also important to note that after the end of a fixed-term contract as Akademischer Rat you are not entitled to Arbeitslosengeld II unemployment benefit. If you did not have a new job after the fixed-term contract ended, you would be dependent on this unemployment benefit.
Habilitation regulations
FAU has one set of habilitation regulations (German) for all faculties which provide information on all steps that are relevant for your habilitation. Certain conditions vary between faculties and schools. We therefore recommend that you get in touch with the contact person at your faculty or school.
Contacts at the faculties for habilitations
Volker Barnickel
Fakultätsverwaltung Philosophische Fakultät und Fachbereich Theologie
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-23029
- Email: volker.barnickel@fau.de
School of Law:
Ass. jur. Dagmar Schwarzbach
Fachbereichsverwaltung Rechtswissenschaft (Erlangen)
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-29397
- Email: jura-dekanat@fau.de
School of Business and Economics:
Liane Bauer
Fachbereichsverwaltung Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften (Nürnberg)
- Phone number: +49 911 5302-650
- Email: liane.bauer@fau.de
Website: Young researchers at the School of Business and Economics
Heidi Kurth
Fakultätsverwaltung Medizinische Fakultät
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-22263
- Email: heidi.kurth@fau.de
Petra Krysta, RAR
Fakultätsverwaltung Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-22747
- Email: petra.krysta@fau.de
Website: Research at the Faculty of Sciences
Kerstin Stoltze
Fakultätsverwaltung Technische Fakultät
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-28223
- Email: kerstin.stoltze@fau.de
Website: Doctoral degrees and habilitations at the Faculty of Engineering
Speaker for young researchers at the Department for Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBI)
Postdoctoral teaching qualification and authorisation to teach (status of Privatdozent/Privatdozentin)
After completing a habilitation, young researchers are granted a postdoctoral teaching qualification, known as Facultas Docendi, but according to the Bavarian Law on Academic Personnel of Higher Education Institutions (German) they are not yet authorised to teach as a university lecturer, and are therefore not entitled to be referred to as a Privatdozent/Privatdozentin. Authorisation to teach, known as Venia Legendi, is granted by the University. This process can be initiated at FAU via the Department of Human Resources. Only once this authorisation has been granted can those who have completed their habilitation teach independently, lead scientific research, conduct examinations and carry the title Privatdozent/Privatdozentin.