Habilitation formally establishes the qualification for independent research and teaching in a given field, conferring a postdoctoral teaching qualification in that subject. In many disciplines it is still the primary route to a full professorship.

enlarge the image: Photo: Rawpixel, Unsplash
Photo: Rawpixel, Unsplash

The faculties have their own habilitation regulations, which govern the requirements, admission, the procedure and final examination.

As a rule, the following are required for your habilitation:

  • Habilitation thesis or proof of equivalent academic achievements (e.g. leadership of a junior research group, junior professorship)
  • Proof of courses taught
  • Habilitation lecture with colloquium and teaching demonstration

After successfully completing the habilitation process, you may add “habil.” to your doctorate (Doctor habilitatus).

People who are completing their habilitation are usually employed on fixed-term contracts at a higher education institution. We would therefore expressly support your efforts to fund a habilitation or equivalent qualification by applying to junior research group programmes. All of these externally funded programmes have an excellent reputation. This means that if your application is successful, you significantly increase your chances of a permanent professorship later on. If you are interested, please contact our Research Service, which will assist you with your application.

So-called re-entry scholarships are available for female academics who already hold a doctorate and, after working in a professional environment outside of academia, wish to resume their scholarly work at Leipzig University. The funding is designed to help them prepare for their habilitation.

This financial support lasts up to six months and includes a monthly scholarship of 1285 euros plus a family allowance of 100 euros per child.

Requirements include:

  • Doctorate (minimum overall mark: magna cum laude)
  • Interruption of academic activities for at least three years due to (eligible) professional work outside of higher education
  • Re-entry with a research project with the intention of completing the habilitation process
  • Maximum age 40 years at time of application

Please submit the following application documents:

  • Filled out and signed application form
  • Written application explaining your reasons for applying and describing the measures intended to secure the project (application for further external funding)
  • CV in tabular form
  • Presentation of your professional and academic career to date, including the status and results of past research work, list of publications, teaching activities
  • University degree and doctorate certificates
  • Project concept including time and work plan for the requested funding period (no more than ten pages)
  • Statements by two professors or junior professors on the existing research results and on the planned project
  • Statements by the University’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner
  • Confirmation from the Faculty that the intended project is a good match with the University’s research profile and is of particular academic interest in this regard
  • Confirmation from the Faculty that the basic equipment necessary for the conducting the preparatory measures will be made available for the requested funding period

Please refer to the application form for information on how and where to submit the application.

Applications must be submitted by 31 March at the latest for funding in the current year and by 30 September at the latest for funding in the following calendar year.

If you have any questions, please contact Verena Jochmann.

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Verena Jochmann

Administrator (Academic Affairs)

Akademische Angelegenheiten
Verwaltungsgebäude
Goethestraße 3-5, Room 2.25
04109 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97 - 32009
Fax: +49 341 97 - 32099

Office hours
Erreichbarkeit: Mo.-Do.

Postdoctoral researchers who interrupted their academic career at a higher education institution in the Free State of Saxony at an advanced stage due to family commitments can apply for a scholarship to help them finish their habilitation project.
This financial support lasts up to twelve months and includes a monthly scholarship of 1285 euros plus a family allowance of 100 euros per child.

Requirements include:

  • Doctorate (minimum overall mark: magna cum laude)
  • Interruption of academic activities due to family commitments for at least nine months
  • Maximum age 42 years at time of application

Please submit the following application documents:

  • Filled out and signed application form
  • Written application explaining your reasons for applying
  • CV in tabular form; report on academic education to date (research work, list of publications, teaching activities)
  • University degree and doctorate certificates
  • Project concept including time and work plan for the requested funding period (no more than ten pages)
  • Statements by the academic supervisors
  • Statement by the University’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner
  • Confirmation from the Faculty that the intended project is a good match with the University’s research profile and is of particular academic interest in this regard

Please refer to the application form for information on how and where to submit the application.

Applications must be submitted by 31 March at the latest for funding in the current year and by 30 September at the latest for funding in the following calendar year.

If you have any questions, please contact Verena Jochmann.

Default Avatar

Verena Jochmann

Administrator (Academic Affairs)

Akademische Angelegenheiten
Verwaltungsgebäude
Goethestraße 3-5, Room 2.25
04109 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97 - 32009
Fax: +49 341 97 - 32099

Office hours
Erreichbarkeit: Mo.-Do.

Default Avatar

Verena Jochmann

Contact for All Re-Entry Scholarships

Goethestraße 6
04109 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97 - 32009
Fax: +49 341 97 - 32099

Office hours
Erreichbarkeit: Mo.-Do.

If you have any organisational questions regarding habilitations and the current habilitation procedure at Leipzig University’s Faculty of Medicine, please contact Ms Ingrid Schröder.

 

Further Services

t.e.a.m. Mentoring

Female early career researchers can receive personal support from experienced mentors in the Unibund mentoring programme.

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Flexible Fund

To support your application for your own externally funded project, you can apply for funding from the Flexible Fund.

Learn more

Tenure-Track Professorships

Our university plans to establish new tenure-track professorships under the Tenure-Track Programme set up by the federal and state governments.

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