Information on this topic can be found in our guidelines.

What does the 50 percent female quota mean in the case of a nine-member committee?

The women’s quota is fulfilled if four out of nine members are women. For collegial bodies with an odd number of members, the required number of women is calculated by reducing the number of members by one and determining the required proportion of women based on the resulting number. To ensure that the women’s quota is met, all three university representative groups (full professors, junior faculty, and student representatives) should make sure to observe this rule during the nomination process.

Does the 50 percent women’s quota also apply when selecting the reviewers?

YES. According to § 39 (2) of WU’s Plan for the Advancement of Women (annex 4 of the WU By-Laws), a balanced gender ratio must be ensured when appointing reviewers for habilitation proceedings in compliance with §§ 11b and c of the Federal Equal Treatment Act (Bundes-Gleichbehandlungsgesetz, B-GlBG).

Can external (non-WU) professors also be members of a Habilitation Committee?

YES. The Universities Act, the By-Laws of WU, and the Senate Habilitation Directive do not contain any provisions that preclude the appointment of external professors.

Transfer of voting rights

Members who are unable to attend a meeting may delegate their vote to another member of the collegial body representing the same group for the duration of no more than one meeting.

Can professors emeriti/retired professors also be members of a Habilitation Committee?

NO. In this context, the applicable regulations do not distinguish between retired professors and professors emeriti. The Universities Act makes no distinction with regard to the rights of these two groups. According to § 104 (2) of the Universities Act, retired professors (just like professors emeriti) have the right to continue exercising their venia docendi.

However, this right does not include membership in Habilitation Committees.

Professors emeriti (and retired professors) are no longer part of the Full Professors’ Association (Kurie) and are therefore no longer full professors eligible for membership in a Habilitation Committee.

Exceptions can only be made in cases where a professor retires during an ongoing habilitation procedure.
 

Can associate professors (außerordentliche Professor*innen) serve as reviewers?

YES. According to § 4 (2) of the Senate Habilitation Directive (annex 6 of the WU By-Laws), any holder of a venia docendi or comparable qualification may be appointed as an external reviewer.

Can professors emeriti/retired professors be appointed as external reviewers?

YES. According to § 104 (2) of the Universities Act, professors emeriti/retired professors can continue to exercise their venia docendi.

Can professors emeriti/retired professors be appointed as internal (WU in-house) reviewers?

NO. WU’s professors emeriti and retired full professors cannot be appointed as internal reviewers (they are no longer members of the Full Professors’ Association pursuant to the Universities Act).

According to § 4 (3) of the Senate Habilitation Directive (annex 6 of the WU By-Laws), WU full professors whose academic profile includes the respective habilitation subject and who are not members of the Habilitation Committee may be appointed as internal reviewers. Even though professors emeriti still count as members of their university (§ 94 [1] item 7 of the Universities Act), they no longer classify as WU full professors. Therefore, they can only act as external reviewers.

Are visiting professors allowed to act as reviewers in habilitation procedures?

YES. Neither the Universities Act nor the By-Laws of WU stipulate that the representatives of the full professors must be WU employees. Therefore, it does not matter whether the professors are employed at WU or visiting professors.

Can both of the reviewers be external reviewers? Is it OK if none of the reviewers is an internal (WU in-house) reviewer?

YES. The Universities Act and the By-Laws of WU only stipulate that at least one of the reviewers must be an external reviewer. There is no provision that requires the appointment of an internal reviewer.

Does the habilitation candidate have the right to comment on the teaching assessment?

YES, the habilitation candidate must be given the opportunity to comment on the teaching assessments if at least one of the assessments obtained concludes that the candidate lacks the didactic skills required for the venia docendi.

At what time are the habilitation proceedings considered to be completed?

In principle, the habilitation proceedings (= administrative procedure) end when the Rector’s Council issues the official notification detailing its decision on the application for the venia docendi (§ 9 of the WU By-Laws; § 103 [9] of the Universities Act 2002). The time of issuance is the time when the notification is officially announced to the applicant (= habilitation candidate).