With Tenure Track

An assistant professorship with tenure track (TT) is an attractive employment position, as it offers a clear career path and, thus, increases planning security. “Tenure Track” refers to the possibility of obtaining a permanent professorship after several years of qualification. Therefore, when advertising a new or vacant professorship, the University of Bern will always check if the position can be explicitly advertised as an assistant professorship (TT).

Goal

The aim of assistant professorships (TT) is to obtain the scientific qualifications for potentially taking on the position of an associate professorship or (in fairly rare cases) a full professorship.

Prerequisites for employment

Applicants for an assistant professorship (TT) must possess the following professional qualifications:

  • Completed habilitation or equivalent scientific qualification.
  • Excellent research achievements documented by way of publications and projects.
  • International experience, e.g., through at least a year spent at a different, ideally foreign university or through several years of highly qualified professional work outside one’s own institution.

Recruitment interview

Every assistant professorship (TT) will have a recruitment interview with the university rector, during which details including qualification criteria, appointment credit, residence and relocation costs, salary, pension fund and sabbatical will be clarified.

Phases of employment

  • In a first employment phase, assistant professors (TT) are initially employed for four years.
  • This is followed by an evaluation performed by an evaluation board consisting of three to five members, and a supporting committee made up one to three persons.
  • If the interim evaluation is successful, employment may be extended in a second employment phase for a further two years. The decision is based on a positive evaluation pursuant to clearly defined qualification criteria.
  • After six years at the latest, an assistant professorship (TT) will be converted into an associate or a full professorship.

Qualification criteria

The qualification criteria are determined by the election committee of the faculty concerned and are thus individually tailored to each assistant professorship (TT). They cover various areas, including research, teaching, external funding and self-management, and serve to track the achievements of an assistant professorship (TT) in a binding and measurable manner.