In Germany, several qualification paths lead to a professorship. The junior professorship was created in Germany in 2002 as an alternative to the previously common habilitation and is a position that is usually limited to six years. It enables researchers to achieve early independence and autonomy in their research. All junior professorships (with and without tenure track) are interim evaluated after approximately three years. Junior professorships with tenure track are converted to lifetime professorships after a positive tenure evaluation at the end of the second term of office.

As a junior research group leader, you manage a research group over a period of several years (usually five years) and supervise your own doctoral candidates. This qualification position is financed by third-party funds and is characterized by a high degree of autonomy in the shaping of research and teaching. During this time, you will acquire the necessary qualifications for appointment to a tenure-track professorship at a very early stage.

The University of Oldenburg supports junior professors and junior research group leaders during this phase, in which they often take on leadership tasks for the first time or organise and manage their own professorship or research group.

All support and qualification programmes are listed below.Impulses for doctoral supervisors

Programme "Leadership in science"

Certificate "Qualification in university didactics"

Mentoring: "Progressio. Successfully shaping top positions in science"

Appointment managementFunded junior research groups