Understanding the general conditions

In some cases, a short-term scholarship for the final stages of the doctorate or a bridging scholarship may be needed so that a student can concentrate on completing his or her thesis and/or for a student to start a postdoctoral project. At present, such scholarships are provided only by the Women's Representative to female early career researchers.

Completion scholarships continue to be the exception, which means that there are fewer sponsors offering the necessary tools. Currently, the FAZIT Foundation has no regional constraints (prerequisite: financial emergency). A number of different funding programmes are available to postdoctoral students. Please get in touch!

On the one hand, the method of sourcing funds for the postdoc phase or a habilitation follows the same logic as that of the doctoral phase: the options available range from

vacancies at a chair or professorship and
positions in structured programmes (as a postdoc in a Research Training Group, for instance)
third-party-funded positions (at various levels)
postdoc or habilitation scholarships or fellowships
part-time work or appointments in research companies all the way to
private funding.

On the other hand, funding for the postdoc phase acquires an important strategic dimension:

If you organise your own position using third-party funding, you will also be able to add to your third-party funding portfolio. Depending on who provides the funding, minor third-party-funding projects like conferences will be a prerequisite for larger third-party-funding projects like your own position. Or it may be necessary to run through smaller funding lines, like for the management of early career researcher groups, for example, for you to become eligible for more prestigious funding programmes like professorships.

Scholarship and fellowship programmes that you apply to may also require study visits abroad or even take you abroad for a period of several years.

Depending on the type of your position at a teaching unit, your research and teaching tasks will vary in quantitative terms and you may either be employed or appointed for a short-term tenure. As a teacher for special assignments (Lehrkraft für besondere Aufgaben) expected to provide 18 teaching hours per week, for example, you will have to conduct your research 'on the side' as it were.

In your capacity as the head of a young researcher group and as junior or tenure-track professor, you will acquire leadership and supervision experience (depending on the position, you may even have the right to earn a doctoral degree) that you would be unable to gain otherwise. If, as a postdoc or habilitation researcher, you are employed externally, it will be more difficult to maintain your networks in the scientific community .

Last but not least, not all types of appointments will continue to be subject to the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG).

If you have any questions on strategic considerations and third-party funding of appointments, the Research Services Division will be happy to help.

'In view of the current exceptional circumstances, the Higher Education Act Governing Fixed-term Employment Contracts for Academic Staff (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz; WissZeitVG) will be supplemented by a temporary transitional arrangement: The maximum time-limit for the employment of academic and artistic staff currently undertaking qualification will be extended for as long as the pandemic-induced limitations affecting operation of the university and academic activities are in place. Employment contracts for qualification purposes signed between 1 March 2020 and 30 September 2020 may be extended by an additional six months' (Source: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)).

The Higher Education Act Governing Fixed-term Employment Contracts for Academic Staff has been governing the time limits of temporary employment contracts for academic and artistic staff at state universities and research institutions since 2007. The Act's main feature is the twelve-year rule: each qualification phase (doctoral degree and habilitation) must not extend beyond six years, i.e. 6+6=12. After 12 years, employees should only be enlisted on a non-temporary basis or have been appointed to a professorship or chair.

However, this rule does not apply if you hold a position funded by an external partner. Despite that, the term of contract is generally counted in such cases. So, if you have been working in a project funded by an external partner for two years, then you have only four years left for your habilitation.

The Higher Education Act Governing Fixed-term Employment Contracts for Academic Staff has been amended to prevent early career researchers from being employed for short terms. This amendment has been in force since 17 March 2016.

Please check the websites of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the German Research Foundation (DFG) for further information. Perhaps you also wish to familiarise yourself with the law itself and/or the Ministry's collection of cases. Should you have any questions, please contact the Human Resources Division.

The recognised principles of research practice form the backbone of any research work. They include probity, working at the state of the art, documentation of results and consistently challenging the veracity of all the outcomes.

Quality assurance structures at the University of Passau

In accordance with the responsibility assigned to it under the law, which consists in organising research, teaching and supporting early career researchers, the University of Passau issued the Rules of the University for the Ascertainment of Good Research Practice and for the Investigation of Alleged Academic Misconduct. These are compulsory for University of Passau members conducting research and part of the curriculum for early career researchers. For all questions regarding good scientific practice and in the event of suspected misconduct, please contact the Standing Committee for the Investigation of Alleged Academic Misconduct.

Ensuring good academic practice in your own research

The Graduate Centre offers regular courses on good academic practice. Use the e-learning tool 'Gute Wissenschaftliche Praxis in der Promotion' (good research practice in doctoral studies) developed by Goethe University Frankfurt to familiarise yourself with the topic.

The picture shows the start screen of the course.

As a signatory of the "Familie in der Hochschule" charter, the University of Passau is committed to a family-friendly profile: This extends to all areas of university life and covers not only leadership, but also study and working conditions, supervision, research and networking.

Check out the Family Service pages of our website for information, advice and lots of special offers to support you.

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