Be a Professor
Practical teaching – implementation of project ideas – professional perspective with a future
Those are the cornerstones of a professorship at a University of Applied Sciences (UAS).
For more than 50 years, UAS have been training young academics in various subject areas. So has the Berliner Hochschule für Technik (BHT): over 13,000 students are currently enrolled in its eight faculties and more than 1,000 complete their degrees every year. Almost 300 professors and around 600 lecturers work here and as the number of students increases, their number raises as well.
The profile of BHT of applied sciences is structured mainly along STEM subjects, but with intersections to the humanities and life sciences. Within the next years, around 60 professorships will be appointed anew – a generational change that offers many opportunities as subject areas are changing and experts as well as young scientists get the chance to apply for a professorship and become a part of BHT.
Since professors and lecturers are crucial in assuring successful studies, it is important to attract qualified and committed professionals, who are interested in actively managing the upcoming change.
On the following pages you can find more information about the job profile of a professor at a University of Applied Sciences, the required qualifications and how those can be obtained. The most important questions are compiled in the FAQ section.
Don’t hesitate to contact us directly in case of any specific questions: We’re happy to support you!
Please note:
Any information provided on the following sites might only account for the state of Berlin, especially those concerning the appointment procedure. In case you wish to apply for a professorship at a University of Applied Sciences outside Berlin please consider getting in touch with someone from the respective state to verify the information.
What is a UAS professorship?
Being a professor at a University of Applied Sciences (UAS) can be a demanding and fulfilling job. Each professorship covers a specific expertise and enriches the university in teaching and research. All professorships as a whole shape the university's profile.
Prospective professors should meet the following requirements:
- Providing (students with) a wide range of courses for students
- Participation in the academic self-government
- Personal guidance and assistance of students
- Realisation of new projects
- Scientific research
Unlike at full universities, teaching takes up a large part of the job: Each new professor starts with 18 lecture hours per week (1 lecture hour = 45 minutes). Any additional service in the academic self-government – e.g. acting as head of a commission or member of the academic senate – leads to a reduction of those weekly teaching hours. Many UAS usually offer sabbaticals to conduct research projects. However, the pressure to initiate new scientific research projects and to publish in international journals generally remains much lower than at full universities.
In exchange the practical part is significantly higher: It is expected to pass on your experiences from your own professional practice to the students. They want to learn about the practical relevance and the application of their newly acquired knowledge. This is usually one of the reasons why many students decide for a University of Applied Sciences over a full university.