Temporary Professorships

Most people know what a professor does – but what is a temporary professorship? Who can apply for such a position and what do temporary professors earn? Learn everything you need to know about this exciting career opportunity and your options at HSBI.

What is a temporary professorship?

A temporary professorship is a fixed-term employment at a university of applied sciences. Temporary professors are usually employed if a professorship cannot be filled or if the professor holding it is absent for a prolonged period – for example, due to research duties, responsibilities in the university’s self-government or illness.

What are temporary professors’ responsibilities?

During their fixed-term employment, temporary professors have all the responsibilities that regular professors at universities of applied sciences have. They hold courses, supervise students and assume responsibilities in research and academic self-government. Depending on the temporary professorship’s duration, the focus may be on certain responsibilities. If they only stand in for a professor for a few months, temporary professors’ main focus usually lies on teaching.

Why should I become a temporary professor?

A temporary professorship gives you the opportunity to gain valuable experience. It is thus an exciting career option, especially for postdocs who can picture a career in academia. Practitioners who have been working in the private sector for some years have the opportunity to impart their knowledge as part of a temporary professorship.

Can temporary professors become permanent professors after their fixed-term employment ends?

Usually, temporary professors only stay at the university for as long as their contract lasts. They only become permanent professors in exceptional cases through a regular appointment procedure.

What do temporary professors earn?

Temporary professors are salaried employees of the Land North Rhine-Westphalia. They do not receive civil servant status. Temporary professors’ salary is oriented towards the salary group of the professor they stand in for. Usually, this is salary group W2. The current basic monthly salary is €7,051.97 (as of February 2025).

In addition, temporary professors profit from the benefits that employees in the public sector have. At HSBI, we also offer you a number of other benefits.

• Benefits for employees at HSBI

How do I become a temporary professor?

We are delighted in your interest in becoming a temporary professor! The formal requirements are the same as for a permanent professorship at a university of applied sciences, including:

• Five years of work experience, three of which must be outside the university
• Completed university studies (e.g., master’s, Diplom, Staatsexamen or Magister degree; a bachelor’s degree does not suffice)
• A doctorate or proof of equivalent academic or artistic performance (e.g., awards, competitions, exhibitions, publications)
• Suitability as a teacher

In addition, you should enjoy imparting your knowledge to students, as teaching will be your primary activity.

Is a temporary professorship filled through an appointment procedure?

No, there is no regular appointment procedure. A recruitment committee consisting of three professors will review the applications for the advertised position. Subsequently, the committee members will conduct the interviews and suggest a suitable candidate to the faculty management.

Contact

Would you like to get in touch with us personally or do you have any further questions? Please do not hesitate to contact our appointments officer Bastian Meerkamm.

Dipl.-Verww. (FH)

Bastian Meerkamm

Phone: +49.521.106-7725

bastian.meerkamm@hsbi.de