Young Academics

Improving Career Chances for Junior Scientists

Heidelberg University offers its junior scientists clearly structured career opportunities. The University's goal is to successfully win talented young researchers in the international competition, and to keep them in Heidelberg.

Junior scientists at Heidelberg University can choose from three equal and parallel career tracks: the classic habilitation, the "junior professorship" and the position of "independent junior research group leader". The latter offers the possibility of a subsequent permanent position - a model called Tenure Track Option. With this model, the University was able to appoint three junior professors and 16 junior research group leaders within the framework of the Institutional Strategy, the Clusters of Excellence and the graduate schools.

The funding instrument of the start-up professorship that was introduced with the "Young Academics" programme offers scientists additional chances of bridging the gap until they are appointed to a full professorship or another desired position. Eleven startup professorships have been staffed to date with Excellence funding.