1. Preliminary comments
The training of the next generations of academics is one of the core responsibilities of universities and is a crucial contribution to the sustainability of our society. The conditions under which these responsibilities have to be assumed have changed dramatically in the last few decades. The demand for highly qualified researchers is growing , the requirements they have to fulfil are changing and universities have to confront fiercer national and international competition. In order to be able to hold our own in this race for the "best brains" we need a thorough review and improvement of the institutional, material and social conditions for supporting young scholars.
After the judgement of the Federal Constitutional Court on 27 July 2004 on the 5th amendment of the university framework law, the federal legislator reversed the previous law limiting career pathways to the "junior professor" and abolishing the habilitation. The University of Heidelberg welcomes this amendment initiated by the Constitutional Court, seeing it as an opportunity for universities to raise their own profile in support for young scholars. It will avail itself of the different qualification pathways and take appropriate account of the differing cultures in the disciplines.
The quality of a university is, above all, to be read from the quality of its young researchers. Within Heidelberg University there is a growing awareness that young scholars should be supported and strengthened more effectively and visibly. This being so, and in view of the imminent changes in the law, the Senate Commission on "The situation of young researchers at the University of Heidelberg" closely examined the general conditions for supporting them and submitted proposals to the Senate for improving doctoral studies, modernising the habilitation, designing junior professorships and promoting the career pathway of young heads of research groups. The Senate deliberated on the proposals of the Commission at its meetings on 15 February 2005 and 19 July 2005, and adopted them in the present form.
Heidelberg University is committed to the principle of subsidiarity within the University. The support for young scholars will continue to be a primary responsibility of the faculties. The University will therefore not adopt any university-wide (framework) regulations for doctorates and habilitations, as provided by the law on institutions of higher education of the state of Baden-Württemberg (Landeshochschulgesetz). Instead, the Senate recommends that the Faculties give appropriate consideration to the following guidelines as they devise their regulations for obtaining doctorates and habilitations.
