Survey on the next generation of university lecturers

The GDCh collects data at irregular intervals, with the support of the deans’ offices of the chemistry faculties at German universities, to compile the survey on habilitations, junior professorships and the proportion of women among professors. From 2020 onwards (survey period 2019), data on postdocs¹, senior postdocs² and leaders of early-career research groups will also be collected.

At the end of 2004, the GDCh collected data for the first time on habilitations, habilitation candidates and junior professorships at German universities. The proportion of female C3 and C4 professors was also surveyed. The results were published in the April issue of Nachrichten aus der Chemie in the following year (until 2016, every two years).

We would like to thank all the contact persons involved for their support. Without you, we would not have been able to conduct this survey every two years since 2004!

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¹ _{Postdoc for the purposes of this survey: academic staff with less than two years’ research experience as a postdoc (this need not have been gained at their own university)}
² _{Senior postdoc for the purposes of this survey: academic staff with more than two years’ research experience as a postdoc (this need not have been gained at their own university)}

At the end of 2019, there were fewer habilitation candidates at German universities than two years previously. For the first time, the numbers of postdocs, senior postdocs and junior research group leaders were recorded. The number of junior professors has stagnated.
A further positive development can be seen in the proportion of women among professors. Despite a slight increase, however, this still does not correspond to the proportion of women among students or doctoral candidates.

You can find the complete results of the eighth survey in issue 10/20 of the "Nachrichten aus der Chemie" (our member magazine) and here as a PDF.

At the end of 2016, there were fewer postdoctoral researchers at German universities than two years previously. By contrast, the number of junior professors has stagnated. The proportion of women among professors continues to show positive development. Despite a slight increase, however, it is still a long way from matching the proportion of women among students or doctoral researchers.

You can find the complete results of the seventh survey in issue 04/17 of "Nachrichten aus der Chemie" and here as a PDF.