Appointment Procedures for Professorships


Involvement of the gender equality officer in the recruitment procedure


The Central Gender Equality Officer is to be involved in all appointment procedures for professorships, from the advertisement to the selection decision.
The Gender Equality Officer of the Faculty represents her according to the basic rules of the University of Cologne. Therefore, both must be integrated into the communication of the procedure. After the decision on the list placement by the Appointments Committee, the Gender Equality Officer of the Faculty provides the Central Gender Equality Officer with feedback on the course of the procedure via a form (cf. decision of the Rectorate of 14.06.2012).
According to LGG NRW, the Central Gender Equality Officer formally comments on the procedure and submits her statement to the faculty before the relevant meetings (faculty, senate and rectorate meetings).

Guidelines for the promotion of women in areas where they are under-represented


  • The gender equality plan of each unit can contain specifications.
  • The regulations for the appointment procedures for professorships wants the commite to actively recrute women in subjects where the proportion of women is < 30 %.
  • The commission has to consist of an equal number of men and women, or at least of the proportion of female professors represented in the subject (cf. § 11c HG NRW).
  • Votes on the (provisional) list placement must be taken in secret (see regulations UoC).
  • The Rectorate wants the faculties to fill 40% of the deputy professorships with women.
  • Furthermore, § 9 (1) of the State Equality Act stipulates that in areas where women are under-represented, at least as many women as men or all applicants must be invited to an interview - provided they meet the required qualification criteria. If equal suitability is available, women should be preferred according to § 7 (1) LGG NRW..

Instructional videos on quality assurance and gender sensitivity in appointment procedures for professorships

The instructional videos are available in German only. You can select English subtitles via the Youtube links.

You can also find a training video from the Faculty of Medicine on appointment procedures for professorships here.