Quality Assurance in Evaluation Processes

The tenure track process is governed by the "Regulations on the Process for Granting a Life-Tenured Professorship at Leibniz University Hannover". The principles of transparency and equal opportunities are to be borne in mind in the process. These regulations are legally binding.

The evaluation criteria for the granting of tenure comply with international standards and reflect the characteristics of the various disciplinary cultures. The expected output and performance is clearly defined between the faculties and the university management and is established together each tenure track professor in a transparent, fair and binding manner.

A tenure track professor is appointed independently of vacancies and solely based on performance. For each tenure track professorship, a tenured position has already been reserved from the moment a tenure track professorship is advertised.

In cases of outstanding academic performance or to prevent a professor from moving to another university, the decision can be made to refrain from evaluation.

The granting of tenure is dependent on a positive interim result halfway through the probationary period and a positive tenure evaluation at the end of the fixed-term phase of employment. The interim evaluation scheduled towards the end of the third year of employment for tenure track professorships with W1 pay grades, or the status interview for tenure track professorships with W2 pay grades, is intended to identify and counteract potential undesirable developments in time and to further develop the candidate’s potential. The tenure track professor is informed of the results of the interim and tenure evaluation and the associated recommendations personally and offered individual support if required.

The decision to grant or deny tenure is based on the results of the faculties’ evaluation of research and teaching, as well as on an independent international panel of experts, the Leibniz Tenure Board. The board consists of six external academics (two each from engineering, the natural sciences and the humanities and social sciences). To assess research performance, the Leibniz Tenure Board commissions at least two structured, written expert reviews from external experts renowned in their field.