The habilitation is the highest postgraduate degree that can be obtained at a university in the countries where this degree is awarded. There it is often a prerequisite for a full professorship, although increasingly other postdoctoral academic/research achievements are considered equivalent. – In countries where the habilitation degree is not common or does not exist in higher education law, applicants for a full professorship usually have to demonstrate significant research achievements obtained after the doctorate (or in addition to it). In fine arts and music, however, proof of other qualifications is often a prerequisite for the position.
At the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar the habilitation regulations are the same for all faculties. According to these, the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism grants those who have habilitated at the faculty the right to use the addition "habil." to an already existing degree of Dr.-Ing. or Dr. phil. or - in other cases - the degree "Dr. habil.".
Accordingly, the full academic degrees look like this:
- Dr.-Ing. habil.
- Dr. phil. habil.
- Dr. habil.
The purpose of the habilitation is to demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research and teaching in the chosen subject area. In this way, the teaching qualification for a professorship is proven. It is a prerequisite for the University to grant the “venia legendi”, which is the formal authorisation to teach at the Faculty. (Note: This is not linked to offering a position!)
Holders of the “venia legendi” (i.e. authorisation to teach) are allowed to use a designated title: "The award of the authorisation to teach is associated with the right to use the title "Privatdozentin" or "Privatdozent" (PD)" (translated from clause 1, para. 5 of the Habilitation Regulations of 2019). Those who hold a chair (professorship) no longer use this additional designation, but leave it at adding "habil." to their title, e.g. Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Peter Meyer. However, the use of the addition, as well as the entire title, is not mandatory.
Not the teaching qualification in itself (as acquired through the habilitation), but holding the “venia legendi” is tied to an obligation to teach at the Faculty, for which there is no remuneration, unless holders of the “venia legendi” teach as part of their employment at the Faculty: "The award of the authorisation to teach is associated with the obligation to teach independently for at least two semester hours per week. In justified exceptional cases, the Faculty Council may, upon application, exempt the Privatdozent/-in from this obligation" (translated from clause 16, para. 3 of the Habilitation Regulations of 2019).
The Habilitation Regulations govern the admission requirements and the habilitation procedure. The habilitation committee formed by the Faculty Council is the competent body of the faculty for the assessment of the candidate’s written and oral achievements in the habilitation and his or her pedagogical qualification. Based on the recommendation of the habilitation committee, the Faculty Council decides on the granting of the habilitation as well as on the granting of the authorisation to teach (“venia legendi”). The latter, however, only if the candidate has applied for the "venia legendi" at the beginning of the habilitation procedure.
Components of the Habilitation
Overview of the Habilitation Procedure
The application for admission to habilitation must be accompanied in full by all the documents specified in clause three (§ 3) of the Habilitation Regulations of 2019. This already includes four copies of the completed habilitation thesis. This is the most significant formal difference to the doctoral procedure, in which the topic and research proposal are submitted for admission - along with other supporting documents - but work on the doctoral thesis does not begin until after admission. Another important difference is that a PhD student prepares his or her thesis supported by an academic supervisor, whereas the habilitation thesis is written without a mentor. Accordingly, habilitation candidates cannot enrol at the University, whereas doctoral candidates can do so at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
The application for admission to habilitation must also state the subject area for which habilitation is being sought. The complete application is to be sent to the Dean of the Faculty, together with all supporting documents as well as four copies of the habilitation thesis.
For enquiries, please contact the coordinator of PhD and postdoctoral affairs, preferably by e-mail (contact details: see box on the right).
Before considering an application for admission to habilitation, please check thoroughly, whether you fulfil the admission requirements according to clause two (§ 2) of the Habilitation Regulations of 2019. If you do not meet the requirements or meet them only very inadequately, an application is futile and will be rejected without further examination.
A receipt (e.g. a copy of the remittance slip or a printout of the electronic bank transfer voucher) for the habilitation fee paid, currently € 150.00, must be submitted with the application for admission to habilitation. Please transfer the fee to:
Recipient: Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Name of the bank: HELABA
Account number: 300 4444 273
Bank code: 820 500 00
IBAN: DE 39 820 500 00 300 4444 273
BIC (SWIFT code): HELADEFF820
Please indicate the following as reason for payment / reference ("Verwendungszweck"): 110 010 10 10 Habilitation fee, your name.
Please note: There is no status such as “habilitation student,“ therefore you cannot apply for registration as a habilitation candidate or enrol at the University, which means you cannot apply for a visa to prepare or write your habilitation thesis.
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