Academic Careers

Anyone desiring to remain in research after obtaining the doctorate should plan further career steps carefully: in the coming years it is key that your scientific autonomy grows, that you are willing to do research in different institutions (mobility), that you are successfull in raisinng third-party funding, and that you will establish a supporting scientific and personal Network with the aim of developing an excellent research profile and an excellent track record with the prospect of adequate positions.

The habilitation is common mainly at German-speaking universities and is a requirement for a professorship in most fields, but has less importance in natural and life sciences.

Two different grades are awarded at the University of Basel:
a) Doctor habilitatus (Dr. habil.) confirms the facultas docendi, i.e. the ability to independently represent their field of study in both research and teaching at the university level.
b) For the award of the academic title «Privatdozent» or «Privatdozentin», the venia legendi is based on a written work (the Habilitationsschrift) and a trial lecture or the fulfillment of other suitable requirements in the field in question.

Assistant professors aim at the further scientific qualification and the acquirement of a professorship. There exist an non-tenured assistant professorship and a tenure track assistant professorship. The first is a fixed term employement of five years. Afterwards an Associate Professorship position has to be found at an other research institution. The tenure track assistant professorships leads upon a successful evaluation to an Associate Professorship.

The SNSF Starting Grants  represent the SNSF’s highest level of career funding. The call enables researchers to carry out their own independent project and lead a research team in Switzerland. The funding instrument is open to all disciplines and topics. Researchers from all countries can participate as long as they have a Swiss link. Applicants can apply for a maximum budget of CHF 1 million for research costs and additionally their own salary over a period of five years.