Appointment procedures
Appointment procedures serve to recruit excellent academics who shape research and teaching in their subject area over the years. The overall university guidelines are laid down in the appointment regulations of the University of Basel (Berufungsordnung). In addition, further guidelines apply to appointments at university level.
Approval
The University Council is responsible for approving structural professorships. It makes decisions on the basis of the development and structural plans of the faculties. If significant changes have occurred since the adoption of the development and structure plan, the faculty prepares a separate structural report for the pending appointment.
Search committee
Following approval by the University Council, the relevant faculty deploys a search committee in which professors, students, assistants are represented as well as an equal opportunities representative. The university guarantees an independent view by including external experts on the search committees and by having the research performance of the candidates assessed by at least three independent external reviewers.
Report of the search committee
The search committee specifies the quality requirements for the candidates, examines the application documents and invites the best candidates to give a lecture and to further interviews. As a signatory to the DORA declaration, the University of Basel is committed to assessing research expertise in a differentiated manner and places great emphasis on academic content. The search committee presents its findings in a report, which includes a list of proposed candidates to be submitted to the faculty.
Appointment negotiations
The faculty assemblies, the President’s Board and the University Council decide on the basis of the report of the search committee whether appointment negotiations should be initiated. These negotiations are conducted by the President together with the Vice President People & Culture and the dean of the relevant faculty.
Election
The final election of the candidate is the responsibility of the University Council and is then announced publicly. In the case of assistant professors with and without tenure track, the appointment is made by the President’s Board.
