Tenure Track Professorship
Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft’s Tenure Track Professorship program supports German universities in appointing and onboarding international talents for tenure track positions by funding the first years of the professorship.
Objective
Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft’s Tenure Track Professorship program supports German universities in appointing and onboarding international researchers in the R3 career stage. The grant offers researchers excellent material and personnel resources, provides funds for onboarding and dual career measures, and opens up reliable prospects for their career in Germany.
The "R1 to R4" career stages describe a common European framework for researchers, where R1 is a First Stage Researcher (up to PhD), R2 is a Recognized Researcher (PhD holders or equivalent), R3 is an Established Researcher with developing independence, and R4 is a Leading Researcher with significant leadership in their field.
Funding
Universities can apply for up to €1 million (for a five-year tenure track period) or up to €1.2 million (for a six-year tenure track period). The funds can be used to pay for the salary, personnel, material expenses, and investments, as well as onboarding and dual career measures.
The university must match the Foundation’s funding. Salary costs can be included in the university’s contribution, as can third-party funding from other providers (e.g. ERC Starting Grants).
The Foundation will make 10 % of its share of the funding available to the researcher as unrestricted research funds.
Who is eligible?
All German universities are eligible to apply. The tenure track professorship appointment can be for an existing professorship (to fill a vacancy or in anticipation of an upcoming vacancy), or for a new professorship. Following a successful final evaluation, the university must create a permanent W2 or W3 professorship (existing or new post). Applications may also be submitted for leaders of junior research groups, provided a professorship appointment or offer of a permanent contract is envisaged following a positive final evaluation. Each university may submit one application per call.
Candidates must have been working outside of Germany for at least three years at the time of application. Candidates must not return to the institution where they obtained their doctorate. To be eligible to apply, the university must have completed an internal selection procedure or be planning a direct appointment. Universities that have already made an offer of a professorship may still apply, provided the offer has not yet been accepted.
