Honorary title (academic)

Honorary professors are part-time professors. You must have several years proven as an independent lecturer or lecturer their teaching ability. They must also have achieved outstanding scientific or artistic achievements. The qualification of the personality is to be appointed in some states, for example in Thuringia, Mecklenburg- Vorpommern North Rhine- Westphalia and, as attested by reports of external scientists. Honorary Professors lead the official title of Professor (Prof. ) without further addition. They hold courses are full-time but still outside the university operates. By the order of honorary professors persons are to be obtained with respect to the practice of university teaching and permanently closely linked to the university.

In Germany in 2012 there were about 1600 Honorary Professors.

Title

In contrast to the tenured university professor who is legally connected to a service appointment and full time occurs, the Titular or honorary professorship is not associated with an appointment, but is awarded by the university after a usually five years of teaching. It is bordered thus by the honorary conferred "Honorary Professor " from the " h with the addition c. " ( honoris causa ) must be kept.

The name of the title indicates that the function usually volunteer, that is exerted without payment (of English. "Honorary " = honorary, honorary). Although the origin of the English word like " honor" (English for Honour) can be attributed to speak to the Latin word "honor " (Latin for honor, civil service ), is Honorary Professor in contrast to honor Professor or " Prof. H.C. " no honorary title.

Requirements

Germany

In most federal states, there are honorary professors other admission requirements as for full professors. Although sometimes the conditions are required to be met by professors ( § 65 para 2 Higher Education Act of Schleswig -Holstein) is a postdoctoral not provided and is not more common. In this respect, the achievements in the respective fields do not correspond exactly to the scientific requirements that are placed on full-time high school teacher. A formal or constructive condition can be a lasting about ten semesters previous work as a lecturer. The conditions depend on the respective regulations of the universities and the Länder. For example, there are no specific rules in Lower Saxony and in Hesse are awarded honorary professorships usually only to those who distinguished themselves in the implementation of research results into practice. Often, according to internal university regulations or customs requirement of the order that three professors from other universities favor the order in appraisals.

Honorary professors in Germany were formerly usually required to teach two semester hours per semester free of charge (so-called " preservation doctrine "). In many states this obligation has been amended in a directory provision. In the Higher Education Act of North Rhine -Westphalia a teaching position is even no longer provided. If an honorary professor his teaching fails to do so or it is to the detriment of conferring university, the title may be canceled.

With regard to the position at the professional institution of higher education, the federal states differ considerably. While Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine -Westphalia, Saxony -Anhalt and Thuringia have no restrictions, the sage in Baden- Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony may not engage in full-time work at the same university. He may be called at any other university in Bavaria. In Rhineland -Palatinate and Mecklenburg- Vorpommern, however, a part-time job at the university is mandatory. In Hesse and Schleswig -Holstein only people from the practice can be appointed.

The appointment takes place, depending on the province, either by the university or the ministry responsible.

In Baden- Wuerttemberg Honorary Professors are people engaged in teaching at least two hours per week. Whether a fee is paid, which is the case usually, the Senate decides.

In Thuringia Honorary Professors have the legal obligation to teach free of charge at least two hours per week in their field. The leadership of the title is linked to the duration of the teaching. Vaginal honorary professors, having reached the age limit, they may as well lead the other high school teachers in Thuringia, the title of professor as an academic designation on.

Austria

In Austria the title honorary professor, when provided for in the Articles of Association as an academic honor, awarded by the University. In contrast to the previous law, according to UOG 93 so that no automatic award of the authorization to teach ( venia docendi ) is connected by Act 2002, as these usually at a habilitation procedures ( § 103 UG) is bound.

At the University of Vienna, the Rectorate can "scientifically highly qualified professionals in recognition of their exceptional scientific and educational accomplishments give the authorization to teach ( venia docendi ) as Honorary Professor and Honorary Professor for a full academic subject at the University of Vienna at certain time. " Similar gives the rectorate after Senate approval of an honorary professor at the Vienna University of Economics.

The policies for honors at the Technical University of Vienna, that " the Rector after consultation with the Dean and the Faculty Council of the Faculty concerned (s ) to scientifically highly qualified persons in recognition of their exceptional scientific and / or educational services for a specific period of time or indefinitely the title Honorary Professor / Honorary Professor and Honorary associated with it the right to teach about a particular academic subject confer " can. Decisive for the award of the title and an associated teaching license are the abilities to fulfill the following tasks: holding bachelor and diploma examinations, as well as doctoral examinations and supervision of theses and dissertations; Teaching opportunities in the context of the subject; Care of young scientists and / or the care of excellent scientific projects.

Criticism in Germany

The journalist Hermann Horstkotte speaks of a " frequently adventurous practice of allocating honorary professorships ." Instead of scientific achievements often included very different qualities. By universities appoint celebrities from science and politics to honorary professors, they win influential friends, in some cases donors.

For heated discussions made ​​the appointment of Josef Ackermann, then CEO of German Bank AG, Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Economics at the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. It took place in July 2008 at the second attempt, after 2005, a first attempt was a failure. The critics said, a professor must not only teach, but also be modeled; among other things, they threw Ackermann his decision to massive layoffs at Deutsche Bank despite a simultaneously large profits before. Some critics also saw a connection between Ackermann's Honorary Professorship and the Deutsche Bank financial support for a new Institute of the Goethe University.

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