Dr. Susanne Jaudzims

Germany is one of the most important host countries for internationally mobile students and academics. In comparison to students and academic personnel, however, international professors are underrepresented. The research project “International Academics at German Universities: From Postdoc to Professorship” explores the hurdles faced by international academics in making the transition from postdoc to professorship at German universities.

In Germany, only a few international academics have succeeded in gaining access to a university professorship. This is evident on an international scale, but also in comparison with other academic staff at universities. The InWiDeHo research project investigated whether and, if so, which obstacles exist for international academics in the transition from postdoc to professorship. The report presents the core findings and recommendations for action of the qualitative study, for which international postdocs and newly appointed professors as well as members of university management were interviewed as part of expert interviews. Group discussions were also held with university staff.

The chapter starts with a description of the current state of research on the recognition of prior learning and credit transfer at German universities. The subsequent discussion of the concrete practice of recognition and crediting draws on empirical findings obtained in scientific studies accompanying large-scale funding programmes. In this context, the "ANKOM" initiative funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the federal-state competition "Advancement through Education: Open Universities" are of central importance.