Offers for female graduates and women with professional experience

The State Conference of Women's Representatives at Bavarian Universities of Applied Sciences (LaKoF) awards two different doctoral scholarships to promote young female scientists. One is directed specifically at female HAW graduates who are starting a doctorate directly after graduation. The other doctoral scholarship supports women with qualified professional experience who are aspiring to an HAW professorship and still need to complete a doctorate for this. The two doctoral scholarships are explained in more detail below.

Doctoral scholarship for female HAW graduates

This scholarship is aimed at highly qualified women who have completed their studies at a Bavarian university of applied sciences (HAW) and are currently pursuing a doctorate.

Requirements that must be fulfilled for the scholarship to be awarded:

• Above-average university degree from an HAW,
• admission to a doctoral program,
• professional employment, which must not exceed 20 hours per week during the term of the scholarship.

In addition to the previously mentioned requirements, at least one of the following three circumstances must apply:

• Center of life in Bavaria (proof required),
• Degree from a Bavarian university of applied sciences,
• doctorate at a Bavarian university, cooperative doctorate at a Bavarian university of applied sciences (HAW) or joint doctorate.

Doctoral Scholarship for Women with qualified professional experience

This doctoral scholarship is addressed to highly qualified women who have completed their studies, are aiming for a career as a university professor and already have relevant professional experience, but still need to complete a doctorate in order to prove their scientific qualifications and become eligible for appointment.
The doctoral project should already have been prepared on a part-time basis so that, with the help of the scholarship, it is possible to complete it within a maximum of two years if it is worked on coherently and exclusively.

The following requirements must be fulfilled for the granting of the scholarship:

• A minimum of five years of qualified professional experience since the first university degree (of which at least three years must be outside of higher education) relevant to a professorship at a university of applied sciences,
• Doctoral admission,
• doctoral project already prepared on a part-time basis,
• Proof of teaching qualification: For this purpose, the applicant must have held a teaching position at a university of applied sciences for at least one semester, which must be evaluated. Such a lectureship can also be granted within the framework of the lectureship program ”Rein in die Hörsäle!“ If no lectureship is available, expert opinions must be submitted as proof of teaching qualification.
• Professional employment, which may only be a maximum of 20 hours per week.

In addition to the requirements mentioned so far, at least one of the following three circumstances must also apply:

• Center of life in Bavaria (proof required),
• Degree from a Bavarian university or university of applied sciences,
• doctorate at a Bavarian university, cooperative doctorate at a Bavarian university of applied sciences (HAW) or joint doctorate.

The campaign ”Werde Professorin!” was launched in 2020 by LaKoF in cooperation with the 17 universities of applied sciences in Bavaria. The importance of this campaign is shown by the figures: just 21% of professorships in the Free State of Bavaria are held by female professors, although 51% of university graduates are women.

The purpose is to highlight the multifaceted career field of university professors, to show women the opportunities for advancement, and to offer them the necessary support. After all, a professorship offers numerous advantages, such as:

• self-determined work
• combination of research and practice
• promotion of the personal development of young people
• flexible working hours that support the compatibility of family and career

What requirements you should fulfill for a professorship, how the appointment process works, and what other women value about the profession of professor and her work can be found at www.werdeprofessorin.de.

Do you have any questions about the campaign? Please contact Prof. Dr. Christine Süß-Gebhard, spokesperson for the Bavarian Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW).