The starting signal for every announcement for a professorship begins with the INTRODUCTION of the procedure through an application from the faculty (dean), which contains a first draft of the anouncement text and further basic information on the professorship. After the proposal has been checked, the Rectorate decides on the introduction itself and, depending on the procedure, leads to the following further steps:

In the case of shortened procedures, e.g. according to §99(4), the consent to the initiation of the procedure and the approval of the text of the announcement by the Rectorate means that the advertisement can start (see phase 2).

In the case of § 98 procedures, the initiation of the proceedings results in the establishment of an EXPLORING COMMITTEE. With its help, the situation of applicants for the upcoming call for applications should be analyzed or "sounded out" and a list of potential candidates for the professorship mentioned should be drawn up. In addition, the topicality and future viability of the planned announcement area should be checked. At the end of its activity - no later than two months after its appointment - the exploratory committee sends the Rectorate a final report including a revised advertisement text. This ends the exploratory phase.

Everything about the Call for applications

The call for applications for the new professorship is initiated by the Rector's Office, taking into account the results of the search committee (§ 98 professorships). It is in coordination with the Dean responsible and published in the TUW University Gazette, opens an external URL in a new window as well as on the TUW Careers Portal, opens an external URL in a new window. In addition, § 98 professorships must be publicly advertised nationally and internationally. The text of the call for applications contains all the information about subject to be filled (there are German and English templates for § 98 or 99(4) professorships [under: internal documents] or they are stored in TISS). The call for applications for § 98 procedures is open for around 6-8 weeks, for § 99(4) procedures it is open for (at least) 3 weeks.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: It is recommended, that all different measures according to the Richtlinie zum Entfall der Wiederholung der Ausschreibung, opens an external URL in a new window of the Committee on Equal Treatment start with the preparations of the call. These measures should follow the suggestions of the Formblatt des AKG für Professuren, opens an external URL in a new window.

Everything about the initial sittings of the appointments committee

After the deadline of the call for applications, the respective APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE sets to work and holds its inaugural sitting to elect the chair of the appointments committee. The aim of the first subsequent sitting - the sitting to review the application situation -  is to look through all applications and create a schedule for their work. Applications which do not fulfill the requirements of the call (for formal reasons) will be withdrawn. As a result a list of those candidates will be compiled, which should be evaluated by external experts.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: According to the law, the meeting to review the application situation should take place within one month after the end of the application period!

Everything about the experts opinions

In principle, a deadline of 1 month is given for the experts to prepare the reports.

In the §98 procedure, the necessary EXPERTS who are certified in accordance with international standards are appointed by the university professors of the Senate on the recommendation of the university professors of the relevant faculty, whereby the experts must be external (i.e. NOT employed at the TU Wien). In the §99(4) procedure, the appointment of experts is different. Here the appointment committee suggests potential experts to the rector and the rector selects at least two external experts from this list.

Important differences between the appointment procedures

Obtaining expert opinions and the sitting to review the expert opinions

The aim of the next phase of the appointments process is to draw up a further condenced list of applicants, who seem best suited based on their academic and didactic qualification. The view from the outside represents an independent and important input and is discussed in the meeting that takes place after the expert opinion has been obtained. At the end of this phase the members of the appointment committee will identify the subset of applicants who will be personally invited to the hearings for § 98 professorship (the "longlist").

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The appointments procedure ends here for § 99(4) professorships, as the list of applicants that has been drawn up with the help of external experts is the same as the shortlist.

Selection of experts 

The EXPERTS  required according to international standards are appointed by the university professors of the Senate on the proposal of the university professors of the relevant faculty in the §98 procedure, it is mandatory that the reviewers must be external (i.e. NOT employed at TU Wien). In the  §99 (4) procedure, the appointment of the experts is different. The appointment committee proposes potential experts to the rector and the rector selects at least two experts from this list.

Holding of hearings, final sitting of the appointments committee to draw up a shortlist (three-person proposal)

Being invited to hearings is the first step towards an appointment and is already an honor for the applicants. Usually - depending on the original number of applicants - 5-6 people are invited. As we give applicants enough time to prepare for the hearings, this phase lasts around 2-3 months.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: All female applicants who meet the formal application criteria must be invited to the hearings. In cases that deserve special consideration (e.g. an unusually large number of female applicants), the number of female applicants to be invited can be reduced with the written consent of the Committee on Equal Treatment.

After the hearings, the appointments committee prepares a reasoned proposal ("three-person proposal" or "shortlist") as the last step in its work in its last joint meeting, which is sent to the dean of the respective faculty.

ATTENTION: According to the law, the proposal should be made within 7 months after the end of the application period.

Hearings

The HEARINGS consist of applicant lectures and subsequent interviews and should be held in person (this should enable the applicant to get to know the TU Wien and his/her new colleagues):
- The applicant lectures  are university public and consist of two parts; firstly, a demonstration lesson on a given topic in order to demonstrate the didactic skills (students are especially involved in this) and secondly, an academic lecture on a topic chosen by the applicants themselves. 
- During the subsequent non-public interviews, administrative and faculty-related questions are discussed and the applicant is given the opportunity to present his/her motivation and goals in more detail.

The dean is now responsible for writing an opinion on the appointment proposal, which he/she has received from the appointment committee. He/she sends the statement and all other relevant documents (minutes, final report, appointment proposal, etc.) to the Rector. After receiving all relevant documents and a formal check, the Rector decides whether to accept the appointment committee`s proposal and to start the appointment negotiations (The Rector can also exercise the right to reject the application, e.g. due to incomprehensible decisions by the appointment comittee). Finally the rector informs the works council and the AKG of the final decision.

If no objection is raised by these parties about the decision and upon receipt of all the relevant documents, the Rector commences the appointment negotiations, which may include everything relating to the workplace itself (equipment, resources, transfer of research projects, staff, salary), family-related matters such as searching for employment for the candidate's partner and suitable schools/nurseries (Dual Career Advice, opens an external URL in a new window), as well as compensating relocation costs, assistance with looking for somewhere to live and other administrative matters.

The end of the appointment negotiations marks the official end of the appointment process and ends with the acceptance of the offer of the appointment and the signing of the employment contract.