How does the tenure track contribute to the long-term advancement of academic careers—and what framework is required for this?
Experts and leaders discussed this topic at a joint event organized by the Berlin Leadership Academy and the Peer-Mentoring-Program for Tenure-Track Professors of the Berlin University Alliance on October 23, 2025.

The introductory welcome address by Günter M. Ziegler (Freie Universität Berlin, Spokesperson for the Berlin University Alliance), was followed by a discussion in which Sylvia Paletschek (Vice Rector for University Culture, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg), Elisabeth Herrmann (Chair of the Tenure Board at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, University of Warwick), Julia Lühnen (Tenure-track professor at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin), and Günter M. Ziegler, reflected on the experiences, opportunities, and challenges of the tenure-track system. The event was moderated by Janina Tiedemann.

The focus was on questions regarding effective onboarding, the definition of fair and realistic performance agreements, and how to handle unmet goals. Also highlighted was the role of potential analysis as a tool for developing individual strengths and ensuring quality.

An engaged audience and a lively get-together fostered an inspiring exchange and provided new impulses for the further development of the tenure-track career path.

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