How can more permanent positions be created for outstanding researchers, even in times of tight budgets? How should job profiles be designed to make them attractive internationally? Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal, member of the Board of Directors of the Berlin University Alliance and President of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU), will discuss these issues, which are central to Berlin as a center of knowledge and innovation, with experts from higher education studies and research at the launch of the ProFil Programme for the promotion of excellent women researchers. The event is being held at the invitation of the presidents of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Technische Universität Berlin, as well as the CEO of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Participation is possible after registering with the organizers of the ProFiL program.

"With the ProFiL Programme, the partners of the Berlin University Alliance are providing an internationally visible example of success in the career development of outstanding women researchers. This is reflected, for example, in the high number of alumnae who have attained leadership positions in higher education and professorships. At Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, we have also almost doubled the proportion of women in our professorships from 20.5 percent in 2008 to 39.8 percent in 2023," said Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal, President of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and member of the Board of Directors of the Berlin University Alliance, the highest governing body of the excellence alliance, ahead of the kick-off event for the 18th round of the ProFiL Programme.

Another important pilot project aimed at improving the predictability of academic careers, especially for women researchers, is the introduction of a departmental structure with more tenure-track professorships and permanent academic positions at the Department of Philosophy at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, which Prof. Dr. Tobias Rosefeldt will present during the panel discussion. The other participants in the discussion are Prof. Dr. Doris Segets (Universität Duisburg-Essen), spokesperson for the working group of Junge Akademie on science policy, and higher education researcher Dr. Roland Bloch (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg). The panel discussion will be moderated by Dorothea Jansen (Technische Universität Berlin), head of the ProFiL Programme for the promotion of excellent women researchers.

The ProFiL Programme

With the ProFiL Programme, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Technische Universität Berlin support highly qualified women researchers on their path to becoming professors. As part of the Berlin University Alliance, the number of ProFiL places has been increased from 36 to 66, and the program has been expanded to include an English-language track tailored to the needs of international women researchers, which is also open to women researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Since 2004, numerous alumnae of the program have been appointed to professorships in Germany and abroad. Many of them are committed to promoting a culture of equality and excellence in science as (vice) presidents or (pro) rectors of universities and as directors of non-university research institutes and academies.

The Berlin University Alliance

The Berlin University Alliance – the alliance of excellence between Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin – is positioning Berlin as one of the world’s leading knowledge and innovation hubs for integrated collaboration across disciplines and sectors of society. Together, this ecosystem contributes to the sustainable success of major transformations. The Berlin University Alliance is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the State of Berlin as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments.

Joint press release by Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Further Informationen

• on the ProFiL Programme: https://www.berlin-university-alliance.de/en/profil-programm/index.html 

Registration for the panel discussion

• Dorothea Jansen, head of the ProFiL Programme, email: jansen@tu-berlin.de und Dr. Antje Dallmann, coordinator, email: dallmann@tu-berlin.de

Press Contact

• Suhana Reddy, head of communication of Berlin University Alliance, email: suhana.reddy@berlin-university-alliance.de