Special contribution blogpost on the law’s planned revision by Dr. Samuel Tickell

 

1. Introduction: Why the WissZeitVG Matters Now
Rarely in our careers does something land on our desks that is so influential for our futures, yet so opaque. This is what we face with the German Fixed-Term Contract Act for Academic Staff, Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, or WissZeitVG. At the German Postdoc Network, we are working to unravel its complexities and translate the legal language into an easy‑to‑understand overview. One would think that, for a regulation affecting postdocs across the country, it would be simple to find a general explanation. In reality, the interpretative nature of German regulation makes this a tricky prospect.

At the same time, pressure to reform the WissZeitVG has grown, with many arguing that it is no longer functional for modern science and a global workforce. Its very existence can dissuade excellent scientists from staying in academia, and its lack of transparency creates major stress at a crucial stage of a researcher’s career. The #IchBinHanna movement showed just how widespread this discontent has become.

But what exactly is the WissZeitVG, why does it exist and what will happen to it?

 

2. The WissZeitVG in Brief
The journey through academia has never been a secure, nor an easy path. Research funding, positions and opportunities have always been tenuous and competitive in science. The law is approaching its 20th birthday, having come into effect in 2007 created a special fixed‑term contract regime for universities and public research institutions. Its stated aim was to provide a clearer framework for academic career paths by defining time‑limited qualification phases and, at best, opening up pathways to permanent positions. It concentrated on the ‘qualification’ phases of an early career researcher and an acknowledgement that after a doctorate and the postdoctoral phase, which could include habilitation, a scientist should be considered independent and pursue a career.

It introduced the now famous 6+6 model, typically providing up to six years of fixed‑term employment before the doctorate and up to six years after the doctorate. There can be a little flexibility, with a couple examples including utilising saved time in a quickly finished PhD in the Postdoc phase, extension for childcare, disability or caring for a family member. After that, in theory, researchers must either secure a permanent position or leave the German academic system. In fact, many researchers stay in Academia by securing third-party funded projects, leading to decades of fixed-term contracts. More information on this and its implications can be found in the BuWiK report [1].

Therefore, it is something that, rather than defining a contract, can define the life of an academic.

 

3. What We’re Facing: Issues and Experiences
The WissZeitVG was undoubtedly well intentioned and looked to create flexibility for research institutions and a clearer path for researchers through academic qualification phases. However, the German higher education sector has changed significantly since 2007. Digital transformations, demographic changes, cost of living pressures and a now decreasing higher education funding have all impacted the careers of a researcher. It is estimated that around 60 percent of non-professorial researchers in Germany are on fixed-term contracts, which is in stark contrast to the general employment market that sees a 7.5 percent fixed-term contract rate (for employees over 25) [2]. It is also suggested that “(f)or postdocs on temporary contracts, the probability of securing a permanent position in academia is only 31 percent” [3]. This probability is even lower for researchers from traditionally disadvantaged groups, including those from low socio‑economic backgrounds, people with migration histories, first‑generation academics, and many women. While the law was created with good intentions, its unintended consequences touch everything from financial stability to housing and family planning – everyday barriers for the backbone of the research system.

 

4. Imagining a Better System
There are calls to change the system. While there have been discussions regarding a reform, the 2007 law remains in place. Major Postdoc groups from around the country have called for changes, such as a clear definition of the qualification phase, minimum standards for contract duration, and the recognition of third-party funding your own contract [4]. While the GPN Advocacy Working Group supports this call, we will, in conjunction with our stakeholders, create a position addressing the needs of our diverse communities. There are many considerations to take into account and pressures differ widely: humanities versus engineering, researchers from the Global South versus those who came through the German system, people with limited financial buffers versus those from more privileged backgrounds. There is no one‑size‑fits‑all solution, but there is a clear need to work towards a system that recognises this diversity.

There is much to learn from other countries, and there are elements of the German system worth protecting. That is why a deep consultation phase is essential and why postdocs in and beyond Germany should take it seriously. Some proposals focus on shorter maximum temporary periods; others emphasise greater transparency and consistency of application. Whatever the model, sustainability and fairness should be guiding principles.

 

5. The Information Gap: What Postdocs Need to Know
It would be great to give you an accurate assessment of where you are with regards to this topic. However your personal situation might be altered through funding, publishing cultures, individual university policy, contract conditions and more. It is where you need to take an active stance to understand your situation. You can inform yourself about the law and the time on your academic clock, use offers from career centres or the Hochschulverband or your line management in your institute or university.

We would like to hear from you: What are your main concerns, and what changes would you like to see? Send us your questions for our upcoming FAQ. Your input will shape the German Postdoc Network’s consultation phases and help us provide the information you need to navigate this crucial stage of your career.

 

Dr. Samuel Tickell is Head of the WissZeitVG Focus Group of the GPN's Working Group Advocacy.