Exchange on the German Science and Humanities Council’s Vision for Academic Personnel Structure Reform
In July 2025, the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat, WR) published a position paper calling for a fundamental transformation of academic personnel structure in Germany – aimed at making the structures more transparent, attractive, and internationally competitive. Now, we are delighted to invite you to a lunch talk with Dr. Insa Großkraumbach from the WR’s Head Office. In this session with ample room for exchanging thoughts, she will explain the key points of the 2025 position paper and elaborate on the discussions that followed its publication thus far.
The proposal generated significant attention across the German higher education landscape and this lunch talk offers a unique opportunity for postdocs to engage directly with a key voice behind the proposed reforms, ask questions, and share their own perspectives on how changes could shape academic careers. It is part of our “Improving Research Culture” series which offers a comprehensive overview of the latest discussions, reforms, and initiatives aimed at improving research culture in Germany.
Whether you’re considering a long-term academic career or navigating next steps after your postdoc, join this event to…
- hear firsthand from a WR representative about the intentions, priorities, and practical implications of the proposed reforms,
- ask your own questions and
- shape the discussion by bringing your experiences and expectations into a dialogue that could influence how these recommendations unfold across universities and research institutes.
Date: 26 March 2026
Time: 1-2 pm
Further information
As we detailed in our August blog post, the WR proposes a new career framework with four categories (S1-S4) designed to create more transparent pathways, increase the number of permanent positions, and make German academia more competitive internationally. The paper emphasizes that not every academic career needs to aim at a professorship, and calls for attractive, permanent positions at the S3 level for established researchers who take on long-term responsibilities in teaching, research infrastructure, or science management. The proposal also recommends strengthening or introducing department structures to replace the traditional German "Lehrstuhl" system, aiming for more collaborative and transparent working environments with shared positions and decision-making, e.g. when hiring staff.
Read more details on the WR’s position paper here and access the document here.
Speaker: Dr. Insa Großkraumbach
After completing her PhD and working at a Collaborative Research Centre (Sonderforschungsbereich) in Contemporary History, Insa Großkraumbach transitioned from academia to science management and, more precisely, science policy. She first joined the German Science and Humanities Council’s Research Department, later became Deputy Head of the Medicine Department, and has headed the Council’s Department of Tertiary Education since June 2024. The Department covers a broad range of higher education policy issues, including academic career paths.
