As the second university of applied sciences in Rhineland-Palatinate, Mainz University of Applied Sciences will be able to decide independently on the appointment of its professors in the future. The agreement was signed on April 30 by the President of Mainz University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman, and Rhineland-Palatinate Minister of Science, Prof. Dr. Konrad Wolf.
"The right of appointment is of utmost importance for the strategic development and shaping of the profile of our university," stated Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman. "It will enable us to set important emphases and focal points in research and teaching, further support the transdisciplinary collaboration of the schools and position ourselves even more selectively in the educational landscape."
To initiate a delegation of the right of appointment, the President of Mainz University of Applied Sciences had submitted an application to the Ministry of Science. Previously, the regulation stipulated that universities submit a proposal for appointments to the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Science, Further Education and Culture, and that university professors are appointed by the Minister of Science on this basis. The appointment of new professors is based on the Higher Education Act of Rhineland-Palatinate. This allows the ministry responsible for the field to transfer the authority either temporarily for three years or permanently to the president of the respective university of applied sciences.
"By granting the right of appointment, we are strengthening the autonomy of Mainz University of Applied Sciences in the long term. This gives it an advantage in attracting highly qualified teachers and researchers. By attracting excellent personnel, the university will be able to distinguish itself, strengthen focal points or establish new ones. At the same time, the development of the profile of Mainz University of Applied Sciences can be further accelerated. I welcome this step towards more autonomy and am sure that Mainz University of Applied Sciences and indeed the region will benefit and that the research landscape in Rhineland-Palatinate will be bolstered," said Science Minister Konrad Wolf at the signing ceremony.
After a term of three years, there is an option to permanently grant the right of appointment to Mainz University of Applied Sciences. The permanent granting of the right of appointment is stipulated in the new Higher Education Act. The new version of the law strengthens the independence of the universities of applied sciences in Rhineland-Palatinate in many other respects. For example, the institutions no longer have to notify the relevant ministry of their examination regulations. At the same time, regulations that were previously approved through the basic regulations and the ministry are now determined by a simple statute of the university. This applies, for example, to regulations governing elections, the awarding of the title "adjunct professor" and the management and structure of academic institutions. The aim is to make processes at universities less bureaucratic and to provide more flexible leeway for action.
So far, the right of appointment had been granted to Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in 2011, to the University of Trier in 2016, and to Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in 2020. This year, JGU Mainz was permanently granted the right of appointment.
