Professorships by category

Full professors carry the main responsibility for teaching and research within their subject areas. They are employed on a permanent basis, although their teaching and research performance are evaluated again after eight years, after which they are accordingly re-elected by the Senate and the Board of Governors. Besides their teaching and research, they also make a substantial contribution to the training, development and encouragement of young academics and emerging research talents (Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers), as well as to the processes of academic self-governance.

Full professors are affiliated with their school and the Senate, and can also take on the functions of a Dean, of a Vice President or of the President. Their teaching load comprises eight contact hours per week per semester or roughly 144 hours per academic year, including complete responsibility for examinations (eight sessions of 45 minutes each per week during 24 weeks of the academic year; 1 semester = 14 weeks, including two weeks of semester break).

Requirements

Selection criteria for a full professorship include an excellent PhD thesis, a second monograph (habilitation) or equivalent, and demonstrating a high standard of scholarship.

Resources

The University places the following resources for research and teaching activities at your disposal:

- two research associates or teaching assistants (Ph.D. students with a contract of maximally 70 percent)
- one personal administrative assistant (50 percent contract)
- an annual travel costs subsidy (for participation in conferences) of up to CHF 5,000
- one research semester within every seven years of employment
- lump sum towards personal reference library (one-off payment of CHF 5,000)

Associate professors are responsible for a stand-alone subject area and as a rule their position constitutes a stage in an academic career that enables a promotion to the rank of full professor, if their performance in teaching and research meets the requirements. Holders of an associate professorship are employed on a permanent basis. Their teaching and research performance are evaluated regularly. Besides teaching and research, they also take care of supervising Ph.D. students and their doctorates.

Associate professors belong to a school and can occupy a position on various committees and other bodies in the name of academic self-governance. Their teaching load comprises eight contact hours per week per semester or roughly 144 hours per academic year, including complete responsibility for the examinations (eight sessions of 45 minutes each week during 24 weeks of the academic year; 1 semester = 14 weeks, including two weeks of semester break).

Requirements

Selection criteria for an associate professorship include an excellent PhD thesis, a second monograph (habilitation) or an equivalent demonstration of a high standard of scholarship. Based on our experience, associate professors take their position at HSG between six and ten years after completion of their PhD (with an extension of one year due to parental leave or industry and external experiences).

Resources

The University places the following resources for research and teaching activities at your disposal:

- one research associate or teaching assistant (Ph.D. student with a contract of maximally 70 percent)
- annual travel costs subsidy (for participation in conferences) of up to CHF 5,000
- one research semester within every seven years of employment
- a lump sum towards a personal reference library (a one-off payment of CHF 5,000) 

An assistant professorship is considered to be a position for training purposes and for establishing an academic profile. Assistant professors also take part in research and teaching but are elected, as a rule, for a maximum of six years (three plus a further three years). Before the completion of the first three years, a mid-term evaluation of the academic achievements takes place at the school, based on the criteria of the job profile specific to that school. An extension of the length of employment, of two years at the most, may be approved by the President based on demonstrated family or social commitments. After a successful habilitation (acquiring a recognised postdoctoral qualification), it is possible for assistant professors to supervise Ph.D. students.

Their teaching load comprises four contact hours per week per semester given a 100 percent contract or roughly 72 hours per academic year, including complete responsibility for examinations (four sessions of 45 minutes each per week during 24 weeks of the academic year; 1 semester = 14 weeks, including two weeks’ semester break). Holders of an assistant professorship are guaranteed individual research time of two days per week for research that is relevant to their career. This research time is recognized as valid regardless of the percentage of their employment contract.

Requirements

Selection criteria for an assistant professorship include an excellent PhD thesis. Our assistant professors usually start their positions at HSG between one and six years after the doctorate (with an extension of one year due to parental leave or external experience).

Resources

In principle, the University provides an annual travel costs subsidy (for participation in conferences) of up to CHF 2,500. In the case of a promotion or appointment to an associate or full professorship at the University of St. Gallen, the previous and the new appointment are combined with regard to the entitlement to a research semester.

Tenure-track and non-tenure-track Assistant Professorship

We differentiate between two types of assistant professorships:

An appointment as assistant professor with tenure track is associated with the promise of subsequent promotion to a permanent (tenured) Associate Professor, provided that the candidate successfully completes the promotion procedure. An appointment as non-tenure-track assistant professor is associated with the possibility of promotion to Associate Professor, provided that the position is included in the staffing plan of the relevant School, that the School decides to initiate a promotion procedure, and that the Assistant Professor in question successfully completes the promotion procedure.

Senior lecturers also take part in teaching and research, and they are employed on a permanent basis. They train both Bachelor and Master students and, presuming that they have a Habilitation, supervise Ph.D. theses. To be elected as a senior lecturer, it is necessary to have completed an academic training with a doctorate and to demonstrate commitment to teaching as one’s principle activity.

Senior lecturers each become qualified for their position either by means of a competitive appointments process or by means of a non-competitive appointment. Their teaching load comprises eight to twelve contact hours per week per semester per academic year, including complete responsibility for the examinations.

Promotion of Assistant Professors (Tenure Track and non-Tenure Track)

Assistant professors become qualified for their position, as a rule, by means of a competitive appointment process. This position constitutes a stage in an academic career that may enable a promotion to the rank of an associate or, in certain cases, a full professorship, if their performance in teaching and research meets the requirements.

Assistant Professors undergo a mid-term evaluation within the 3rd year after their appointment. This takes place school-internally, based on the RELEAD scheme. Within their 5th year after appointment, the end-term evaluation begins. This two-step procedure is initiated by the respective school and based on the school-specific promotion criteria. In a second step, an interdepartmental evaluation is conducted by the Tenure & Promotion Committee.

The general profile for an Associate Professor is defined according to RELEAD:

Research: Very strong research performance, designing and carrying out cutting-edge research projects, having an own distinct research area, having published excellent actionable research in international, peer-reviewed journals (or equivalent outlets) in line with the tenure criteria of the school, being active in the relevant international academic community, e.g. by presenting papers at international conferences, co-organizing international academic events, and participating in international research projects

Education: Demonstrating good to excellent teaching talent in the teaching areas of the school, participating in course development and/or administration, good student evaluations, supervision of BA and MA theses. If applicable: engagement in executive education 

Leadership: Contribution to the education and promotion of PhD students and support of students and colleagues, experience as a project or research group leader. Optional: Director at a research institute 

External funding: Attracting funding from competitive third parties (SNF / ERC), helping to improve colleagues’ applications through peer-review. If applicable: attraction of funding from industry partners 

Academic citizenship: Social competences and ability to relate to colleagues at the department, across HSG and to external partners, engaging in the life of the school by actively participating in and co-organizing seminars and events 

Dissemination and outreach: Communicating research and findings to relevant audiences/outlets, engaging in outreach activities with stakeholders and close collaborations with business partners and society, media appearances

Promotion of Associate Professors

A full professorship is usually advertised and filled by a large appointment committee. Promotion from Associate Professorship to Full Professorship is possible in the case of outstanding performance, subject to the School's financial and faculty means. In the case of promotion, an appointment committee is set up for the promotion procedure.