The Paulskirche Professorship in Democracy Research stands for academic excellence in the field of democracy research and for a lively exchange between academia and civil society. It contributes to strengthening democratic ideals and civil liberties.
The visiting professorship, which forms part of the “Strengthening Democracy Research in Hessen” programme, is named after a site that represents the struggle for a free and democratic constitution in Germany: St Paul’s Church in Frankfurt, the Paulskirche. Today, the Paulskirche is a political memorial, a meeting place for citizens and a site for reflecting on democracy, freedom and equality. It is a symbolic place of respectful debate with the aim of strengthening democracy and is internationally visible as such. By commemorating Germany’s democratic tradition, the Paulskirche Professorship is situated in the historical context of the struggle for civil rights, the rule of law and parliamentary democracy in Germany, and it stands in affinity with similar efforts around the world. The holder of this professorship is to receive the opportunity to hold a special event in the Paulskirche in the course of their stay in Hessen.
Purpose of funding
The Paulskirche Professorship in Democracy Research offers international scholars with a proven track record in democracy research an opportunity to conduct research and to teach at a university in the State of Hessen for a period of one year. The visiting professorship is funded as part of the programme “Strengthening Democracy Research in Hessen”, with which the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture (HMWK) supports excellent democracy research with great transfer potential and synergies by building networks between universities, research organisations and other stakeholders in Hessen.
The visiting professorship opens up the programme to scholars who have left a lasting mark on democracy research as well as to outstanding internationally visible younger scholars, promoting further connectedness. It is addressed at scholars working on democracy in both the past and the present, and who are able to contribute an international perspective. The professorship is expected to provide impulses for research and for democratic life in Hessen, reaching into civil society. The visiting professorship is established in recognition of the role played by the humanities and social sciences in supporting a lively democracy. In cooperation with the host university, the visiting professor will contribute to strengthening cooperation within and beyond Hessen as well as to the wider impact of democracy research in society.
Eligibility
Universities in the State of Hessen are eligible to apply with a candidate who has declared their willingness to accept the visiting professorship in case of a successful application. Applications may also be submitted jointly with research institutions situated in and supported by the State of Hessen, or jointly with supra-regional, non-university and non-profit research institutions based in Hessen.
Conditions
The purpose of this posting is to encourage scholars with an excellent track record in democracy research to spend a year as a visiting professor in Hessen. We particularly (but not exclusively) welcome applications from scholars whose present main employment is located abroad and who are able to offer new impulses for research and democratic life.
Requirements for applicants to a visiting professorship
- The visiting professorship is based on § 81 HHG (Hessian Higher Education Act) and, where applicable, on the host university’s guidelines for visiting professorships. The professorship is primarily aimed at scholars with a track record of excellence in democracy research and relevant research interests. It is intended for scholars in an advanced stage of their careers who have made a lasting contribution to democracy research. However, applications from leading young researchers in the field of democracy research and experienced postdoctoral researchers on their way to obtaining additional qualifications leading or equivalent to habilitation are also welcome.
- The applicant’s scholarly qualification is presented by means of a well-founded statement. Academic achievements commensurate with the applicant’s career stage are expected, in particular outstanding publications.
- The selected visiting professor undertakes to teach one course or block seminar per semester, covering innovative topics in democracy research in an international context.
- The visiting professor is willing to work with the applying university to participate actively in the planned programme of accompanying events.
Requirements for the host university
- The university will develop a tailored and subject-specific accompanying programme for the visiting professor and will facilitate diverse networking opportunities with the academic community. It will offer content-focused exchanges and feedback opportunities from colleagues with regard to the researcher’s work, thereby providing the visiting professor with feedback from the academic community. This may take the form of a series of seminars, a conference tailored to the visiting professor’s research topics, events with NGO board members, political education, opportunities for discussion with relevant individuals specifically related to the visiting scholar’s research interests, and other activities.
- In terms of subject matter, the visiting professor may establish a bridge between their research and the universities’ supporting programme involving society at large by the aspect of “Fighting for Democracy”. A comparative perspective is offered here by exchanges with contemporary actors in a lively democracy.
- Proposals (for networking) extending beyond the host university with the aim of strengthening Hessen’s profile in democracy research are welcome. These may include a lecture series, a joint publication, contacts with publicly funded projects or other proposals.
- The host university will undertake to raise the professorship’s public profile and, if possible, to suggest how the visiting professorship can contribute to strengthening the international connectedness of democracy research in Hessen.
- The professorship’s embeddedness in the profile formation, in the strategic planning and in the long-term perspective of the university and of democracy research are crucial. The application will explain the contribution to be made to building and expanding democracy research.
- Feedback between research and society, and the involvement of relevant actors such as citizens, associations, foundations and educational institutions, should be part of the concept.
Nature and scope of the funding
- Funding is provided for personnel costs for the visiting professorship. Furthermore, the HMWK will enable the university to equip the programme of events outlined in the concept. Personnel costs and funds earmarked for the supporting programme will not exceed a total of 330,000 euros per annum.
- Up to €330,000 per annum will be provided in the form of project funding; the respective share of personnel or material resources in the total funding is not specified. Positions for research assistants, costs for a conference or workshops, public discussions, etc. can be reimbursed, as can personnel costs for supporting roles associated with the professorship or costs otherwise incurred by it. Dual career measures on the part of the host university can also be supported.
- Funds contributed by the university in the form of shares of working hours – including, for example, administrative expenses – must be indicated in a note separate from the financial plan.
- The term of HMWK support for the professorship is limited to a maximum of one year.
Application process
- Applications for funding must be submitted by the appointed date in order to be considered as part of the selection process.
- Each university in the State of Hessen may submit only one application per funding year.
- The application must be signed by the heads of the eligible universities and institutions.
- The applicant declares the need for funding for the duration of the current calendar year and for the entire project period.
- In addition to the statement in support of the application, the application must include an appendix containing the expenditure and financing plan with a breakdown of the types of expenditure.
The supporting statement consists of two parts.
1. Supporting statement on the candidate for the visiting professorship, max. 5 pages
- A short letter of motivation from the applicant university (1 page)
- Statement on academic qualifications and explanation of habilitation-equivalent achievements (1 page)
- A brief description of the course to be offered in Hessen (1 page)
- Programme for the research/research project to be implemented with the visiting professorship (2 pages)
- An academic CV
- A doctoral degree certificate
- A list of key publications
- A letter of recommendation from an impartial academic outside Hessen (max. 1-1.5 pages)
- Other certificates and documents as applicable
- A statement on the strategic relevance of the visiting professorship’s substantive focus in terms of the university’s research and knowledge transfer
- A concept for achieving high-quality academic exchange with the visiting professor (e.g. qualified feedback formats with colleagues)
- The university’s concept for achieving social impact and integration with civil society
- If possible, plans to benefit democracy research in Hessen as a whole and to achieve the goals of the Hessen-wide programme “Strengthening Democracy Research in Hessen”
- If possible, further projects to internationalise democracy research in Hessen in the course of the visiting professorship
- A sustainable concept for utilising the results beyond the project in the spirit of Open Science
As appendices:
2. Plan for the university’s supporting programme, max. 15 pages
Evaluation and decision-making process
By means of the supporting documents listed above, applicants should be able to demonstrate the following points, which form the basis for the evaluation:
- The quality of the research or research project that the visiting scholar wishes to carry out in Hessen (objectives, added value to the current state of research, methodology),
- The contribution to a vibrant democracy or social relevance of the university's measures in cooperation with the visiting professorship (influence on public discourse, long-term impact, measures for disseminating and utilising the results),
- The implementation in the overall strategic context of the university.
An academically led selection process will be carried out on the basis of the requirements described for both the applicants and the host university.
- Interested universities are encouraged to consult with the designated contact persons before submitting documents in order to verify whether the intended purpose of the grant meets the formal and substantive eligibility requirements.
- Selected external experts and the Advisory Board for Democracy Research in Hessen (Beirat Demokratieforschung Hessen) will issue a funding recommendation.
- The funding decision is made by the HMWK.
- There is no legal claim to funding. The approving authority decides on the basis of its discretionary powers within the scope of the available funds.
Reports
An interim report as of 31 March in each year following approval shall be submitted to the HMWK, as well as a statement of use as of 30 June of the year following the completion of the project. The report shall consist of a factual report and a numerical statement. The factual report shall describe the use of the grant and the results achieved during the calendar year and compare them with the specified objectives.