Profile of an "Academic Teacher“

(1) Academic Teachers are researchers with a doctorate and a professional focus on teaching. They are employees within a faculty or a research institution and are assigned to the group of the mid-level faculty.

The central tasks and fields of activity for an 'Academic Teacher' are:

• Design, implementation and evaluation of courses and scientific teaching projects with students
• Support and advice for students
• Development of assessment criteria and preparation of examinations
• Support in teaching and administrative tasks such as activities in the organisation of studies and examinations, participation in the accreditation of study programmes, as well as participation in teaching-related self-administration and committee work
• Co-design of teaching and learning environments, study programmes and curricula as well as participation in the long-term planning and development of teaching (in the subject area)
• Cooperation and (interdisciplinary) networking with scientific institutions, the economy, culture, politics etc.

Academic Teachers contribute to a strong teaching and learning culture at their faculty/at the HHU and drive innovation and didactics in university teaching at HHU.
Academic Teachers have their main focus of activity in teaching. This does not exclude the possibility that they carry out research activities (publications, student projects, research-based learning, etc.) to a small extent, which must be coordinated with the supervisor, and that they acquire third-party funds for research-related teaching projects.

(2) The HHU distinguishes its teaching through the special promotion of the specific academic career path of the academic teacher. This career path represents an attractive alternative to the "classical" academic career path of a university professorship on the one hand and a career as a science manager on the other.

(3) The position of the "Academic Teacher" is classified in the categories of the Higher Education Act as follows Academic Teacher

• are employed for an unlimited period of time as "teacher for special tasks" according to § 42 HG NRW and
• have a teaching load of 16 teaching hours. The actual teaching load is determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the tasks assigned on the basis of the concrete job description. The teaching load can be reduced to 12 teaching hours if further tasks are taken over, such as the organisation of a course of study.

(4) In order to promote the career path of the Academic Teacher, the activities of future teachers for special tasks should be aligned with this profile. If permanent positions for teachers for special tasks are applied for, it is expected that the following profile characteristics are adhered to so that these persons can call themselves "Academic Teacher":

Academic Teachers

• hold a doctorate,
• have teaching experience,
• independently design teaching content and didactic concepts for the teaching areas assigned to them,
• have a basic education in the didactics of higher education and are constantly developing their skills,
• are not assigned to individual professorships but to research institutions, institutions or faculties,
• receive material resources from their employment office to the extent necessary to enable them to carry out their duties independently

Issued on the basis of the decision of the Rectorate of the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf on 18.06.2020.