The Female Professorships Programme (Professorinnenprogramm 2030 – PP2030) is a joint funding initiative by the German federal government and state governments. It is designed to promote equal opportunities in science and research at institutions of higher education in Germany. The aim is to increase the total number of female scientists and artists in leadership positions within the science sector as well as promote female junior talent to gain permanent professorships and retain them in Germany. The programme is also intended to contribute to a cultural shift in academia for more awareness of equal opportunities in the sector. On the basis of equal opportunity concepts for parity, the programme offers additional funds for the preferred promotion of female researchers into professorships.

The programme offers institutions of higher education start-up funding to offer permanent W2 and W3 professorships to female researchers who have previously not held a professorship before (Erstberufung). Both recruitments for open positions (Regelberufung) as well as the early recruitment for positions that will only become vacant or that are still to be created (vorgezogene Berufung) are supported.

Eligible to apply are public and private accredited institutions of higher education in Germany.

The overall budget of the programme for the period from 2023 to 2030 is €320 million. The maximum funding amount per professorship is €165,000 annually. The maximum funding amount per institution of higher education to cover all funded professorships is €2.4 million.

In the case of universities with a strong equal opportunities profile, funding is also offered for additional positions for junior researchers and artists that provide opportunities to gain a professorship. The maximum annual funding amount for the support of researchers/artists on their route towards tenure is €95,000. The funding period is up to five years. Each institution of higher education cannot receive more than €475,000 for all positions in this funding line.

The application process has two steps. In a first step, applicant institutions must submit their equal opportunities concept for parity. Following the positive evaluation of the initial concepts, selected institutions must then provide their formal funding application alongside the evidence of the recruitment.

(This Bulletin article was the subject of a ResearchConnect news alert.)