Privatdozent

A university faculty can confer the title to an academic who has a higher doctoral degree—usually in the form of a habilitation. In 2012 more than 5,000 honorarium Privatdozenten worked at German universities without a salary. A Privatdozent ceases to hold the title if appointed at professorial level or if discontinuing lecturing at the faculty. In Germany, the title can be revoked if the holder does not lecture for more than two consecutive semesters. ==History==

The title has its origins in German-speaking countries in Europe before 1800. It referred to a lecturer who received fees from his students rather than a university salary. In Prussia it started around 1810, and became established around 1860. From 1900 until 1968, most university professors who were appointed were title holders, as they obtained a habilitation and already held a teaching position. Since the end of the 1960s, the requirement of a post-doctoral degree for a professorship in Germany has been questioned and in some cases is not necessary. In 2002, junior professorships were introduced, providing a route to a professorship without habilitation; the habilitation is no longer the gold standard against which other qualifications are measured during the appointment process. This has led to a decline in universities conferring the title Privatdozent in certain academic disciplines. ==References==