Habilitation Process
The D-MTEC habilitation procedure is governed by the Download Habilitation Ordinance of ETH Zurich.
A habilitation thesis must include papers that have been published or submitted for publication in the subject area, an introduction, a summary, and a motivation section. At least six papers are required for a cumulative habilitation thesis, of which at least two and usually three or more must already have been published in leading international journals. Alternatively, an unpublished habilitation treatise (monograph) may also be accepted.
Habilitation procedure
The candidate submits an application for conferral of the Habilitation & Venia Legendi to the Rector via the Academic Services Information & Planning Office. The following documents are required:
- Letter of application: department and teaching field must be mentioned
- Enclosure 1: CV and list of publications
- Enclosure 2: copy of passport
- Enclosure 3: copy of PhD certificate
- Enclosure 4: teaching evaluations – at least 2 years at ETH
- Enclosure 5: title page of habilitation thesis and the confirmation that the thesis has been uploaded to the ETH Research Collection
Please note, the thesis will not be published during the application process; at the completion of the process the library will contact the candidate.
The Rector confirms the initiation of the habilitation process to the candidate and the department. The Department Coordinator places the habilitation request on the agenda of the next professor’s conference (PK).
The candidate is required to hand in additional documents (electronically, as PDF files) to at least ten days before the professor’s conference:
- Habilitation thesis as a separate PDF file
- A short abstract of the habilitation thesis
- A proposal suggesting six reviewers (two internal and four external reviewer; no co-authors)
- A list of teaching evaluations, if not previously provided (the candidate must have at least two years of teaching experience at ETH)
- Three proposed topics for a rehearsal lecture (Probevortrag)
Based on the reviewers’ assessments and the rehearsal lecture, PK decides on the further course of the habilitation procedure:
- Negative assessment: the candidate should withdraw the habilitation application
- Positive assessment: the Department Head requests the conferral of the habilitation & Venia Legendi by the Rector in the appropriate teaching field
Following a positive decision by the Rector, a decree will be issued for the habilitation and Venia Legendi; a certificate will be issued along with the conferral of the Venia Legendi (eight semesters). With the awarding of the Venia Legendi, the title of “Privatdozentin/Privatdozent” is conferred. To be able to apply for renewal of the Venia Legendi the candidate must fulfil his or her teaching duties.