Regardless of whether it is a university or a UAS: professors teach, conduct research, and are engaged at their institution as well as in society. The main differences are the requirements for appointment and the structure of teaching and research.
When deciding which type of professorship is right one for you, it might be helpful to know these differences.
Similarities: Both types of professorships require a university degree and a doctorate (or equivalent academic achievements), as well as teaching experience.
The decisive difference: To become a university professor, you usually need a habilitation. This is not necessary at a UAS. Instead, your professional experience is important: In Lower Saxony – as in most other German federal states – you need at least five years of professional practice, of which at least three years gained outside the university sector.
The teaching differs in three respects – teaching load, practical relevance, and the group size of students.
While the teaching load for universities is 8 to 9 semester hours per week (SWS), it is 18 SWS at a UAS in Lower Saxony. Thus, teaching is a central part of the professional routine of UAS professors, whereas at a university there is more time for research. Although it is possible to reduce the teaching load at a UAS to a limited extent (by research activities or other forms of engagement) you should have a genuine interest in teaching if you are considering a professorship at a university of applied sciences.
UAS professors prepare their students for their professional careers. In addition to traditional lectures, most of the teaching is practice-oriented and is often done in workshops or laboratories. At universities, teaching with a focus on theoretical foundations makes up a larger part of the curriculum. However, the academic standards for teaching are the same at both UAS and university.
Genreally, the number of students in courses at UAS is significantly lower than at universities. At HAWK, courses with 20-40 students are the norm. As a result, the relationship between professors and students is often more personal than at a university.
Basic research is a key priority at universities, whereas UAS specialise in applied research with direct practical relevance. Collaboration with regional companies and institutions, as well as the transfer of academic theory into professional practice, plays an important role at UAS.
The research budget and staff resources are higher at universities than at UAS. University professors can often employ research assistants funded from the university budget, whereas professors at UAS have to secure third-party funding for this purpose.
University professors are, by definition, entitled to supervise and examine doctoral candidates. UAS professors in Lower Saxony have to collaborate with a university in this regard. In some federal states of Germany, UAS do have the right to award doctorate, but only professors who can demonstrate a high level of research excellence are entitled to supervise and examine doctoral candidates.