Active recruitment of female professors at German universities: Taking stock

In recent years, the fact that women occupy less than a quarter of all professorships at German universities has increasingly become the focus of discussions on science policy. One of the measures that can contribute to achieving the legally required and socially desired goal of increasing the proportion of women in appointments is active recruitment, i.e. the targeted search for highly qualified female academics and encouraging them to apply for professorships. This study analyses the prevalence and practical implementation of active recruitment of female professors at German universities, identifies success factors and provides recommendations for action for the implementation and design of the process. It is aimed at all stakeholders at universities who are involved in strategic human resources development, appointment procedures and gender equality issues.