21 April 2026

Unite! Visiting Professorship at TU Darmstadt: Open Call

The Unite! Visiting Professorship Programme at TU Darmstadt aims to attract outstanding international scholars from the Unite! alliance for the 3rd Cycle (Winter Semester 2026/27).

As a strategic cooperation format, the Unite! Visiting Professorship programme enhances academic networking between TU Darmstadt and the others Unite! universities, while contributing to the professional development of visiting scholars. At the same time, students at TU Darmstadt benefit from enriched, internationalised teaching experiences and exposure to new perspectives.  

General framework and requirements 

The programme is open to all disciplines represented at TU Darmstadt. Visiting professors from Unite! universities are expected to contribute to teaching at TU Darmstadt by offering supplementary or elective courses, ideally introducing innovative topics or formats. The program primarily targets advanced postdoctoral researchers, while applications from established lecturers and professors are equally welcome.  

Up to two visiting professorships can be funded under this call, either in the winter semester 2026/27 or, alternatively, in the summer semester 2027. The appointments are intended for a duration of six months. For the winter semester 2026/27, this period should cover the lecture term from mid-October to mid-February; equivalent arrangements apply for the summer semester 2027, covering the lecture period from mid-April to mid-July. 

The positions are full-time (100%) appointments and cannot be undertaken as secondary or part-time engagements. Applicants must demonstrate, as part of the application process, that arrangements have been made with their home institution to ensure they can be granted leave or otherwise released from their duties for the duration of the visiting professorship. 

Please note that, depending on nationality, this position may require a work visa (a residence permit for the country of the home institution generally does not authorise employment in Germany). The TU Darmstadt Welcome Centre provides support with the visa application process; however, applicants should be aware that processing times may vary and can take some time. 

Financial conditions

TU Darmstadt will fully cover the costs for both visiting professorships, for a maximum duration of six months. The positions are intended to be filled as a full-time position for the entire semester. In the case of an extension beyond the initial funding period, faculties and institutes at TU Darmstadt will be responsible for covering additional costs. 

Application Procedure 

Step 1 – Expression of Interest (Candidates):  

Interested candidates from Unite! partner universities are invited to either contact relevant departments or institutes directly or reach out to the Unite! team at TU Darmstadt (see email address below), which can support the matchmaking process.  

Candidates are required to submit the following documents by 15 May 2026: 

• a short academic biography (CV);  

• a letter of intent outlining potential teaching contributions and ideas for research collaboration with TU Darmstadt, indicating the semester of application (WS 2026/27 or SS 2027) and confirming that the home institution can grant leave or otherwise release the applicant from their duties for the duration of the visiting professorship; 

• a doctoral certificate; and, if applicable,  

• a postdoctoral qualification for teaching at professorial level.  

Step 2 – Institutional Application (TUDa Departments):  

In case of interest in a candidate, departments and institutes at TU Darmstadt are invited to submit a short application by 31 May 2026 to: unite@tu-darmstadt.de 

The application should include: 

• the complete application materials submitted by the candidate (see above); and 

• a recommendation letter for the proposed candidate, including a statement on the added value of the proposed collaboration for TU Darmstadt and the Unite! alliance (max. 1–1.5 pages).