Information for Members of Search Committees

Tasks of search committees

The tasks of search committees are regulated in § 98 UG (summarization of all procedural steps) and include the following areas:

  • To review the application documents
  • To submit all appropriate applications to reviewers
  • To draw up a list of suitable candidates, who are being invited to the hearing lectures
  • To invite to and to perform the hearings (together with the Rector)
  • To decide on a shortlist of suitable candidates (to be submitted to the Rector)

Basis for the work of search committees

The rights and the responsibilities of the search committee members have as a basis the following provisions:

University Law ("Universitätsgesetz UG")
  • § 2: Guiding principles, for example, the combination of research with the development of arts and with teaching; diversity of scientific and artistic theories, methods and schools of thought; equality between women and men
  • § 20 Subparagraph 3: Freedom from instructions for the members
  • §§ 41-44: Promotion of women and the implementation of this promotion
  • § 48: Obligation to secrecy (confidentiality) for members
Statute
  • The rules of procedure for the search committee shall be determined in accordance with the rules of procedure for the Senate – dieangewandte.at/satzung (page 59 continued).
  • Promotion-of-women plan § 3 Subparagraph 1

Offer of support

For newly established search committees, there is an offer of information and advice, which facilitates a good entry start particularly for those members, who attend such a procedure for the first time; but also provides opportunities of exchange for more experienced committee members. As part of a two-hour meeting, there is an introduction to tasks, duties and context conditions, and then the opportunity to reflect together more deeply about specific questions.