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Professorship in Architecture and Urban Design Theory

Permanent

Contract period

18 SWS

Scope

W2 + allowances

Salary

1 October 2027

Start

The Professorship of “Architecture and Urban Design Theory” plays a central role within the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in “Architecture and Urban Design.” It teaches architecture and urban design theory from its origins through the modern era to the present day. The central theme of the degree programs, encompassing all their subject areas, is the “Architecture of the City,” with a focus on the European city.

Your tasks

We are seeking a candidate with a proven academic track record who:

  • represents architectural and urban design theory competently, with dedication, and enthusiasm in teaching, research, and knowledge transfer,
  • teaches architectural and urban design theory, its history of ideas, terms, and concepts from antiquity to the present,
  • establishes connections to related fields of architecture and urban design and reflects on their own discipline within the broader cultural discourse.

Your qualifications

  • You meet the legal hiring requirements pursuant to Section 43(1), items 1 through 3 and 4b of the Brandenburg Higher Education Act (BbgHG):
    • You hold a university degree, for example in architecture or art history.
    • You possess a special aptitude for scholarly work and can demonstrate this through a qualified doctoral degree or equivalent scientific achievements.
    • You possess pedagogical aptitude and can demonstrate experience in university teaching.
    • You can demonstrate outstanding achievements in the development or application of scholarly knowledge and methods through at least three years of professional practice, at least two of which must have been carried out outside the higher education sector.
      Proof of professional experience outside the higher education sector may also be provided by demonstrating that, over a period of at least three years, the majority of your professional activities were carried out in cooperation between a university and a non-university professional setting.
  • You possess outstanding knowledge and research experience in the field of architectural and urban planning theory and can demonstrate this through several of the following examples: your doctoral thesis topic, scholarly publications, participation in academic conferences, research findings, or the successful acquisition and implementation of externally funded projects.
  • You are able to teach architectural and urban planning theory—from antiquity through the modern era to the present—in bachelor’s and master’s programs in German and, to some extent, in English.
  • Ideally, your focus in teaching and research lies in the architectural and urban planning theory of the European city.

Beyond that, we would like you to

  • promote collaboration between theory, history, and historic preservation,
  • teach the methods of scholarly work as well as architectural analysis and -criticism,
  • participate in architectural and urban design projects in collaboration with the design module,
  • actively contribute to shaping the program’s profile,
  • further develop our didactic principle of research-guided teaching through specific research and knowledge-transfer formats integrated with teaching,
  • be open to developing digital teaching formats and English-language courses,
  • contribute to interdisciplinary courses,
  • be committed to shaping the profile of our focus area “Built Space—Design, Construction, Preservation,”
  • further expand our regional and international collaboration in teaching, research, and practice,
  • demonstrate passion and resilience for teaching, research, knowledge transfer, academic self-governance, and inclusive department development, as well as
  • have experience in acquiring research and practical development projects.

Our offer

  • We offer a multidisciplinary department, a broad curriculum with interdisciplinary teaching formats, and a diverse, dedicated faculty.
  • Through the diversity of its research and knowledge transfer projects, our department is actively engaged in architectural and urban design discourse both in Germany and abroad.
  • You can expect a modern digital infrastructure for teaching and research as well as a lively campus with a canteen in a beautiful location near the city centre.
  • We promote the compatibility of family and career through counselling services, childcare, holiday camps and much more.
  • The campus is easily accessible by public transport. Wesupport your mobility with a company ticket and free parking.

Appointment as a civil servant is possible, provided you meet the requirements for civil servant status.
Please note that in accordance with § 3a of the State Civil Service Act, an enquiry is made with the constitution protection authority in accordance with § 2 passage 1 of the Brandenburg Constitution Protection Act (‘Regelanfrage’) prior to final recruitment and appointment to a probationary, temporary or permanent civil servant position in the State of Brandenburg. Information on the admissibility and procedure of the regular enquiry can be found here.

Information on the formal requirements of the Brandenburg University Act can be found on the FHP website and information on "W" salaries on the website of the Brandenburg central pay office.

Your application

In addition to the usual application documents, (curriculum vitae, certificates and references, list of publications and projects, proof of professional and teaching activities ideally with evaluation results), please submit the following documents by 04/10/2026 exclusively via our online application portal:

  • a list of publications plus approximately three samples of publications on topics related to the advertised field of specialization
  • teaching concept for architecture and urban design theory in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs
  • your planned research projects.

Please also provide the names of three to four references whom the appointment committee can contact.

The University of Applied Sciences Potsdam is committed to diversity of perspectives and equal opportunities and strives for a balanced gender ratio in all areas. Therefore, we will give preference to women in areas in which they are underrepresented, if they are equally qualified and capable.

We expressly invite people with a migration history to apply and are also looking forward to applications from abroad. Please note that our teaching is conducted in German and, in some cases, in English.

Applications from severely handicapped persons will be given preferential consideration in the case of equal aptitude and ability. Please indicate any disability in your application.

Area

Social and Education Sciences

CITY | BUILDING | CULTURE

Civil Engineering

Design

Information Sciences

Service Areas



University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

Innovative, future-oriented and practical: We are working on Area shaping the world of tomorrow Social and Educational Sciences in teaching, practice and research. In the five departments of Social and Educational

Sciences, Service Areas. CITY | BUILDING | CULTURE, Civil Engineering, Design and Information Sciences more than 3,600 students study and research. Our three strategic profile lines address societal challenges and pose questions about the future across all subject areas. Together with our partners in the science region of Berlin-Brandenburg as well as in Germany and abroad, we develop ideas and innovative solutions for this purpose.

We want our university to reflect the diversity of society and are committed to equal opportunities and equal participation in working life.

Contact

For questions regarding the content at your disposal:

Prof. Dr. Silivia Malcovati
silvia.malcovati@fh-potsdam.de

Reference number B04.26