The habilitation serves to formally establish the applicant's ability to independently represent teaching and research in an academic subject that is the subject of the Faculty of Medicine's canon of subjects (teaching qualification). The subject matter of the habilitation includes the habilitation thesis, a scientific presentation based on it followed by a colloquium and an assessment of teaching performance. Once the habilitation procedure has been successfully completed, the candidate is awarded a habilitation certificate confirming that he or she is qualified to teach. On the basis of the habilitation, the respective doctoral degree may be used with the suffix “habilitatus” (e.g. “Dr. med. habil.”, “Dr. rer. medic. habil.” ...) can be used.

Upon special request, the Dean's Office will decide on the authorization of the habilitation candidate to teach independently in the subject area of the habilitation (Venia legendi). Once a teaching license has been granted, the habilitation candidate is entitled to use the title “Privatdozent/Privatdozentin”. Furthermore, there is a teaching obligation of at least 2 semester hours per week per academic year (= 28 teaching hours). The certificate of venia legendi will be awarded to the habilitated candidate after the public introductory lecture.

As a rule, the faculty colloquium places the habilitation candidate's own research in a wider context and is the final achievement in the habilitation procedure. The topic selected by the faculty council is presented in an understandable and interesting way for a broad, medically educated audience. The approx. 15-minute lecture is followed by an approx. 10-minute discussion.

Further information

Habilitation Procedure (Stand 10/2008)  (pdf)

Habilitation regulations (Stand 06/2010)  (pdf)

Habilitation information sheet (Stand: 09/2022)  (pdf)

Umhabilitation information sheet (Stand: 04/2020)  (pdf)

The documents of the current habilitation applications can be accessed by authorized persons via the e-learning platform of the University of Cologne - ILIAS - after activation by Ms. Höck.

About the habilitations. *Internal faculty area, only accessible to members of the Faculty of Medicine