CZS endowed professorships HAW 2026
The call for proposals supports research professorships in the three CZS focus areas of Artificial Intelligence, Resource Efficiency and Life Science Technologies.
Detailed information:
| Focus: | Artificial Intelligence Resource efficiency Life Science Technologies |
|---|---|
| Programme: | CZS endowed professorships at universities of applied sciences |
| Target group: | Institution |
| Funding budget: | 1.500.000 € |
|---|---|
| Letter of intent deadline: | 30.03.2026 |
| Full proposal deadline: | 01.06.2026 |
Goals
We are supporting universities of applied sciences to further develop their research performance. To achieve this, we are funding research professorships in our focus topics of artificial intelligence, resource efficiency and life science technologies, ideally related to their fields of action. To allow the prospective professor to have the greatest possible freedom in their research, we are also financing a PhD position in addition to the professorship. Furthermore, we expect a reduction in teaching load to a maximum of 11 semester periods per week.
In the interest of achieving a high level of effectiveness, the research professorship must fit in with the current profile of the university submitting an application in a convincing manner and must also offer added value to existing professorships in terms of interdisciplinary collaboration.
What are the requirements for making an application?
- The professorship has been newly established and falls within one of the focus topics of the CZS
- The professorship must not be advertised until the approval takes place
- The teaching load of the research professorship shall be reduced to a maximum of 11 semester periods per week
- The professorship shall be continued by the university
- The application is to be submitted by the university administration
Who is eligible to apply?
The following universities are eligible to apply:
- Baden-Württemberg: Albstadt-Sigmaringen, Biberach, Heilbronn, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Offenburg, Ravensburg-Weingarten, Ulm
- Rhineland-Palatinate: Kaiserslautern, Ludwigshafen, Trier, Worms
- Thuringia: Erfurt, Jena, Nordhausen, Schmalkalden
Downloads (only available in German)
Duration
The funding period is five years with an additional option for an extension of up to two further years. The professorship must be filled within two years of the funding being approved by the CZS (acceptance of the offer by the candidate).
In addition to the requested project funding, the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung will pay an overhead fee amounting to 20 percent of the total funding amount.
Letters of intent and applications can only be submitted digitally via the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung's application portal. Registration is required for this.
