"Code for good work" signed at universities in Hesse

The President of the University of Kassel, Prof. Dr. Ute Clement, signs the Code for Good Work, as do the presidents of the other universities in Hesse. This is a joint document of the universities in which they agree on standards for the design of employment relationships. In the extensive consultations between the Ministry of Science and the Arts, the Main Staff Council and the universities, the University of Kassel constructively contributed its experience with the topic: it had already adopted a guideline for employment relationships at the university in 2019. Based on this, quite a few positions in teaching and administration were recently made permanent.

Other aspects of the guideline are also addressed in the Code of Good Conduct: For example, transparent personnel selection procedures, minimum terms for contracts, and the waiver of unlimited fixed-term contracts and fixed-term contracts for teaching staff for special tasks are specified. Appropriate doctoral periods and supervision agreements are guaranteed for doctoral students on state positions. After the doctorate, the universities support the further career, among other things, through target agreements. Employment relationships for teaching and technical-administrative staff will be regulated more concretely and the salaries of student assistants will be increased.

"The good result could only be achieved because all those involved made compromises, and that includes us," explains the Chancellor of the University of Kassel, Dr. Oliver Fromm, who personally took part in the consultations.

Basically, the code notes that in certain areas, time limits are in the nature of things. "Particularly in the area of third-party funding, which is provided to universities by funding institutions and federal and state ministries on a project-by-project and fixed-term basis,  fixed-term employment relationships are generally unavoidable, even with the Code. But on the whole, we are convinced that with this voluntary commitment we are making it clear that work at universities not only offers exciting content and great scope for decision-making, but also provides reliable and adequate employment relationships."

The University of Kassel is also ahead of the game in other aspects of human resources policy. It is countering the looming shortage of skilled workers with strategic personnel planning and executive development. Longer contract terms on state positions have noticeably improved the employment situation for doctoral students in recent years. Under certain conditions, third-party funds can be used to reliably create positions for scientific qualification. And last but not least, a large-scale survey among employees shows a high level of satisfaction with the work and within the team.

Press contact:

Sebastian Mense
University of Kassel
Communications, Press and Public Relations
Tel.: 0561 804-1961
E-mail: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de