1. PhD Candidate
2. Lecturer (Lektoras)
3. Assistant Professor (Epikouros Kathigitis)
4. Associate Professor (Anaplirotis Kathigitis)
5. Full Professor (Kathigitis)
Most academics start their career as temporary lecturers, for which a PhD is the minimum requirement. This position is considered as an opportunity to obtain more credits than other candidates of equivalent qualifications for obtaining a regular post of lecturer. Moreover, it is one of the rare opportunities to gain teaching experience. Temporary lectureships are of limited duration, renewable up to 3 years.
The position of lecturer requires a PhD, 2 publications in scientific journals, ability for independent teaching and research, and 2 years of teaching experience at a university or 2 years experience in a research centre or recognised professional experience in a scientific field related to the post.
The positions of assistant professor, associate professor and full professor require the publication of research monographs and scientific journal articles. Candidate full professors furthermore need to demonstrate their contribution to the formation and teaching of the subject matter of at least two courses, teaching in postgraduate programmes, international recognition for their contribution to science etc. To what extent these rules are applied often depends on the departments.
As regards the procedure for the positions of lecturer, assistant professor and associate professor, the department forms an electoral assembly, composed of members of the department who hold a rank equal or superior to that of the vacancy to be filled. A 3-member recommendation committee, whose members need not belong to the department or the university where the selection takes place, is formed to screen the candidates and make recommendations to the electoral assembly, which then decide by majority vote.
The procedure for the promotion to the rank of full professor is closed.
Lecturers are elected for a seven-year term. After 3 years they can initiate the procedure for their promotion, that is the publication of an open call for a post of assistant professor. In case another candidate is selected, their term is automatically ended and they are obliged to quit. Yet, as most members of the selection committee come from the same department as the lecturer who started the procedure, it is difficult for outsiders to get nominated.
Assistant professors are elected for a three-year term. After this period, they have to apply for tenure. If they do not meet the criteria, their term is automatically ended. If they obtain tenure, they can initiate the procedure for promotion to associate professor, that is ,the publication of an open call for the post of associate professor. If another candidate is selected, their term is automatically ended and they have the right to be transfered to a vacant post in a public research centre, in public education or in the civil service. Yet again, as most members of the selection committee come from the same department as the assistant professor who initiated the procedure, it is difficult for outsiders to be nominated.
Associate professors can initiate the procedure for promotion after 3 years, that is the publication of an open call for the post of full professor. If another candidate is selected, they can start the procedure once more. Again, as most members of the selection committee come from the same department as the lecturer who started the procedure, it is difficult for outsiders to be nominated.
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The chance of a young PhD holder being immediately elected into the academic ranks is practically non-existent. Moreover, there is a widespread feeling that the academic profession is highly competitive and that there are very few job openings.
The Greek university sector possesses many characteristics of internal reproduction. Therefore, a young scholar without strong connections to a local academic network will face problems entering the system. The traditional universities tend to be very closed whereas newer, smaller and peripheral universities are usually more open to newcomers.
Although no official numbers exist, the Greek academic world is dominated by men. Especially in the highest academic ranks, women constitute a minority.
Lecturers have job security for a maximum of seven years. Assistant professors have job security for three years.
Tenure can only be obtained after three years in the position of assistant professor.
The terms of employment of academic personnel include teaching, research and administrative tasks. During the first 3 years of employment, academic positions must be full-time.
Full-time employment requires presence on university premises for at least 20 hours/week and participation in the collective bodies of the department. Part-time academics have to be present for at least 10 hours and have no right to be voted in administrative positions.
Academics and permanent researchers in public research centres are entitled to a paid sabbatical research leave of 6 months every 3 years, or of 1 year every 6 years in the same institution. If the sabbatical leave is spent abroad, they receive double pay in case the host institution does not remunerate them.
In addition, academics can choose a part-time scheme and be granted an unpaid leave of 6 months maximum per year to teach in a higher education institution abroad. The host institution may provide a salary in that case.