The Higher Education Law distinguishes between two categories of academic staff in higher education. These are professors and other staff (among others assistants, academic associates, lecturers, guest lecturers).University professors have a teaching qualification or other professional and pedagogical aptitude and are appointed in an appointment procedure determined by the respective university. They are appointed in an appointment procedure determined by the higher education institutions. The title of a professor is bound to the activities at the higher education institution. Further academic staff includes persons with the relevant expert know-how and pedagogic eligibility. Their appointment is not determined by an appointment procedure. The structure of the academic staff together with other regulations on higher education staff are determined in the organisation guidelines as well as in the service and salary regulations by the supreme management body of the higher education institution; the same applies to the relevant pay table and fee regulations.The labour law and service law relevant to the academic staff are determined by the higher education institution within the framework of superior legislation (cf. Art. 33).

Requirements planning

There is no requirements planning at national level. Each university organises its own requirements planning, sometimes within the framework of the respective Rectors' Conferences.
 

Access to the profession

Universities are autonomous with regard to the advertising and employment procedure. As a rule, vacancies are advertised publicly. The appointment procedure varies depending on the university and the function and activity of the professor or other teaching staff and is carried out by different bodies or groups of people (e.g. university council, rector). University professors have a teaching qualification or other professional and pedagogical aptitude and are appointed in an appointment procedure determined by the respective university.

Professional status

Teaching staff in higher education are not state employees, but are privately employed by the higher education institution. The labour and employment law applicable to teaching staff is determined by the higher education institution (Higher Education Act, Art. 33) within the framework of overriding law.
 

Salary

The respective conditions of employment and salary levels are based on the Service and Salary Regulations and the Fees and Expenses Regulations (see University of Liechtenstein).
 

Working hours and holidays

The working hours and holiday provisions as well as the compulsory workloads of lecturers and other teaching staff depend on the respective university.

Career advancement and mobility

An academic career generally leads to a teaching qualification via a doctorate and a habilitation. The procedure for obtaining a teaching qualification is regulated by the university. The procedural regulations require the approval of the government. Obtaining a teaching qualification at a university requires the following:
a) Completion of a university degree programme,
b) pedagogical aptitude
c) special aptitude for academic work in the form of a doctorate or doctorate,
d) habilitation or comparable academic or artistic achievements including five years of professional experience.
Universities use various instruments to promote careers or mobility, such as the tenure-track procedure at the University of Liechtenstein. In this respect, assistant professors (with ‘tenure track’) are accepted into an employment relationship with the university as part of an appointment procedure and are given the opportunity to progress to the position of associate professor via a jointly planned and defined academic career path and upon successful completion of a habilitation procedure.
 

Retirement

The retirement provisions for lecturers and other teaching staff depend on the respective university.