Academic career at University of Jyväskylä

Qualification requirements, duties and language competence requirements for teaching and research staff in accordance with the University of Jyväskylä Regulations

Qualification requirements for teaching and research staff - JTU Regulations 2025 (PDF)

Section 27

Professors are required to have a doctoral degree, solid academic qualifications and, when important for the position, practical familiarity with the field.

The following aspects are taken into account when assessing an applicant’s merits: scholarly publications, other academic merits, experience in leading academic research, ability to provide high-level research-based teaching and guidance, evidence of national and international cooperation in the respective field of research, experience in teaching and guidance, pedagogical training, produced learning materials, other teaching merits and, if necessary, test lectures to demonstrate teaching skills.

In addition, the applicant’s success in the acquisition of supplementary research funding, international academic collaboration, academic positions of trust and other activity in the academic community, as well as experience in societal interaction as regarded as merits.

Section 28

Assistant professor and associate professor is required to have a doctoral degree, strong evidence of scientific research, experience in international cooperation and excellent skills to provide high-quality research-basedteaching and thesis supervision.

Section 29

Senior researchers and senior lecturers are required to have a relevant doctoral degree, evidence of academic research work, the ability to provide high-quality research-based teaching and to supervise theses and dissertations, and, when important for the position, practical familiarity with the field.

The following aspects are taken into account when assessing an applicant’s merits: academic work, teaching experience and pedagogical training, produced learning materials, other teaching merits and, if necessary, test lectures to demonstrate teaching skills, as well as other merits relevant to the position.

Section 30

Postdoctoral researchers are required to have a relevant doctoral degree, the ability for independent scholarly work and the teaching skills required for the position.

Section 31

University teachers are required to have a relevant master’s degree and the teaching skills needed in the position. The following aspects are taken into account when assessing the applicant’s teaching skills: experience in teaching and guidance, pedagogical training, produced learning materials, other teaching merits and, if necessary, test lectures to demonstrate teaching skills.

Section 32

Doctoral students are required to have a master’s degree and the right to postgraduate degree studies at the University of Jyväskylä.

Section 33

In addition to the requirements listed above, all professors, senior lecturers, senior researchers or university teachers must complete studies in university pedagogy or corresponding studies within two years from the start of employment if the selected person has not completed these studies before the start of employment. The requirement is valid for employees who are hired for an indefinite period or for a fixed term of at least five years.The Rector supplies more specific instructions on the extent of studies required and their substitution with other studies. The requirement is valid for employees whose employment relationship has started on 1 August 2012 or later.

Section 35

Employees who are members of the teaching and research staff must, within the limits of the job description and according to the work plan, practice and guide scientific research, monitor the development of science in the field, examine theses, teach, promote teaching, participate in the development of teaching, supervise students’ studies, carry out relevant examinations, participate in the student selection process and carry out duties resulting from membership in the administrative bodies of the University and other tasks that belong to or are given to the employee. In addition to these requirements, employees must provide required reports of their teaching, supervising, publishing and scholarly activity, as well as of conducted examinations.

Members of administrative and support staff must perform the tasks specified in their job descriptions and carry out duties resulting from membership in administrative bodies of the University and other tasks that belong to or are specifically given to the employee.

Employees must not engage in activities that compete with the University, nor can employees take on outside employment that in any way inhibits the performance of tasks defined in their employment contracts with theUniversity. Work outside of the University must be reported according to the Rector’s instructions.

Language proficiency and test lecture

According to the Government Decree on Universities (770/2009, Section 1), university teaching and research staff are required to master the language in which they teach, i.e. Finnish or Swedish. A university may grant exemption from this requirement.

The mastery of Finnish or Swedish by the teaching and research staff with teaching duties can be verified in compliance with the Government Decree 481/2003 on demonstrated proficiency in the Swedish and Finnish languages. If a test lecture specified in the University of Jyväskylä Regulations is required in order to demonstrate teaching skills, the required language competence may be demonstrated in the same context. If no test lecture is given, another opportunity to demonstrate language competence can be offered. In certain cases, the decision-maker may also grant exemption from the language competence requirement.

In accordance with the Rector’s Decision on Personnel Matters, in assessing the merits upon filling teaching and research positions for an indefinite period, the ability to teach in English shall be regarded as advantageous for the applicant.

As specified in the University’s language policy, teachers and instructors who teach in languages other than Finnish are required to have an advanced proficiency level in the taught language or the language used in teaching (CEFR: C1). As a general rule, foreign staff are required to have at least basic developing Finnish language skills (CEFR: A2.2) within three years of starting employment.

More information about university studies in pedagogy in accordance with Section 33 of the University of Jyväskylä Regulations

According to the Rector’s Decision on 10 December 2010 (studies in university pedagogy or corresponding studies required of the teaching staff of the University of Jyväskylä):

The extent of the university studies in pedagogy specified in Section 33 of the University of Jyväskylä Regulations is 10 ECTS credits. 

The studies outlined in the Regulations are equivalent to the university studies in pedagogy offered by other universities in Finland, with a minimum of 10 ECTS credits (or at least 5 credits) and previous university studies in pedagogy of at least the same length at the University of Jyväskylä.

Studies in university pedagogy are not required for those who have acquired a teacher’s qualification in Finland or in another country, including vocational teacher education, or who have otherwise successfully completed pedagogical studies for teachers. 

Other studies in pedagogy in Finland and in other countries can also be considered equivalent to the studies required by the University of Jyväskylä Regulations if their extent corresponds to these studies and can be assessed to provide the ability to successfully work as a university teacher.
 

General requirements for appointing an assistant professor or associate professor (tenure track) (PDF)

1. Duties of the assistant professor and the associate professor

According to Section 35 of the University of Jyväskylä Regulations, a member of the teaching and research staff must, within the limits of the job description and according to the work plan, practise and supervise scientific research, monitor developments in the discipline, examine final theses, teach, promote teaching, participate in teaching development, supervise studies, conduct examinations relevant to the position, participate in the student selection process and carry out duties resulting from membership in an administrative body of the University, as well as other tasks that belong to or are given to the employee. In addition, the employee must provide necessary teaching and supervision reports, as well as reports on his/her publishing activity, scholarly activity and conducted examinations.

2. Qualification requirements

According to Section 28 of the University of Jyväskylä Regulations, an assistant professor and an associate professor is required to have a doctoral degree, strong evidence of scientific research, experience in international cooperation and excellent skills to provide high-quality research-based teaching and thesis supervision. In addition, evidence of acquiring supplementary external research funding is required.

In compliance with the Rector’s decision (valid from 1 June 2019), the assistant professorship of the tenure track model is intended for starting a research career. In the associate professorship, the intention is to qualify for a professorship.

In the tenure track model, merits for professorships are evaluated as follows:

Scientific merits (60% - 70%)

• Position of the applicant’s research in the strategy of the University/faculty
• Scientific publishing: quality and impact
• Research funding
• Research project leadership
• Supervision of doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers
• Expert duties and positions of trust related to research
• Other academic activity

Teaching merits (20% - 30%)

• Pedagogical education
• Test lecture
• Amount and quality of teaching experience
• Development of teaching
• Expert duties and special responsibilities related to teaching

Impact on society and community (10%)

• Societal visibility, impact and activity
• Activity in the university community

The Government Decree on Universities (770/2009) and the Government Decree 481/2003 on demonstrating language proficiency define the language skill requirements in teaching and research positions. According to Section 1, Subsection 2 of the Government Decree on Universities (770/2009), a university below) in accordance with its regulations. In compliance with Section 34 of the University of Jyväskylä Regulations, the Rector, in individual cases, can grant exemptions from the qualification requirements when the dean of the respective faculty so proposes.

According to Section 1 of the Government Decree on Universities (770/2009), proficiency in the Finnish language is required from university teaching and research staff. Sufficient proficiency of Finnish presumes an excellent command of spoken and written Finnish as defined in the Decree on the Demonstration of Proficiency in the Finnish and Swedish Languages in the Civil Service (481/2003).

As a rule, the ability to teach in English is regarded as an advantage.

According to the University of Jyväskylä Language Policy, employees providing teaching and guidance in a language other than Finnish are required to have achieved an advanced level (CEFR: C1) in the target language or language of instruction. International employees are required to have at least developing basic skills in Finnish (CEFR: A2.2) within three years from the beginning of the employment relationship.

According to the Rector’s decision (Chapter 5.4), the required language competence may be demonstrated with a test lecture or in a session arranged specifically for demonstrating the proficiency.

According to Section 33 of the University of Jyväskylä Regulations, the person appointed to the position of associate professor must complete studies in university pedagogy or corresponding studies within two years from the start of employment if the selected person has not completed these studies before the start of employment. The requirement is valid for employees who are hired for an indefinite period or for a fixed term of at least five years. The Rector supplies more specific instructions on the extent of studies required and their substitution with other studies.

When an employee has been selected for a fixed-term assistant professorship, an external evaluation procedure is used regarding the employee’s merits for the next level (Associate Professor, step 2, or Professor, step 3) in the tenure track. The evaluation procedure shall begin before the end of the fixed-term contract and involve an expert evaluation procedure. If the person’s progress does not fulfil the set targets or the criteria of the evaluation procedure, the employment relationship on the tenure track will end.

3. Trial period

A trial period of six months will be used when the position is first filled.

4. External evaluators

According to Section 13 of the University Regulations, when associate professors are employed, the dean nominates a team for preparing the appointment process and selects experts to evaluate the candidates. Prior to the decision on employment, evaluation statements must be requested from a minimum of two but a maximum of four expert reviewers. When the application procedure is

international, at least half of the evaluators must be foreign, unless there are special reasons to make an exception in this regard. In selecting the external evaluators, due attention is to be paid, among other things, to the disciplinary orientations of the applicants. Sections 27–29 of the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003) are followed in determining potential disqualification of evaluators.

5. Test lecture and interview

A preparation team appointed by the dean will interview those candidates selected by the dean who in the group’s opinion are the most qualified for the position. Should the team consider it necessary, all the external evaluators may be given the opportunity to participate in the interview. The experts may, then, complement their earlier statements immediately after the interview. If needed, the preparation group will also decide on acquiring the necessary tests, etc. Separate instructions will be given about a potential test lecture. The test lecture is to be given in public.

6. Appointment proposal to the Rector

Based on the materials, merits, evaluation statements of experts, personal interviews, potential test lectures, the report of the preparation team and other relevant considerations, the Faculty Council makes a proposal on the candidate that should be hired, or decides not to propose anyone for the position.

7. Rector’s decision and contract of employment

The Rector will decide on appointing a candidate to the associate professorship after having received the Faculty Council’s proposal and all the material gathered on the issue. The Rector may also conduct further interviews and request additional clarifications.

Once the Rector has made the appointment decision, a contract of employment is prepared for the Rector to sign.

A teaching portfolio is a document supplementing the application and CV. In the portfolio, you present your teaching and pedagogical ideology, as well as development as a teacher, from the perspective of the position for which you are applying. In practice, the portfolio is a document of two to three pages, structured according to the guidelines below. If needed, you can supplement the text with a maximum of three samples, specifying the reasons for choosing them. The maximum size of the teaching portfolio is 100 Mb.

Teaching portfolio (PDF)