Since it was founded 49 years ago, TU Dortmund University has developed its own special profile with 16 science, engineering, social science and cultural studies faculties. TU Dortmund is a strong research university. Recruiting and managing to retain the best minds for all professional and status groups within the university is one element of its ongoing strategic development. The university has introduced special opportunities for junior researchers which not only promote their scientific development but also focus on charting individual careers within and outside academia. Moreover, with its “Strategy to promote the career prospects of academic staff”, TU Dortmund is one of the few universities to offer permanent career options in addition to the professorial track. TU Dortmund University will continue to extend its portfolio to promote junior researchers at all levels of qualification, building on its long-standing cooperation with its partners in the University Alliance Ruhr. As of 2017, the three universities are pooling their activities under the umbrella of the Research Academy Ruhr.

TU Dortmund University is committed to significantly expanding tenure-track professorships as a career path and establishing it on a permanent footing. In the course of university development planning, every faculty was asked to identify particularly promising research areas that could be built or advanced by tenure-track professorships. In the coming years, all 16 faculties envisage announcing two tenure-track professorships. These agreements are being adopted into TU Dortmund University’s university development plan as a key pillar for its continued development of research and teaching.