A total of 1,564 researchers successfully completed their post-doctoral qualification, known as a Habilitation, at German universities and equivalent higher education institutions in 2024. According to data released Tuesday by the Statistical Federal Office (Destatis), this figure represents a slight decrease of 1.8 percent compared to the previous year (1,592 Habilitationen). The number of Habilitationen earned by men fell by 0.8 percent to 996, while the number achieved by women declined by 3.0 percent to 568.
The proportion of women among those completing Habilitationen remained relatively stable at 36 percent for 2024, consistent with the 37 percent observed in the prior year. This marks a significant increase from 2014, when the figure stood at 28 percent. Disparities exist across disciplines; the proportion of women was notably higher in Law, Economics and Social Sciences, reaching 42 percent, compared to 25 percent within the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.
In absolute numbers, both women (334) and men (574) concentrated their Habilitationen within the field of Medicine and Health Sciences, accounting for 58 percent of all qualifications awarded. STEM subjects represented 15 percent of Habilitationen, followed by the Humanities at 13 percent.
The average age of those completing a Habilitation in 2024 remained at 42 years, consistent with previous years. A total of 178 Habilitationen were successfully completed in Germany by researchers of foreign origin, constituting 11 percent of the total; a rise from 9 percent a decade ago.