Professor and associate professor: are these academic ranks or positions in a university?

Associate Professor
Regarding academic ranks, very often questions arise: what is it and how to get it? In this article we will tell you what an assistant professor is. This word can simultaneously mean several concepts that are essentially similar. Firstly, an associate professor is the academic title of a teacher of higher educational institutions. Secondly, the degree of employees of scientific institutions. Thirdly, a post in universities. With the concept of “professor” everything is much simpler - this is a person who is a highly qualified specialist in a certain field of science, an expert.

Who is assigned the title of Associate Professor?

Being an associate professor at a university does not mean having a degree, which is awarded by the academic council of a scientific institution (or institution of higher education) and approved by the Federal Service for Supervision of Education and Science. This degree is awarded for life.

Criteria for awarding the position and title of "Associate Professor":

  • the position is assigned to university teachers, usually with the title of candidate of sciences, after competitive election at the academic council;
  • Researchers are assigned the degree of assistant professor in the specialty (formerly - "Senior Researcher");
  • lecturers and teachers of higher educational institutions with a scientific and pedagogical work experience of 5 years or more, who have worked for at least one year as associate professors and have scientific work, can also receive this title.

What does an assistant professor do?

Associate Professor
Thus, an associate professor is a post in a university or an academic rank, which lecturers, researchers and people with a degree of “Candidate” can receive.

What is his responsibility?

  1. Associate Professor of Science conducts methodological and educational work.
  2. Provides guidance on students' own studies and research.
  3. He gives lectures, conducts classes and scientific research, introducing their results into the national economy.
  4. Prepares scientific and pedagogical staff.

Who is a "professor"?

Translated from Latin, “professor” means “teacher”. He is engaged in what he teaches at universities, conducts scientific research, introducing their results into the national economy, prepares pedagogical and scientific personnel, manages students' research and his own activities. A professor is both a title and a position in a higher educational institution. To get the first you need:

Associate Professor

  • Have a Doctor of Science degree, own inventions or scientific works. To be elected to the position of “Head of the Department” or successfully work in the position for a year.
  • Work as a professor for at least a year, have a great scientific and teaching experience, own work.
  • To be a highly qualified specialist without any scientific title, with a large industrial experience. The position may be awarded by the Academic Council on a competitive basis.

From this article, we learned that the word “professor”, like “associate professor,” is both a title and a position. Only in the first case is assigned for life, and in the second - for the period of work. The titles of associate professor and professor are similar in meaning. It is quite difficult to deserve them, you really need to understand your field and be a specialist.

Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/G31908/


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