Hochschullehrerbund

The Hochschullehrerbund – Bundesvereinigung e. V. (abbreviated hlb) is the professional association representing professors at German Universities of Applied Sciences (Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften / Fachhochschulen). It is a registered association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Bonn, with its federal office also located there. With roughly 8,500 members as of February 2026, it describes itself as the voice of the applied sciences in Germany. The hlb traces its origins to the Verband der Dozenten an Deutschen Ingenieurschulen (VDDI), founded by statute on 10 June 1960 in Berlin-Charlottenburg. As the higher technical schools were converted into Fachhochschulen, the desire grew for a professional association specifically for the professors of these institutions. On 27 May 1972 the VDDI delegates' assembly adopted a statute transferring the state associations into a new federal association named Hochschullehrerbund – Bundesvereinigung e. V. All state associations except Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg took part; in those two states lecturers organized instead in the Verband Hochschule und Wissenschaft (VHW), affiliated with the German Civil Service Federation. The founding president was Günther Ehmann from North Rhine-Westphalia, previously a VDDI vice-president, and the association's seat moved from Berlin to Bonn. The hlb represents the interests of its members before federal and state legislators, authorities and courts, other associations and the public. It advises members on legal and contractual matters, pay questions and retirement provision, and provides free legal protection and professional liability insurance. It is politically and denominationally neutral and committed to academic freedom. It publishes the periodical Die Neue Hochschule (DNH), described as the only journal devoted exclusively to higher-education-specific topics. The association is a member of the European University Association and the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education. Organizationally, the hlb is a federation of state-level associations (Landesverbände) that operate largely autonomously in state politics. The highest decision-making body is the annual Bundesdelegiertenversammlung (federal delegates' assembly), to which the state associations send delegates. The governing body is the Bundespräsidium, consisting of the president and between three and five vice-presidents, each with their own portfolio. As of the available sources, the president is Tobias Plessing, professor of energy technology at Hochschule Hof, and the vice-presidents are Judith Hauer (Hochschule für Polizei Baden-Württemberg), Mario Jung (Hochschule Kaiserslautern), Anke Nellesen (Hochschule Bochum), Heike Pospisil (Technische Hochschule Wildau) and Jörn Schlingensiepen (Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt). The hlb carries out its policy work through working groups (Arbeitsgruppen) on topics such as universities for the public service, reducing bureaucracy at Universities of Applied Sciences, science-based teaching and generative AI systems, digital teaching, the role of the national language in teaching, the German Transfer Community, democratization of universities, career paths, salaried professors, private Universities of Applied Sciences, and professors at public administration universities. It issues position papers and publications, including a 'Schwarzbuch Bürokratie an Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften' (Open Access, hardcover ISBN 978-3-658-49105-5, 2026). On 4 May 2024 the delegates' assembly resolved to change the association's name, and since then it has operated as hlb-Bundesvereinigung e. V.

The Hochschullehrerbund emerged from the Verband der Dozenten an Deutschen Ingenieurschulen (VDDI), which was founded by statute on 10 June 1960 in Berlin-Charlottenburg. As the higher technical schools (Höhere Fachschulen), including the engineering schools, were converted into Fachhochschulen, the need arose for a professional association specifically for the professors of these new academic institutions. On 27 May 1972 the delegates' assembly of the VDDI federal association adopted a statute under which the state associations were transferred into a new federal association named Hochschullehrerbund – Bundesvereinigung e. V. All state associations except Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg took part in this transfer; in those two states, lecturers organized in the Verband Hochschule und Wissenschaft (VHW), which belonged to the German Civil Service Federation (Deutscher Beamtenbund). The founding president of the Hochschullehrerbund was Günther Ehmann from North Rhine-Westphalia, formerly a VDDI vice-president. At the same time the association's seat was moved from Berlin to Bonn. The Rhineland-Palatinate state association was founded on 18 April 1972 and the Baden-Württemberg state association on 19 March 1989. On 14 June 1972 the Deutscher Hochschulverband, the professional representation of professors at German universities, and the Hochschullehrerbund, representing professors at German Fachhochschulen, announced the founding of an Arbeitsgemeinschaft Hochschule (AGH) as a party-politically independent trade-union and professional representation of higher-education teachers at federal level. The AGH was dissolved in June 1981 after the political goal of being recognized as a peak association at federal level was deemed hopeless; a corresponding application failed both before the Federal Minister of the Interior and in court. In 1983 the Hochschullehrerbund admitted a new member association, FHB, in which exclusively professors of the Fachhochschule des Bundes für öffentliche Verwaltung were organized. Although outside the hlb's usual organizational pattern, it was placed on an equal footing with the state associations. The FHB served the training of federal civil servants of the non-technical higher intermediate service. By resolution of its members' assembly of 29 October 1994, the hlb-FHB was dissolved again. In 1994 the conference of the chairpersons of the state associations was established. Over the following decades the hlb expanded its service offerings and policy work. It advises members on legal and contractual matters, pay and retirement provision, and grants free legal protection and professional liability insurance. It publishes the journal Die Neue Hochschule (DNH), described as the only journal devoted exclusively to higher-education-specific topics. The association is a member of the European University Association and the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education. On 4 May 2024 the delegates' assembly resolved a name change; since then the association has operated as hlb-Bundesvereinigung e. V. As of February 2026 it had roughly 8,500 members. Its current president is Tobias Plessing, professor of energy technology at Hochschule Hof, supported by vice-presidents Judith Hauer, Mario Jung, Anke Nellesen, Heike Pospisil and Jörn Schlingensiepen.

• Verband der Dozenten an Deutschen Ingenieurschulen (VDDI) founded by statute in Berlin-Charlottenburg.

• VDDI delegates' assembly adopts statute transferring state associations into the new Hochschullehrerbund – Bundesvereinigung e. V.; seat moves from Berlin to Bonn.

• Rhineland-Palatinate state association founded.

• Deutscher Hochschulverband and Hochschullehrerbund announce founding of Arbeitsgemeinschaft Hochschule (AGH).

• AGH dissolved after failure to be recognized as a peak association at federal level.

• FHB admitted as a member association for professors of the Fachhochschule des Bundes für öffentliche Verwaltung.

• Baden-Württemberg state association founded.

• hlb-FHB dissolved by resolution of its members' assembly.

• Conference of the chairpersons of the state associations established.

• Delegates' assembly resolves name change to hlb-Bundesvereinigung e. V.

• Membership reaches roughly 8,500.

The politically and denominationally neutral professional association and 'voice of the applied sciences' representing professors at German Universities of Applied Sciences, providing advocacy, legal advice and publications.

• Die Neue Hochschule (DNH)

  The only journal devoted exclusively to higher-education-specific topics, published by the hlb.

• Member legal advice and Rechtsschutz

  Advice on legal and contractual matters, pay and pension questions, free legal protection and professional liability insurance.

• Podcast 'Auf der Tonspur'

  Podcast produced by the hlb.

• Schwarzbuch Bürokratie an Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften

  Open Access publication, hardcover ISBN 978-3-658-49105-5 (2026).

1. 1hlb official websitehlb.de
2. 2Aufgaben/Zielehlb.de
3. 3Arbeitsgruppen/Positionenhlb.de
4. 4Bundespräsidiumhlb.de
5. 5Wikidata: Hochschullehrerbundwikidata.org
6. 6Wikipedia: Hochschullehrerbundde.wikipedia.org