Staff Council for Academic Staff
Presentation and Contact Details
Save the Date: Our Staff Meeting
Inform yourself. Exchange ideas. Participate in changes.
We warmly invite all academic staff to our next staff meeting.
11 November 2026, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. (approximately), GD building
Further information will follow.
Your Staff Council for Academic Staff
The Staff Council for Academic Staff - Introduction and Contact Details
Welcome to the webpage of the Staff Council for Academic Staff. Our job is to represent your interests at the European Universtiy Viadrina!
We act as a link between academic staff and the administration, the President and the professorial body, promoting the interests of mid-level academic staff and academic support staff at our university. In this function we aim to ensure that Viadrina continues to offer attractive working conditions, remains an outstanding university and leads the way in family-friendly policies, equality and fair working conditions.
For this reason, we have worked to establish a collective agreement governing the terms of employment for academic staff and, in collaboration with the university management, have drawn up a Structural and Staff Development Concept for Academic Staff (SPEK), which was adopted in April 2017.
Please contact us with any questions regarding your employment status or employment contract, if you require advice, or if you are experiencing issues with supervisory staff or colleagues. We will be happy to arrange an appointment for you. All enquiries are treated in strict confidence.
The Staff Council for Academic Staff represents the interests of all academic staff at Viadrina. Involvement in this body offers the opportunity to play an active role in shaping and further developing working conditions, particularly in research and teaching.
1. Contributing to better working conditions in academia
The Staff Council for Academic Staff is involved in all key employment decisions:
- Recruitment and contract renewals
- Restructuring
- Working time arrangements
- Health and safety issues as well as decisions pertaining to the working environment
The Council is actively involved in these processes and ensures that decisions made are fair, transparent and reasonably justified.
2. Advising, representing and supporting colleagues
Many staff members face difficult situations amidst the stresses of everyday life: unclear expectations, conflicts, excessive workloads or uncertainties regarding contract law. The Staff Council listens, advises, provides support and ensures that staff members’ rights are upheld.
Involvement in the Staff Council means: standing up for one another.
3. Understanding the university’s structures and decision-making processes
Members of the Staff Council gain insights into internal processes:
- How is HR policy developed?
- What are the key structures of Viadrina?
- How do academia, administration and management intertwine?
These insights strengthen one’s own position and foster a sense of being part of a wider whole.
4. Strengthening democracy, participation and a cooperative working environment
The Staff Council helps to ensure that decisions are made in a transparent, accountable and balanced manner. This promotes appreciative and constructive cooperation at all levels.
5. Developing skills and strengthening collaboration
Serving on the Staff Council offers valuable opportunities for personal and professional development, including:
- Negotiation skills
- Conflict resolution
- Facilitation and communication
- Knowledge of labour and higher education law
- Strategic thinking
Staff Council for Academic Staff
- Logenstraße 11 | 15230 Frankfurt (Oder)
- 1st floor, Room 120
- wiper@europa-uni.de
Office hours
For advice, please get in touch by email and we will arrange an appointment. All enquiries are treated in confidence.
Executive Board
Corinna Kleinke
Anna Brzenska
Tasks
The Staff Representation Act distinguishes between co-determination and consultation. All measures subject to co-determination require the approval of the staff council. This includes the following:
- personnel measures such as recruitment, dismissals, fixed-term contracts, changes to pay grades, changes to job responsibilities, and the refusal of entitlements (promotion, part-time work, further training, etc.)
- organisational matters such as principles of staff planning, equality measures and data processing policies
- other internal matters, such as holiday schedules, working time arrangements and further training
- social matters such as the Workplace Integration Management (BEM) scheme following a prolonged period of illness
We also provide assistance and mediate in all workplace disputes. Please note that the Staff Council can only take action at the request of those affected.
Terms of employment and provisions under employment law
- Act on Fixed-Term Contracts in Academia (WissZeitVG)
- Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act (TzBfG)
- Since 18 April 2007, fixed-term employment contracts for research assistants may be extended beyond 6 or 12 years, but only insofar as they are funded by third-party grants. Further information can be found at: http://www.bmbf.de/pub/WissZeitVG_endg.pdf Furthermore, continued employment is possible under the family policy component. See the service agreement on the structure of employment contracts for academic staff in the ‘Service Agreements’ section below.
- FAQs on the WissZeitVG on the website of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space
- Brandenburg Higher Education Act (BbgHG). The most relevant sections of the BbgHG are § 49 (Academic staff), § 53 (Staff categories), § 58 (Lecturers), § 59 (Research and artistic support staff)
- On the GEW website, you will find the guide “Employment in Higher Education and Research", which addresses issues including pay grading, the period required to qualify for a higher pay grade whilst in post, annual leave and contract extensions.
- Collective Agreement for the Public Service of the Federal States (TV-L). The most relevant sections of the TV-L are Sections 12 (classification) and 16 (grading). All provisions must be read in conjunction with Section 40 (special provisions for employees at universities and research institutions).
- Pay Regulations
- Pay scale
- Service Agreement on General Regulations Governing the Advertisement and Filling of Posts at the Europa-Universität Viadrina Foundation (dated 27 January 2026)
- Service Agreement on the Formulation of Employment Contracts for Academic Staff at the Europa-Universität Viadrina Foundation (Final version dated 27 August 2014, updated 28 August 2018)
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Service agreement governing the drafting of employment contracts for academic staff at the Europa-Universität Viadrina Foundation (dated 27 August 2014)
awarded the German Staff Council Prize 2015 in Gold
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Service agreements
I on the organisation of workplace integration management in accordance with Section 84 of SGB IX and
II on the introduction of a workplace health management scheme (dated 24 October 2012) -
Integration Agreement on the Integration of People with Severe Disabilities pursuant to Section 83 of SGB IX (dated 17 January 2012)
People
Corinna Kleinke
Chair
+49 335 5534 3707
kleinke@europa-uni.de
Anna Brzenska
Deputy Chair
+49 335 5534 3722
brzenska@europa-uni.de
Doris Maja Krüger
+49 335 5534 2732
mkrueger@europa-uni.de
Simon Gauseweg
+49 335 5534 2208
gauseweg@europa-uni.de
Norah El Gammal
+49 335 5534 2814
elgammal@europa-uni.de
Dr Anna Rößner (on parental leave)
+49 335 5534 2875
roessner@europa-uni.de
Elisa Lehrer (on parental leave)
+49 335 5534 2567
lehrer@europa-uni.de
Substitute members
PD Dr Steffen Kluck
+49 335 5534 2219
kluck@europa-uni.de
Dr Konrad Jacek Walerski
+49 335 5534 2645
walerski@europa-uni.de