Staff Council for Scientific and Artistic Employees
Are you an employee in technology or administration? Click here to go to the pages of the Staff Council for employees in technology and administration.
We are here for you.
Dear colleagues,
Thank you for finding us! On these pages we would like to introduce ourselves and give you the opportunity to find out about our tasks. Our permanent committee consists of 11 people. We are complemented by the "substitute members", who are of course also your contact persons. We always endeavour to recruit members from all (specialist) areas of the university so that we can gain an insight and quick re-registration from as many areas as possible.
The main task of the Staff Council is to ensure that employees' rights are observed by the department (and thus also by their superiors) and to enforce them if necessary. You will find more detailed information in the next section.
For us, the most important thing is: If you have a concern, do not hesitate to contact us. We are here for you. Confidentially and discreetly.
Your "PRwiss"
The tasks of the Staff Council
The Staff Council is there to represent employees vis-à-vis the department and to ensure that their rights are respected. Basically, anyone who has a concern can contact us at any time!
The legally defined tasks include, above all, participation in
- Job advertisements
- Recruitment procedures
- Classification, change of pay grade
- Continued employment (e.g. after expiry of a fixed-term contract)
- Change in the assigned activity
- Dismissal, warning, cancellation agreements
- Rejection of an application for leave or part-time employment
- Change of place of employment
- Ordering overtime and extra work
- Preparation of service agreements
- Occupational health and safety and fire protection
- Planning new buildings, conversions and extensions
- Basic personnel planning, guidelines for staff selection
- General working time regulations
- Introduction of new technology/software (see Sections 46-47, 64, 65a, 72-75 LPVG NRW)
It is particularly committed to the integration and professional development of severely disabled people and to equal rights for men and women.
The Staff Council organises a staff meeting once per calendar year. There it reports on its activities in the previous months. Participation in the staff meeting is voluntary and is counted as working time.
FAQs - Frequently asked questions
Who is on the Scientific Staff Council?
The Staff Council for Scientific and Artistic Employees (PRwiss) currently consists of 11 permanent members and also has 18 substitute members. You can find a list and contact details here.
Why does the university have two different Staff Councils?
It is regulated by law (§§ 104 f LPVG NRW) that, in addition to the Staff Council for Technical and Administrative Employees, there is also a Staff Council for Scientific and Artistic Employees. This Staff Council also represents Lecturers, research assistants and teaching staff. Teachers for Special Tasks.
Which Staff Council is responsible for me?
With the amendment to the Higher Education Act NRW (HG), the assignment to the status groups of academic employees and those in technology and administration was reorganised on 1 January 2020. This also affects the assignment to the responsible Staff Council. The assignment now no longer depends solely on the organisational unit and a degree, but also on the actual activities. The HG states that:
"Research Assistants at universities of applied sciences are those employees assigned to faculties, academic institutions or operating units of universities of applied sciences who, in accordance with their employment relationship, are responsible for formative academic services in teaching, in particular where there is a teaching obligation, and in research and development projects." (§ 45 para. 1 HG)
At FH Aachen, a catalogue of criteria has been drawn up to determine which tasks are academic services and which are not. Activities in teaching with more than 50% of working hours (typically the laboratory engineer) are formative for the status of Research Assistant. Furthermore, activities are considered "formative" if at least 25% of the working time is dedicated to research tasks and/or at least 2 SWS of independent teaching are assigned. The currently valid job description (formerly: TD) is decisive for this. The PRwiss therefore recommends checking that the current job description is up to date and, if necessary, adapting it together with the responsible manager and the HR department.
In 2025, the affiliation of employees to the status group was only checked if a personnel measure had to be submitted to one of the Staff Councils (event-related check, e.g. in the case of contract extensions, changes to the number of hours, recruitment, termination of contract). From January 2026, all job descriptions will be systematically reviewed to determine whether or not the tasks allow them to be assigned to PRwiss. It is important to note here that the change in status group does not result in a change in pay grade. This is based exclusively on the tasks assigned!
| Employee in Central Administration/Division | PR TuV |
| MA in FB, GZ, ZHQ, FI, SIJ, Library or DVZ without a degree | PR TuV |
| MA in FB, GZ, ZHQ, FI, SIJ, Library or DVZ with a degree and without significant academic activities (i.e. less than 2 SWS and less than 25 % research) | PR TuV |
| MA in FB, GZ, ZHQ, FI, SIJ, Library or DVZ with a degree and significant academic activities (at least 2 SWS and/or 25% research) | PRwiss |
| Lecturer | PRwiss |
| WHK | PRwiss |
Are Student Assistants also represented by the Staff Council?
No, the Higher Education Act does not provide for this. The SHK Representative Office represents SHK vis-à-vis the department. It can be contacted at the following email address: shk-vertretungfh-aachen.de
Are Staff Council and Personnel Department the same thing?
No! The Human Resources Department is a Division in the administration of the UAS and handles your personal and contractual matters to the extent necessary for your work here. The Staff Council represents you and your affairs vis-à-vis the employer (FH), both your personal affairs and those of the group of employees in general.
However, we do have some points of intersection, as we have to be involved by the HR department, e.g. in recruitment and contract renewals, to ensure that your legal rights are respected.
What is the best way to contact you?
You can find the members of our committee here under Contact. You can contact any member and, if necessary, we will direct you to the person who can best help you.
If you are unsure, you are welcome to use the function addresses:
- personalrat.wissfh-aachen.de for PRwiss
- personalrat.tuvfh-aachen.de for the PR TuV or
- personalratfh-aachen.de if you are unsure who you belong to. You can reach both Executive Boards of the committees here.
What tasks do you actually have?
We represent the interests of employees at the UAS internally vis-à-vis the department (UAS). Our legal basis is the LPVG NRW(to the legal text LPVG NRW) and we are comparable to a works council in the private sector.
Do you have any questions about your working time regulations? Or have you noticed something that you would like to discuss internally with someone who has your rights and interests in mind?
The interests of employees within the scope of the employment relationship are our responsibility. And don't worry: we are obliged to maintain confidentiality as part of our staff council work and, depending on the problem, we can also take action as a committee to resolve it.
General tasks of the Staff Council in the law
The general tasks of the Staff Council are regulated in Section 64 LPVG NRW:
"The Staff Council has the following general tasks:
1. to apply for measures which serve the department, its members or the promotion of the common good within the framework of the department's task fulfilment,
2. to ensure that the laws, regulations, collective agreements, service agreements and administrative orders applicable in favour of the employees are implemented,
3. to advocate the protection of employees' freedom of association,
4. to pay attention to the prevention of accident and health hazards, to support the bodies responsible for occupational health and safety by providing suggestions, advice and information and to advocate the implementation of health-promoting measures and occupational health and safety,
5. to receive suggestions and complaints from employees and, if they appear justified, to work towards their resolution by negotiating with the department,
6. to promote the integration and professional development of severely disabled employees and other vulnerable persons, in particular older persons,
7. to apply for measures to promote the professional development of severely disabled employees,
8. to participate in the development of the intercultural opening of the administration and to promote the integration of employees with a migration background into the department as well as understanding between employees of different origins,
9. to work closely with the youth and trainee representatives to promote the interests of the employees they represent,
10. to promote the realisation of the fundamental right of equal rights for women and men,
11. to encourage measures that serve to protect the environment in the department."
Collective agreement of the federal states (TV-L)
The ABC of the TV-L
In the ABC of the TV-L, the GEW explains the most important terms of the collective agreement briefly and clearly and answers frequently asked questions from employees. Sorted alphabetically by keyword, it is a practical reference work. The online version largely corresponds to the 3rd edition from 2009. Click here for the most important terms.
The pay tables of the TV-L
The current TV-L pay scales apply to FH Aachen employees. These can be found at the LBV, the State Office for Salaries and Pensions. Click here for the salary tables.
The NRW salary tables
The salary tables in NRW apply to civil servants at FH Aachen. These can also be found at the LBV. Click here for the salary tables.