The professionalism of professors at German Fachhochschulen

In the debate about the (de-) professionalising effects of current higher education reforms in Germany, the non-university institutions (Fachhochschulen) have mostly remained silent. Unlike university professors, Fachhochschul professors do not seem to regard managerial and market-oriented reforms as a threat to their professionalism. While the reasons may not be hard to find, the question arises as to how Fachhochschul professors - who are tenured academics with years of work experience outside academia - construct their professional ideal. Based on a survey, this article develops a model of Fachhochschul professors' normative professionalism, analyses what prevents them from achieving it, and finds that professors perceive their substantial teaching obligation as the principal threat to their professionalism.