Going up for promotion

I recently went through the process at TU Delft to get promoted from the first level of assistant professor to the next (and last) level.

One aspect of the tenure and promotion procedures at TU Delft is that tenure does not automatically come with promotion to, for example, associate professor. When I got my tenure, I had been on three temporary researcher contracts, and had run out of the possibility (legally) to get another temporary contract, so going up for tenure was the solution. But since I was not yet in the tenure track system (because I’m a part-timer), I was hired at the lowest level of assistant professor, but with tenure.

This year, I asked about the procedures to go to the second level of assistant professor. Since this promotion is an intermediate step and does not change your title, each department has their own way of going about this. For going from assistant to associate professor, on the other hand, there is a general procedure that involves (if I understand it correctly) preparing a portfolio for and presenting to the board of professors. I’m not 100% sure about how it works and I’ll pass that bridge when I get there, I assume.

But let’s get back to the topic of the internal promotion to the higher level of assistant professor. For transparency and for my own records, I will detail the steps here:

1. During my annual performance review, I discussed this option with my supervisor (department head). He was positive about taking this step.
2. Since our research group recently got a new head who came in after my annual performance review, we checked to see if he would also be positive about this option.
3. With their support secured, I was asked to fill out a one-page fact sheet for review in the management team of the department. The fact sheet had a template designed in our department, and included information about publications, research funding, students supervised, teaching, service to the department, and other achievements.
4. The management team was positive about my fact sheet. They invited me to present the fact sheet in another meeting.
5. I presented my fact sheet, answered some questions (ranging from topics about the future of my research line to how I manage my time as a part-timer).
6. Afterwards, I received an email saying that the management team had supported the promotion to the next level.

That’s how it worked in my department. How does this system work in your university?