Außerplanmäßige

Außerplanmäßige is a German adjective meaning out of plan, unscheduled, or extraordinary. In general usage it describes actions, events, or conditions that do not follow the regular timetable, budget, or program. The term can apply to a wide range of contexts, from organizational decisions to procedures that deviate from the approved plan.

In academic contexts, the phrase is commonly encountered in the form of a specific title: auß erplanmäßige Professur. This denotes a professorship that is not part of the university’s regular plan of appointments (the Lehrstuhlplan). The holder typically has the venia legendi (teaching qualification) and may perform teaching and research, but the position is not a funded, permanent chair. Such appointments are usually temporary or contingent and are financed outside the standard budget, often through Drittmittel (third-party funds) or project-based funding. The label is a recognized administrative category in German-speaking higher education.

In administration and budgeting, außerplanmäßige Maßnahmen or außerplanmäßige Ausgaben refer to actions or expenditures that lie outside the approved plan. Examples include emergency purchases, unbudgeted interventions, or responses to unforeseen events. The use of außerplanmäßigen measures typically requires justification and approval within the organization’s governance framework.

Etymologically, außerplanmäßig derives from außer (outside) and planmäßig (according to plan). The term is common in formal German and official documents, though its exact meaning can vary by context. While often used in institutional or bureaucratic language, it is less common in everyday conversation, where more specific phrases (unscheduled, exceptional, emergency) are typically preferred.