Fachbereichs

Fachbereich is a term used in German-speaking higher education to describe a subdivision within a university that groups related disciplines. It is typically smaller than a faculty (Fakultät) and often corresponds to a cluster of related subjects or chairs (Lehrstühle).

A Fachbereich is usually led by a Fachbereichsleiter and includes professors, junior researchers, and administrative staff. Its main functions are academic planning, curriculum development, coordination of degree programs and examinations, budgeting for teaching and research, and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration within its disciplines.

The exact scope and naming of Fachbereiche vary by country and institution. In many German universities, Fachbereiche are subunits beneath a Fakultät; in others they function like departments within a faculty. In Austria and Switzerland similar structures exist under different terms. The genitive form des Fachbereichs is common, while Fachbereiche is the plural.

In usage, Fachbereichs may appear in possessive phrases such as des Fachbereichs or in compound terms like Fachbereichsleitung or Fachbereichsorganisation. Example: Der Fachbereichsleiter plant eine neue Forschungsinitiative.