Privatdozent (PD for short) is a title in the European
university system, especially in German-speaking countries. The title PD is given to academics who
work at a
university in a teaching position, who have earned the degrees of "Dr." (
PhD, promotion) and of "Dr. habil." (habilitation) -- who are therefore given the
venia legendi[?] (or
venia docendi[?]), but who are not
professors (which title, in Germany at least, implies a life-time
position with special rights). A
Privatdozent who gets appointed to a
university is given the title "university professor" ("Prof.").
