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The term is derived from the Latin word docēns, which is the present active participle of docēre ('to teach, to lecture'). Becoming a docent is often referred to as habilitation or doctor of science and is an academic qualification that shows that the holder is qualified to be employed at the level of associate or full professor. The title of docent is conferred by some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks at or below the full professor rank, similar to a British readership, a French maître de conférences (MCF), and equal to or above the title of assistant professor.
Docent is the highest academic title in several countries, and the qualifying criteria are research output that corresponds to 3–5 doctoral dissertations, supervision of PhD students, and experience in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Docent is also used at some (mainly German) universities generically for a person who has the right to teach. In Southeast European countries, it is the first position that people achieve once they enter the University, and after the completion of their PhD degree.