I'm doing a PhD in Austria and I noticed that people are a bit weird around titles so I'm adapting to it. I also saw that some use the abbreviation Doz (Dozent) and others Prof (Professor). Are these equivalent/interchangeable?
I've read this wikipedia page where it says:
Docent is also used at some (mainly German) universities generically for a person who has the right to teach.
So I thought maybe it's the difference between actively being a professor and being able to teach, but later it says:
In Germany, Austria and in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, Dozent or Hochschuldozent denotes an academic appointment at a university or similar institution, at a mid-level ranking of seniority.
So is it related to seniority? Do you first become a Doz and then a Prof?