The Danish School of Education (DPU) at the Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University, invites applications for a permanent position as a professor in special needs education within the field of educational psychology. The professorship is a full-time position starting on 1 January 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter according to mutual agreement. 

With this professorship, DPU underpins high ambitions regarding the development of special needs education and educational psychology. The selected applicant is expected to strengthen research activity and output as well as contributing to the high profile of research in special needs education within the field of educational psychology at Aarhus University.  

The professorship in special needs education is based at the Department of Educational Anthropology and Educational Psychology within the educational psychology section. 

The selected applicant must demonstrate a relevant research profile and is expected to take a leading role in further developing research in special needs education, special pedagogy, and educational psychology.  

We welcome scholarship within the broader field of special pedagogy and educational psychology that acknowledges how special needs can arise from difficulties in a variety of sociocultural settings. Furthermore, we welcome applicants with knowledge about psychometrics, educational psychological assessment, and tests in context.  

The position 

The selected applicant will contribute to research and teaching at the educational psychology section within the Department of Educational Anthropology and Educational Psychology, including teaching and supervising students at Master’s, professional Master’s and PhD level and contributing to the further development of the department’s subject area through research of high international quality. At the educational psychology section, you will find colleagues working with a broad range of empirical, methodological, and theoretical sources both within educational psychology and across interdisciplinary research fields. Our Master’s degree programmes focus on a broad range of psychological theories and methods and a diverse number of subjects, including diversity, digitalisation, in-/exclusion, organisations, marginalisation, teaching and class management, thinking and learning, daycare (ECEC), educational psychological counselling (PPR), wellbeing in schools, assessment, tests and psychometrics. 

The field of work demands a strong research background and experience within the field of special needs education and educational psychology, i.e.: 

• Research in the ways educational psychological assessment in context can contribute to the development of educational psychological counselling (PPR) and interdisciplinary efforts to improve the wellbeing of children and young people with special needs

• Research in how understandings of learning difficulties can contribute to the development of special pedagogy

• Methodological experience within a broad range of approaches and methods of relevance to the field of special needs education within the field of educational psychology

• Using research findings and enhancing our knowledge of how special needs education and special pedagogy can scaffold the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children and youth with learning difficulties

• Using research findings and exploring how neuropsychological, cognitive, and sociocultural conditions influence children’s and young people’s learning and development

• Using research findings and further exploring how to develop special pedagogy in relation to children with various diagnoses or disabilities and children who experience distress and learning difficulties. 

The selected applicant is expected to contribute to Aarhus University’s core activities in the areas of research, education, talent development and knowledge exchange, and to provide academic leadership relating to research, education and academic development. 

Research 

The Department of Educational Anthropology and Educational Psychology at Aarhus University has a pronounced and significant international profile and a strong research network. The selected applicant is expected to take a leading role in further developing research in educational psychology with a focus on special needs education and special pedagogy. 

The selected applicant will also be expected to contribute to research initiatives in relation to the field of educational psychology and the general research community at DPU in terms of new research projects with internal and external partners as well as external research funding. 
 
Applicants will be required to document original scientific production at the highest international level as well as significant scholarly contributions to theoretical and empirical research within the field of educational psychology with a focus on special needs education and special pedagogy. 

Applicants are furthermore asked to state their visions of future developments in the field and to document previous experience with a solid track record in research leadership as well as in international research funding and international research collaboration. 

It is of vital importance that the selected applicant takes part in the daily activities of the Department of Educational Anthropology and Educational Psychology, such as research and teaching activities and communities, as well as in the work of management and/or organisational boards (central study board, degree programme boards and different local management positions). 

Further information

Further information about the present research strategies of the Department of Educational Anthropology and Educational Psychology is available on this website: 
 
Danish: Afdeling for pædagogisk psykologi (au.dk) 
English: Department of Educational Psychology (au.dk) 

Education 

The selected applicant will be expected to have solid teaching experience at university level and should be prepared to teach and supervise at all levels of the degree programme (Master’s and PhD) in educational psychology and on DPU’s cross-departmental Master’s degree programmes. 
 
The selected applicant will also be expected to be the driving force in developing new degree programmes in relation to subjects within the field of educational psychology, and in this connection, broad experience and knowledge of education in the field as well as related fields could strengthen the applicant’s profile. 

Talent development 

The selected applicant must document experience in supervising student projects and an interest in researcher talent development. The selected applicant will be expected to recruit and supervise PhD students and participate in the development and implementation of PhD courses. 

Knowledge exchange 

It is expected that the selected applicant will engage in knowledge exchange as mentioned in the strategy for the Faculty of Arts, for instance in research cooperation with private companies, government consultancy, cooperation with civil society actors or public dissemination of knowledge. Applicants should document any prior experience within the field of knowledge exchange.  

Qualifications  

The selected applicant must have an internationally oriented research and publication profile, including experience in participating in national and international networks. The selected applicant must document experience in obtaining external research funding. 
The selected applicant is expected to be able to document: 

• Research in special needs education within the field of educational psychology. 

• Scholarship within the broader field of special pedagogy and educational psychology that acknowledges how special needs can arise from difficulties in a variety of sociocultural settings.  

• Experience with psychometrics, educational psychological assessment, and tests in context.  

• Research in how neuropsychological, cognitive, and sociocultural conditions influence the learning and development of children and youth. 

• Methodological skills and experience within a broad range of approaches and methods relevant to the research field of special needs education. 

The selected applicant will be required to teach and publish in English. If the selected applicant cannot speak Danish, they will be required to learn Danish within approximately two years. 
 
The selected applicant is expected to contribute to the department’s and the school’s academic environment. DPU emphasises the importance of good working conditions – among colleagues and students. 
 
Read more about how to apply for an academic position and the next steps in the process. 
 
Shortlisting is applied. This means that the assessment committee advises the head of department on which applicants are the best overall match for the recruitment needs of the department and the school, and which applicants possess the qualifications, competences, experience and potential described above. 
 
Through the shortlisting process, the assessment committee selects the applicants who are to undergo a thorough assessment of their professional qualifications. All applicants will be notified about whether or not their application has been shortlisted. 

Experience with the development of degree programmes and teaching will be considered  a merit.  

About the Danish School of Education

The Danish School of Education at Aarhus University is Denmark’s largest centre for research and teaching in the fields of education, didactics and learning, with approximately 240 full-time researchers, including 80 PhD students, and 4,500 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students. The school’s activities are characterised by a high degree of interdisciplinarity and close interaction with society, including businesses, organisations, government agencies and institutions, both in Denmark and abroad.

Further information

For further information about the position, please contact the head of the Department of Educational Anthropology and Educational Psychology, Charlotte Mathiassen, by telephone: +45 61863645 and/or by email: cham@edu.au.dk. 
 
Read about the Department of Educational Anthropology and Educational Psychology here: Department of Educational Anthropology and Educational Psychology (au.dk) 

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to read about family and work-life balance as well as the attractive working conditions and other benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays and, if relevant, maternity/paternity leave, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and career counselling for expat partners. For information about taxation, see the taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here: Research at AU

The application must be submitted in English. 

Qualification requirements

Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent academic qualifications.

Formalities

• Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).
• Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities .
• Further information on the application and supplementary materials may be found in Application Guidelines.
• The application must outline the applicant's motivation for applying for the position, attaching a curriculum vitae, a teaching portfolio, a complete list of published works, copies of degree certificates and no more than eight examples of academic production (mandatory). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.

If nothing else is noted, applications must be submitted in English. Application deadline is at 11.59 pm Danish time (same as Central European Time) on the deadline day.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Shortlists may be prepared with the candidates that have been selected for a detailed academic assessment. A committee set up by the head of school is responsible for selecting the most qualified candidates. See this link for further information about shortlisting at the Faculty of Arts: shortlisting

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners: http://ias.au.dk/au-relocation-service/. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here: http://international.au.dk/research/

Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts is one of five main academic areas at Aarhus University.

The faculty contributes to Aarhus University's research, talent development, knowledge exchange and degree programmes.
With its 550 academic staff members, 240 PhD students, 9,500 BA and MA students, and 1,500 students following continuing/further education programmes, the faculty constitutes a strong and diverse research and teaching environment.

The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society and the Danish School of Education. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.

The faculty's academic environments and degree programmes engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction with society.

Read more at arts.au.dk/en

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/