Associate Professor of Cultural and Creative Industries

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of associate professor of cultural and creative industries based at the dramaturgy section within the Department of Dramaturgy and Musicology.

The associate professorship is a permanent, full-time position. The appointment begins on 1 October 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.

The position

Studies of cultural and creative industries (CCI) are central to several departments at the School of Communication and Culture, including the interdisciplinary milieu behind the supplementary BA subject in CCI, which is based at the Department of Dramaturgy and Musicology. To strengthen both research and teaching in this area, we are looking for an applicant with a strong profile in CCI studies. Applicants must be able to document broad knowledge of key topics in CCI, including what characterises CCI as a sector – for example, in relation to other sectors, areas of society and private or public institutions – and/or as shaped by social, cultural, political, financial, legal and media conditions.

Applicants must demonstrate a comparative interest in businesses across the cultural and creative industries – for example, the screen industry, publishing, podcasting and gaming – along with competences especially in qualitative methods and in critical, innovative, problem-based and/or solution-oriented research perspectives in relation to or in collaboration with CCI partners. As many CCI businesses operate within media or are related to media, experience with theories and practices from media studies as applied to CCI will be considered an advantage.

In sum, we are looking for an innovative and dedicated applicant who will enhance the department’s research and teaching profiles nationally and internationally, while also contributing to Aarhus University’s core activities in the areas of research, teaching and supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange.

Research

The successful applicant will have a solid publication record in the subject areas outlined above and will, through future research activities, contribute to developing the research profile and academic environment surrounding the supplementary subject in CCI, along with existing agendas in the involved departments and sections (Dramaturgy and Musicology, Aesthetics and Culture and Media Studies), including the Center for Cultural Evaluation. In their applications, applicants are expected to outline how current and planned research projects will contribute to fulfilling this expectation.

The successful applicant will be expected to publish original peer-reviewed research internationally, and to make scholarly contributions to developments within this field. The successful applicant will also be expected to contribute to research initiatives related to both the field of CCI and the wider research community at the school, in terms of new collaborative research projects with internal and external partners and in connection with securing external research funding.

Teaching and supervision

We are looking for applicants with teaching and supervision experience in the field of CCI at university level.

The successful applicant will be expected to teach and supervise on the supplementary BA subject in CCI (see disciplines and academic regulations here) and to engage in other teaching and supervision activities related to this subject area. The successful applicant will also be expected to supervise PhD students affiliated with the section and to teach interdisciplinary courses, such as internationalisation electives. Finally, the successful applicant will be expected to apply innovative teaching methods.

As the successful applicant will also be expected to contribute to the ongoing development of curricula, including the supplementary subject in CCI and related disciplines in other programmes, experience in degree programme and curriculum development at universities or similar institutions will be an advantage.

The successful applicant will be expected to teach in English and, within a three-year period, acquire proficiency in Danish.

Talent development

We are looking for applicants with experience supervising students at both BA and MA levels. The successful applicant will be expected to supervise students at both levels and to help develop the careers of early-career researchers. Additionally, the successful applicant will be expected to recruit and supervise PhD students and to participate in the development and implementation of PhD courses within the field.

Knowledge exchange

The successful applicant will be expected to engage in knowledge exchange, particularly in terms of research collaborations with CCI enterprises, but also through government consultancy, collaboration with civil society and the public dissemination of knowledge.

The successful applicant will have excellent opportunities to engage in relevant collaborative initiatives with partners both inside and outside Aarhus University. This includes the Center for Cultural Evaluation, where the successful applicant will have the opportunity to contribute to its activities and further develop both its applied research and network.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a PhD degree or be able to document equivalent qualifications in CCI studies, as well as teaching and research experience commensurate with that attained through an assistant professorship. Applicants must be able to document the following, relevant to the position:
 

• an internationally oriented research profile, as documented by a strong international peer-reviewed research publication record within CCI
• competences within qualitative methods and/or critical, innovative, problem-based and/or solution-oriented research perspectives in relation to or in collaboration with CCI partners
• participation in international research projects as well as in national and international research networks
• experience in knowledge exchange
• teaching and supervision competences and experience at BA and MA levels, including curriculum development, documented through a teaching portfolio
• completion of a teacher-training programme designed for university teaching or an equivalent qualification
• a teaching statement in the form of a short personal essay describing the applicant’s approach to teaching, with practical examples illustrating their philosophy.

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document:

• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions
• experience applying for external research funding.

Finally, applicants are asked to provide a research plan for the next three years, outlining how they envision contributing to future research developments within the field of CCI, including plans for publication, funding applications and collaborations with external partners.

Please note that although the application process can technically be completed via the Aarhus University system without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include uploaded publications (maximum five) and a teaching portfolio (or equivalent documentation of teaching experience and qualifications) will not be considered.

Although the Aarhus University application system includes an option to upload letters of recommendation, please do not include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.

Work environment

Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. In order to support and develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to be present at the department on a daily basis.

We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment in which that balance can be maintained. You can read more about family and work-life balance in Denmark.

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to read about 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 wide variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and an AU Expat Partner Programme. You can also find information about the taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.

An appointee who does not speak Danish will be required to acquire sufficient proficiency in the language to carry out tasks, including administrative and managerial responsibilities, and to participate fully in the activities of the School of Communication and Culture within approximately three years of commencing the appointment. These include, but are not limited to, teaching, reading work-related texts and participating in meetings and collegial gatherings in Danish.

The department

The Department of Dramaturgy and Musicology is one of the nine departments within the School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University. There are approximately 30 researchers, teachers and PhD students affiliated with the department, 16 of whom are tenured. They teach and supervise more than 400 students of musicology and dramaturgy.

The researchers at the department collaborate with colleagues from other departments in cross-disciplinary research programmes such as Cultural Transformations and Historical Studies of Arts and Culture as well as in research centres such as the Danish Centre for Popular Music Culture, the Center for Sound Studies and the Centre for Historical Performance Practice.

The department’s teachers and researchers are deeply involved in cultural activities and maintain strong relationships and partnerships with cultural institutions such as ILT, Nordisk Teaterlaboratorium, Aarhus Vocal Festival and SPOT Festival.

School of Communication and Culture

The school is a part of the Faculty of Arts. You will find information about the school and its research programmes, departments and diverse activities on its website.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Department Steen Kaargaard Nielsen by email: musskn@cc.au.dk

If you need help uploading your application or have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Arts HR support by email: hsi@au.dk.

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 five 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

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 700 academic staff members, 200 PhD students, 9,000 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 https://international.au.dk/

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/