Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Intercultural Studies

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professorship in intercultural studies, based in the Department of English.

The position is a full-time, fixed-term appointment as an assistant professor with a view to a permanent associate professorship (tenure), subject to a positive tenure review. Further information on the tenure review process is provided below.

The appointment will commence on 1 December 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and welcomes all qualified applicants, regardless of their personal background.

The position

The position is based in the Department of English, part of the School of Communication and Culture, and includes tasks and responsibilities across Aarhus University’s core activities in research, teaching and supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange within intercultural studies. The Department of English takes a broad view of English-speaking contexts and conducts research across national and cultural boundaries. The language of instruction is English.

The successful applicant will contribute to the ongoing development of the two-year Master’s degree programme in intercultural studies at the intersection of the humanities and the social sciences.

We welcome applicants who can contribute to and strengthen our research and teaching in one or more of the following areas: intercultural communication, cultural representations, the role of culture in conflict transformation and collaboration in organisational contexts.
The successful applicant should be comfortable with case-based teaching and interested in fostering collaborations with private and public enterprises, public institutions and NGOs at local, national and international levels to facilitate projects and internships.

In summary, we seek an innovative and committed scholar who will enhance the department’s research and teaching profile nationally and internationally and contribute to Aarhus University’s core activities.

Research

The Department of English at Aarhus University has a strong international profile and a robust research network. It is one of the largest and most international departments in the Faculty of Arts, with researchers and lecturers from the UK, the USA, Canada, Ireland, India, the Czech Republic, Germany, Tanzania and Denmark.

The department’s research profile spans various aspects of the English‑speaking world, with ongoing research in linguistics, literature, history, society, media studies and international business communication. In line with the department’s teaching profile, the successful applicant for the intercultural studies position should contribute to research in areas such as

• migration
• identity
• “uses of the past”
• group conflict
• nationalism and populism
• cultural representation
• intercultural communication
• interculturality in organisational contexts

Experience in one or more of these research areas at the intersection of the humanities and the social sciences will be considered an advantage.

Applicants must have documented international research experience in intercultural studies or related fields. The successful applicant will be expected to develop research projects leading to academic publications and to engage actively with the department’s research community by collaborating on projects with internal and external partners and by applying for external research funding.

Teaching and supervision

The successful applicant will be expected to participate in the department’s teaching and supervision activities, to teach and supervise students on the department’s Master’s degree programme in intercultural studies, and to contribute to other Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in the department.

In addition to contributing to core courses on the Master’s degree programme in intercultural studies, the successful applicant should be able to contribute meaningfully to and further develop courses within the Department of English that complement the current course offerings. This may include contributing to courses such as History, Society and Culture 1: The United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth; History, Society and Culture 2: American History and Society; History, Society and Culture 3: Media and Culture on the Bachelor’s degree programme in English; and Politics and Culture for Business and Global Englishes on the Bachelor’s degree programme in international business communication in English.

Applicants are asked to specify in their application which courses they can teach. The successful applicant will also be expected to implement innovative teaching methods.
The successful applicant will be expected to develop supervisory competences at both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels.

The successful applicant must complete Aarhus University’s teacher-training programme for assistant professors, designed for university teaching.

Knowledge exchange

The successful applicant will be expected to engage in knowledge exchange, including research collaboration with private companies, government consultancy, collaboration with civil society and public dissemination of knowledge. Applicants are therefore encouraged to outline how they intend to generate and demonstrate research impact in these or related areas.

The successful applicant will have excellent opportunities to collaborate on initiatives with partners both within and beyond Aarhus University.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent qualifications in a field relevant to intercultural studies, as well as teaching and research experience equivalent to that gained through a PhD. Applicants must be able to document the following, relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile within intercultural studies, documented by a PhD dissertation and/or research publications
• relevant teaching experience at university level, including the use of innovative teaching methods, documented in a teaching portfolio.

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

• a track record of research publications of a high international standard, commensurate with the length of the applicant’s academic career
• an outstanding and innovative doctoral dissertation in an area relevant to the position

• participation in national and international research networks
• time spent working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions.

Finally, applicants are asked to provide a research plan (no more than five pages in total) that includes a presentation of their existing research and profile; a research plan for the next three years; their strategy and vision for contributing to future developments within the field; previous experience of research collaboration and participation in international networks; and a proposed funding application.

Please note that although the application process can be completed in the Aarhus University system without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include uploaded publications (a maximum of two) and a teaching portfolio (or equivalent documentation of teaching experience and qualifications) will not be considered.
Although the Aarhus University application system allows the upload of letters of recommendation, applicants are asked not to include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.

Tenure review and the tenure-track assistant professorship

To obtain tenure, the tenure-track assistant professor must be assessed as qualified for an associate professorship no later than during the final six months of employment or, at the request of the tenure-track assistant professor, at an earlier stage within the first four years of employment. The assessment is based on the fulfilment of the qualification requirements for associate professorships and the criteria stated in the original advertisement. If the assessment is positive, the tenure-track assistant professor will be offered a tenured position as an associate professor at Aarhus University. The tenure-track assistant professor must have contributed actively to the department’s academic and research environment.

At the time of the tenure review for the position of associate professor, the tenure-track assistant professor is expected to have developed a strong research profile at a high international level. The tenure-track assistant professor is further expected to have contributed actively to collaborative research and research initiatives with local, national and/or international researchers in the field. This includes participation in securing research funding from external funding bodies and having spent a period of research at one or more recognised research institutions.

At the time of tenure review for the position of tenured associate professor, the tenure-track assistant professor must demonstrate the ability to undertake teaching tasks independently at all levels within their core subject area and demonstrate breadth in their teaching competences at all levels, including supervision. They must have taught three to four courses per year, depending on the nature of the specific courses; engaged in supervision activities, such as thesis supervision at Bachelor’s and/or Master’s level; and conducted examinations. The tenure-track assistant professor is also expected to have participated in curriculum development. Finally, the tenure-track assistant professor must have completed the university’s teacher-training programme for assistant professors prior to tenure review.

Work environment

Active participation in the department’s daily life is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of strong working relationships among colleagues and with our students. To maintain and further develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to maintain a regular and active presence in the department.

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 proficiency in Danish sufficient to manage 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, reading work-related texts and taking part in meetings and collegial gatherings in Danish.

The department

The place of employment is the Department of English, Jens Chr. Skous Vej 4, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Prospective applicants are invited to view the department’s website.

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 Peter Mortensen, Head of the Department of English, by email: engpm@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.

 

• 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 Finance 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, a research plan, copies of degree certificates and examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than two examples). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.

About Arts

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 37,000 students (FTEs) and 8.700 employees and has an annual revenue of EUR 1.106 billion. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/