Assistant Professor in International Business Communication in English

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of assistant professor in international business communication in English, based at the Department of English.

The assistant professorship is a full-time, three-year fixed-term position. Subject to funding availability, the successful applicant may apply for an associate professorship.

The position will commence on 1 December 2026 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

The Department of English is one of the largest and most diverse departments within the Faculty of Arts, with researchers and lecturers from around the world. The department’s research covers international business communication, English as a global language for international business, strategic communication, linguistics, literature, and social, historical, and media studies.

The position includes research, teaching, supervision, talent development, and knowledge exchange in the areas of international business communication in English and/or strategic communication.

In summary, we seek an innovative and dedicated applicant who will strengthen the department’s research and teaching reputation both nationally and internationally, and contribute to Aarhus University’s core activities in research, teaching and supervision, talent development, and knowledge exchange.

Research

The Department of English at Aarhus University has a strong international profile and a well-established research network that explores various aspects of the English‑speaking world, with ongoing research in linguistics, literature, history, society, media studies and international business communication.

We are looking for an applicant who will pursue research in international business communication in English and/or strategic communication, with a particular focus on the role and function of communication in and around organisations in the context of changing societal conditions such as digitalisation/AI, sustainability and ethics, and who will publish internationally within these fields.

The successful applicant will be expected to contribute to the development of research within the fields of strategic communication and/or international business communication in English, to publish original peer-reviewed research internationally and to make scholarly contributions to developments in the field. The successful applicant will also be expected to engage with the research community at the department, school and faculty by participating in collaborative research projects with internal and external partners and contributing to applications for external research funding.

Teaching and supervision

The successful applicant will be expected to teach on the department’s current Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, particularly the Bachelor’s degree programme in international business communication in English and the Master’s degree programme in international business communication in English. In addition, the successful applicant may be expected to teach on the supplementary subject in strategic communication in organisations. As all programmes are currently undergoing substantial revision, the successful applicant will also be expected to teach new and revised courses within the fields of international business communication in English and/or strategic communication. The language of instruction is English.

Applicants are asked to specify in their application which courses in the current programmes they are qualified to teach and to explain how their expertise aligns with each course.

In collaboration with colleagues, the successful applicant will also be expected to employ innovative teaching methods to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. The successful applicant should be comfortable with case-based teaching and interested in fostering collaboration with private and public enterprises, public institutions, and organisations at local, national and international level to facilitate projects and internships.

The successful applicant will be expected to develop supervision competences at both BA and MA levels.

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

Knowledge exchange

The successful applicant will be expected to engage in knowledge exchange – for instance through collaboration with public and private organisations, professional networks and conference interpreting institutions – and the public dissemination of knowledge related to language, communication and interpreting. 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 engage in collaborative initiatives with partners inside and outside Aarhus University. Applicants are asked to briefly indicate in their application how they would approach this aspect of the position.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD degree or document equivalent qualifications in a relevant field related to international business communication in English and/or strategic communication, and must have teaching and research experience commensurate with that attained through a PhD programme. Applicants must be able to document the following, relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile within strategic communication and/or international business communication in English, as demonstrated by a PhD dissertation and/or research publications

• relevant teaching experience at university level, including innovative teaching methods, as 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
• experience of participation in national and international research networks
• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions
• research collaboration with private companies, government bodies or civil society within the fields of international business communication in English and/or strategic communication.

Finally, applicants are asked to provide a research plan for the next three years, as well as a strategy or vision for their contribution to future developments within the field, including plans for publications, funding applications and collaborations with external partners.

Please note that although the application process can be completed in the Aarhus University application system without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include uploaded publications (maximum two) 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, applicants are asked not to 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 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 develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to maintain a regular, active presence within 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 handle 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 participating 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 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/