Associate Professorship in Educational Organisation and Management (based in either Copenhagen or Aarhus)

The Danish School of Education (DPU) at the Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University, invites applications for an associate professorship in educational organisation and management with a focus on leadership, change and learning in both public and private sector organisations. 

The associate professorship is a permanent position and will begin on 1 January 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is based at DPU at either Aarhus Campus or Emdrup Campus in Copenhagen (see the description of DPU below).

The selected applicant will join the Department of Education Studies and is expected to take an active part in the daily activities of the department, including teaching and supervision. As the department is located in both Aarhus and Copenhagen, some travel between the two campuses should be expected.

The position
The selected applicant for the associate professorship will complement and contribute to the ongoing development of research and teaching in the field of educational organisation and management. The teaching will primarily take place within the Master’s degree programme in education science and the professional Master’s degree programme in educational leadership.

Research
We are looking for a candidate with a research profile in educational organisation and management, preferably with a focus on how leadership, change and learning take place in private sector organisations. The candidate’s research should fall within one or more of the following areas:

• Management and leadership
• Organisational change and development
• Human learning and development processes from an organisational perspective.

The selected applicant for the associate professorship is expected to document a research output at an international level, along with scholarly contributions to theoretical, methodological and thematic developments within the field of organisation and management.

The selected applicant will also be expected to contribute to research initiatives within the field of educational organisation and management, as well as to the broader research community at DPU. This includes developing new research projects in collaboration with internal and external partners and attracting external research funding. 

Applicants are furthermore asked to outline their visions and plans for future developments within the field. 

Teaching
The selected applicant will be expected to have experience of, or a strong interest in, teaching at university level, and should be prepared to teach and supervise across all levels of the degree programme (Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD) in education science and on DPU’s professional Master’s degree programmes. 

In addition, the selected applicant will be expected to contribute to the revision of the Master’s degree programme in education science. Therefore, experience or interest in educational development will be considered an advantage. 

Talent development
The associate professor will be expected to contribute to talent development within the field of organisation and management. This includes supervising PhD students and teaching and developing PhD courses.

Knowledge exchange
The selected applicant will be expected to engage in knowledge exchange, as outlined in the strategy for the Faculty of Arts. This may include research collaboration with private companies, government consultancy, collaboration with civil society actors or the public dissemination of knowledge. Applicants should document any previous experience with knowledge exchange as part of their application.

Qualifications
The selected applicant for the associate professorship must hold a PhD or equivalent qualification in organisation and management, along with research and teaching experience equivalent to that gained in an assistant professorship. The applicant must also be able to document the following:

• A research profile that bridges educational perspectives or concepts with organisation and management, preferably in relation to the private sector
• An internationally oriented research profile
• A recognised and relevant international publication record
• Participation in collaborative research projects
• Teaching experience in areas relevant to organisation and management, and proficiency in academic English for teaching purposes
• Proficiency in languages relevant to the area of research
• Participation in national and international academic networks
• Experience of interdisciplinary collaboration
• Experience of attracting external research funding
• Experience of supervising student projects and an interest in researcher talent development.

The applicant must be able to teach and publish in English. If the selected applicant does not speak Danish, they will be expected to acquire sufficient proficiency in the language within approximately two years.
The selected applicant will also be expected to contribute to the department’s academic environment. We place great emphasis on maintaining good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students.

For further information about the position, please contact the Head of the Department of Education Studies, Miriam Madsen, by email: mirm@edu.au.dk or tel.: + 45 2084 2672.

Read about the Department of Education Studies here.

The application must be submitted in English.

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.  

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: http://international.au.dk/research/ 

An appointee who does not speak Danish will be required to acquire proficiency in Danish equivalent to level B2 (CEFR) in order to handle tasks, including administrative and managerial responsibilities, and to participate fully in the activities of the Danish School of Education within approximately three years of commencing the appointment. These include, but are not limited to, teaching and examining students, reading work-related texts and participating in meetings and collegial gatherings in Danish. 

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/