The Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies pursues language-based area studies and engages in questions related to language, culture, religion, and society, primarily in regions beyond Western Europe and the United States. Proficiency in cross-cultural competencies and knowledge of the complexity of the world are of vital importance in the globalised world, and carry substantial significance across political, economic, and cultural spheres.

The Section of Greenlandic and Arctic Studies is a language-based area studies section focussing on Kalaallisut (Greenlandic language) and contemporary as well as historical social, cultural, political, and economic dynamics in the Arctic with a strong priority on Greenland. The BA and MA programs are run by 3,5 full-time employed teaching staff, and 5-6 students get enrolled each year.

Job content
The successful applicant is expected – often in collaboration with colleagues - to:

  • undertake original academic research related to the field of Greenlandic and Arctic Studies.
  • teach and develop courses related to both contemporary and historical social, cultural, political, and economic issues.
  • teach and supervise students in methods and theory (historical, anthropological, as well as cultural and social science approaches) relevant for the study program at all levels as well as at relevant study programs at ToRS and the Faculty of Humanities.
  • actively engage in knowledge dissemination and communication activities with both scholarly and public audiences in Denmark and in the Arctic.
  • spearhead the development of the section’s research, education, and dissemination/communication initiatives.
  • facilitate the contribution and cooperation of Greenlandic and Arctic Studies in other research communities and with external partners.
  • organize and develop the Section of Greenlandic and Arctic Studies, as well as its cooperation with other organisations and institutions (e.g. the Polar Library)
  • actively engage in and underpin the social, organizational, and academic environments at ToRS.   

Qualification requirements
In connection with the appointment of the position of associate professor, we emphasise that

the applicant has research and teaching qualifications corresponding to what can be achieved

by satisfactory employment as an assistant professor or tenure track assistant professor.

The applicant is expected to be able to take part in all the activities of the department, including examinations and administration, and to manage research projects, provide pedagogical supervision, support assistant professors, and participate in academic assessment panels. Furthermore, the applicant is expected to co-operate with other ToRS colleagues to establish cross-cutting synergy effects in teaching, research, and administration at the department.

The duties of the position are evenly distributed on tasks related to teaching and tasks related to research (including relevant administration and knowledge-sharing). Hence the assessment of applicants’ qualifications will assign equal weight to documented competences in the field of teaching, pedagogy, and didactics as in the field of research, research collaboration and research organisation. Applicants with documentation of excellent teaching skills including experience with development of teaching and with experiences and reflections on how most effectively to integrate research and teaching activities will be given priority.

Applicants are encouraged to read the University guidelines for teaching portfolio when appointing staff at the UCPH: Job application portfolio – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

In addition, emphasis will be placed on the following professional and personal qualifications:

  • high-level, internationally recognised research on Greenlandic and Arctic issues.
  • ability to relate contemporary and historical issues.
  • relations emerging from the applicant’s personal Greenlandic/Arctic research network, engagement in research communities, and collaborative partnerships with Greenlandic/Arctic communities and institutions.
  • a level of proficiency in Kalaallisut
  • familiarity with indigenous affairs.

Six overall criteria apply for associate professor appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organisational contribution, external funding, and leadership) are considered a framework for the overall assessment of candidates. Furthermore, each candidate must be assessed according to the specific requirements stated in the job advertisement.

You can read more about the criteria UCPH criteria here: Criteria for recognising merit – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Find more information for recognising merit for associate professors here:  5b_Criteria_for_recognising_merit_-Associate_professors.pdf (ku.dk)

Within a reasonable period of time (3-6 years), non-Danish-speaking appointees are expected to acquire proficiency in Danish sufficient to be able to interact with colleagues and students.

Further details about the qualification requirements for associate professor can be found in the ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2019 here: Overview (contents) (ufm.dk)

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Department Annika Hvithamar, e-mail: hvithamar@hum.ku.dk.

Application
Submit the application online in Adobe PDF or Word format.

Please note that each field in the application form must only contain a single file of max. 20Mb.

Please click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page.

The application must be written in English and must include the following:

  • Application letter/cover letter.
  • Curriculum vitae.
  • Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diploma, etc.).
  • Complete and numbered list of publications. The enclosed publications must be marked with star*.
  • Research plan, including a short description of previous research and a plan for the coming years that includes an account of involvement in organising research, establishment of research seminars, symposia, and congresses, etc.
  • Teaching portfolio. Documentation of teaching qualifications and research dissemination (organisation of classes, materials, courses and other forms of teaching) (Job application portfolio – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk))
  • Publications. Applicants may choose a maximum of five publications for assessment, of which at least three must have been published within the five years immediately preceding the deadline for applications. Publication dates must be clearly marked on the publication list. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments and named from 1 to 5.

Should any material submitted consist of work with named co-authors, or work that is otherwise the result of collective academic endeavours, the extent of the applicant’s contribution to the work must be clearly stipulated. The faculty may ask for a signed statement from the co-authors stipulating the extent and nature of each individual’s contribution.

Only publications in Kalaallisut, English, German, French, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish will be assessed.

Appointment procedure
After the application deadline, the Head of Department selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointment Committee. All applicants are notified whether their application has been accepted for assessment. The Dean subsequently appoints an expert assessment committee tasked with carrying out an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee. Applicants are ultimately offered the opportunity of commenting on the part of the assessment relating to themselves before the appointment is finalized.

Further information about the application procedure is available from HR, e-mail: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk. Please refer to ID number 211-0611/24-2E #1. 

Salary and conditions of employment
Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range starts at DKK 44,900, (EUR 6,037,) + a 17,1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

A special tax scheme is offered to researchers recruited abroad. Please see: For international researchers at the University of Copenhagen – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

If you consider applying from abroad, you may find useful information on how it is to work in Denmark and at UCPH. Find more information at: http://ism.ku.dk, New to Denmark (nyidanmark.dk) and Workindenmark

The UCPH wishes to encourage everyone interested in this post to apply, regardless of personal background.

The closing date for applications is 17 June 2024, 23:59 CEST.

Applications or supplementary material received thereafter will not be considered.

For more information please follow the link.