Professorships at the Danish School of Education

Aarhus Universitet

The Danish School of Education (DPU) at the Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University, invites applications for two or more professorships. The appointments are permanent, full-time positions in pedagogy and educational sciences.

DPU welcomes applications from candidates with a strong research profile in empirical school research and/or empirical research in further education. Applicants should have expertise in one or more of the following areas: education and democracy, sustainability and diversity, digital technologies in education, school exclusion and vulnerability, special education and learning, professional formation and development, preschool teacher education and/or primary and lower secondary teacher education, general didactics, curriculum renewal and reform, literacy and/or subject-specific didactics related to Danish.

The selected applicants will be employed in one of DPU’s four departments (see the description of DPU below).

The professorships are permanent positions, commencing on 1 august 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The positions are based at DPU at either the Aarhus Campus or the Emdrup Campus (see the description of DPU below). The selected applicants are expected to take an active part in the daily life of the relevant department, including teaching and supervision. As DPU is located in both Aarhus and Copenhagen, the selected applicants should expect some travel between the campuses.

The position
The selected applicants are expected to contribute to Aarhus University’s core activities in the areas of research, education, talent development and knowledge exchange, and to provide academic leadership in relation to research, education and academic development.

Applicants must demonstrate theoretical and empirical excellence in the relevant field(s), as evidenced by their publication record. Documented success in obtaining external research funding and experience in managing research projects are required, as is evidence of the ability to establish and maintain international research collaborations. The selected applicants are also expected to have substantial experience in supervising and supporting early-career scholars, disseminating knowledge to the wider Danish public, and teaching on and developing DPU’s BA, MA and PhD programmes.

Research
The selected applicants for the professorships must document a record of scholarly output at the highest international level, as well as original contributions to theoretical, methodological and empirical developments within the relevant field(s). Applicants are asked to outline their vision for future developments in the field and to document a strong track record of research leadership, as well as experience with international research funding and collaboration.

Further information about current research at DPU is available here: https://dpu.au.dk/en/research

Teaching
The selected applicants are expected to have substantial experience of teaching at university level and should be prepared to teach and supervise at all levels of DPU’s degree programmes (BA, MA and PhD) as well as on DPU’s cross-departmental Master’s degree programmes. The selected applicants are also expected to play a leading role in the development of new degree programmes and teaching initiatives within the relevant field(s) of inquiry.

Talent development
The department seeks to attract and nurture high-quality PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. The selected applicants will demonstrate well-documented qualifications in supervision and research management, including experience in recruiting early-career researchers and in mentoring and supporting their career development (PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and assistant professors). The selected applicants will also be expected to contribute to the development and teaching of PhD courses.

Knowledge exchange
DPU is committed to knowledge exchange and collaboration with non-academic stakeholders. The selected applicants will take a leading role in developing such collaboration and in demonstrating a proactive approach towards potential users of research and knowledge. This may include research collaboration with private companies, government consultancy, collaboration with civil society partners or public dissemination of knowledge through various media.

Qualifications
Applicants must be able to document:

• original academic publications at the highest international level, demonstrating excellence in research
• experience of active participation in international research collaboration
• success in attracting external funding and experience in administering collaborative research projects, and/or well-developed plans for developing externally funded projects
• excellence in teaching and supervision at BA, MA and PhD levels, including contributions to teaching innovation.

Applicants must provide a vision for the development of research and research training in their field or sub-field. This should include a research plan for the next five years, demonstrating how the applicants will consolidate, develop and/or expand existing research specialisations within the department. As the department aims to expand its external research funding, applicants are invited to include proposals outlining how this might be achieved.

The selected applicants must be able to teach and publish in English and are expected to contribute to the academic environment of both the relevant department and the school. If the selected applicants do not speak Danish, they will be required to learn Danish within approximately two years. We emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. Therefore, it is of vital importance that the selected applicants participate actively in the daily activities of DPU, including research and teaching communities, and contribute to the work of management and/or organisational boards (such as the central board of studies, degree programme boards and various local management positions).

Further information
For further information about the position, please contact the Head of the School, Claus Holm by email: Institutleder-DPU@edu.au.dk.

The application must be submitted in English.  

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 to handle tasks, including administrative and managerial responsibilities, and to participate fully in the activities of the Danish School of Education within approximately two 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. 

About the Danish School of Education
The Danish School of Education (DPU) is one of the three schools at the Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University.

Across its two locations at Campus Emdrup in Copenhagen and Nobel Park in Aarhus, DPU is home to approximately 200 academic and administrative staff, as well as roughly 80 PhD students.

Our degree programmes
The Danish School of Education currently offers a Bachelor’s degree programme in educational science and ten Master’s degree programmes in a range of educational and pedagogical disciplines, as well as six professional Master’s degree programmes that can also be studied as single-subject courses.

Approximately 2,000 students are enrolled in the school’s Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, of these is approximately 250 students enrolled in professional Master’s degree programmes.

Many of these degree programmes are offered at DPU’s locations in both Copenhagen and Aarhus, with students fairly evenly divided between the two campuses.

Our research
The Danish School of Education is Denmark's largest university environment for basic and applied research in pedagogy and education.

The school is home to strong research environments within educational sciences, subject didactics, general education, educational psychology, educational anthropology, educational sociology and educational philosophy, in addition, we conduct interdisciplinary research aimed at specific educational fields of inquiry.

DPU promotes public awareness of research in education and pedagogy through extensive dissemination activities with the aim of providing society with a rich and robust knowledge base.
 
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 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, research plan, 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

About Arts
The Faculty of Arts is one of Northern Europe’s most significant faculties for research and higher education in the humanities, theology and education. Within this broad academic scope, the faculty comprises approximately 700 researchers, 200 PhD students, 9,000 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students, and 1,500 further and continuing education students. We believe that the best ideas arise when different perspectives meet – and that research, teaching and innovation are best developed in dialogue with the surrounding society.

You can find more information here: Faculty of Arts | Aarhus University

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/

Apply

Deadline: 12 March 2026