The Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Copenhagen University (UCPH), Denmark, invites applicants for a tenure-track assistant professorship in History and society in the modern Middle East under the study programme “Middle Eastern language and society” to be filled by September 1st 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Job content

A tenure-track assistant professorship is a six-year, fixed-term academic position involving both research and teaching. The successful candidate post will be obliged to complete a teacher-training course designed especially for assistant professors and will be expected to be able to take part in all the activities of the Department, including examinations and administration.

Approximately six months before the end of the six-year period as assistant professor, a committee set up by the Dean will assess whether the assistant professor can be considered for promotion to a tenured position as associate professor. 

Read more about the tenure-track program at the UCPH at this homepage: https://employment.ku.dk/tenure-track/tenure-track-at-ucph/.

Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies works with languages, cultures, religion and society, primarily in the world outside Western Europe and the US. Cross-cultural competences and knowledge of the complexity of the world are of vital importance in the globalized world - politically, economically, and culturally.

The Middle East section is an area studies based section consisting of four language disciplines, Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish combined in one study programme in which both language courses and content courses in the Arabic speaking countries, Iran, Israel and Turkish are offered.

Qualification requirements

Appointment as an assistant professor requires research qualifications corresponding at least to what can be achieved through satisfactorily completed PhD degree programme within the subject area.

The successful applicant is expected to teach and conduct research in the field of modern Middle Eastern history and the dynamics that characterize the developments of the regional societies. She or he must have a command of the Arabic language. Insight into classical Arabic history will be an advantage.

Teaching and supervision will cover both BA and MA levels. The successful applicant must be capable of undertaking research, teaching, supervision, communication and administration in relation to the subject, and, when necessary, provide academic input in other study programmes. Note especially that the applicant must be able to teach common courses in the Middle Eastern study programme.   

The applicant is also expected to teach or co-teach courses with colleagues in one or more of the department’s general and cross-cultural courses to establish co-operation with one or more of the department’s other areas of studies.

The applicant is expected to provide a statement of his/her academic and pedagogical approaches to university teaching.

Applicants are encouraged to read the University guidelines for teaching portfolio when appointing staff at the UCPH https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/job-application-portfolio/

The duties of the position are evenly distributed on tasks related to teaching and tasks related to research (including relevant administration and knowledge-sharing). Documented competences in both of these main fields of activity, as well as the ability to reflect on them, will be weighted in the assessment process (see further below).

Furthermore, emphasis will be placed on the following academic and personal qualifications:

• Research qualifications, which will be assessed in relation to the period of active research, the degree of originality, and academic output, e.g. number of publications published in internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journals or in comparable high-ranking series published with internationally recognized publishing houses. 
• The applicant’s scientific record, academic breadth and depth, rigour, thoroughness, and accuracy.  
• Research qualifications, which will be assessed in relation to the period of active research, the degree of originality, and academic output, e.g. number of publications published in internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journals or in comparable high-ranking series published with internationally recognized publishing houses.
• The applicant’s scientific record, academic breadth and depth, rigour, thoroughness and accuracy
• Teaching qualifications: Read more about our Educational Charter at https://www.humanities.ku.dk/about/vision_and_goals/educational_charter/ and Pedagogic Basis and Guidelines at https://uddannelseskvalitet.ku.dk/quality-assurance-of-study-programmes/university-guidelines/pedagogic-basis-and-guidelines/
• Experience and qualifications with regard to dissemination of research, knowledge-sharing and engagement with the wider public, the media and the world of politics
• Documentation of possible administrative qualifications

Tenure-track assistant professors must hold an academic record demonstrating internationally competitive research, and/or have internationally recognized potential to make a future impact.

Assessment of applicants will primarily consider their level of documented, internationally competitive research. Teaching qualifications are not mandatory, but documented teaching qualifications and teaching experience will be taken into account. Applicants’ outreach qualifications, including the ability to attract external funding, will also be considered.

Within a reasonable period of time (max. 2 years), non-Danish-speaking appointees are expected to acquire proficiency in Danish sufficient to be able to interact with colleagues and students.

For further details about the qualification requirements for assistant professorships, please read the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2019 here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit/dokumenter/Ministerial_Order_no._1443_of_11_December_2019_on_Job_Structure_for_Academic_Staff_at_Universities.pdf

Six overall criteria apply for assistant 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: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit/

You can read more about the criteria for recognising merit for assistant professors here: 

https://jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabelige-stillinger/kriterier-for-videnskabeligestillinger/

dokumenter-til-meritering/5a_Criteria_for_recognising_merit_-Assistant_professors.pdf

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

Application 

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

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

• Application letter/cover letter
• Curriculum vitae (with the applicant’s email address, telephone number and list of referees (maximum five names))
• 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).
• Publications. Applicants may choose a maximum of five publications for assessment, of which at least two must have been published within the five years immediately preceding the deadline for applications. At least two of these publications must have been published in internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journals or in comparable high-ranking series published with internationally recognized publishing houses. Publication dates must be clearly marked on the publication list. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments and listed 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 material in English, German, French, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish will be assessed.

Appointment procedure 

After the application deadline, the Head of the Department selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointment Committee. All applicants are then immediately 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 211-0080/20-2N #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 34,654.76 (EUR 4,919.83) per month + a 17,1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) have further agreed on a protocol that makes it possible for international researchers employed by the University to achieve a pension exemption, whereby the pension contribution will be paid out as salary. For more information about the different pension schemes, please read more here: https://ism.ku.dk/salary-tax-pension/pension/

A special tax scheme is offered to researchers recruited abroad, read more at this homepage: https://ism.ku.dk/salary-tax-pension/tax/

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 here: https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB, https://www.workindenmark.dk/ and https://ism.ku.dk

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

The closing date for applications is the 21st of January 2021, 23:59 CET.

Applications or supplementary material received thereafter will not be considered.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.