Full Professorship in Political Theory

The Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), invites excellent candidates for one full professorships in Political Theory. We seek applications from candidates, who can enhance the Department’s research, education and societal impact covering both the history of political thought and contemporary political theory. 

The position is available from 1 February 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Introduction 
The Department is a top-ranked European Political Science department, which offers a vibrant, collegial and pluralist academic working environment for ambitious scholars.
The pluralism of Political Science in Copenhagen is evidenced in the various epistemological and methodological approaches as well as sub-fields adopted by faculty, as well as in a wide range of core subjects in the MSc programme. 

The Department consists of some 65 faculty, in which one fourth are internationals, as well as some 25 PhD students are organized in research groups and centres. For more on the Department, please consult our webpage: https://politicalscience.ku.dk/about/ .
The Department has some 2,100 students across its study programmes and welcomes annually approximately 200 exchange and guest students from abroad. See more on the Department’s study programmes here: https://politicalscience.ku.dk/education/ .
The Department is located on an attractive and historic campus in central Copenhagen – a city continuously voted as one of the most liveable European capitals. Located in a capital the Department has a strong tradition for engagement in policy development and impact, and in national and international public debates.
The successful candidate should represent the multifaceted and diverse field of Political Theory. Moreover, we are interested in candidates who feel at home in a pluralistic research environment that uses insights from the history of political thought and contemporary political theory to confront pressing societal and political challenges, such as ‘democracy in crisis’ as well as climate change, leading to distrust and disillusion, crisis of legitimacy and representation, political polarization and citizen activism, and so on. 

Research and teaching in the Department are methodologically and theoretically diverse. Our ideal candidate combines qualifications to teach both the introduction to the history of political thought at the BA-level and in our Specialization in Political Theory at the MA level, which focuses on contemporary political theory as well as advising bachelor projects and master thesis. We look for a candidate, who is able and willing to engage in intellectual exchanges across various theories and topics within the discipline. Furthermore, the successful candidate is expected to teach and supervise within the Department’s educational programmes (see below) within Political Theory or related fields, and to take active part in the Political Theory Research Group.

Duties and Responsibilities 
Duties and responsibilities of the post include contributing to the scholarship and intellectual life of the University by conducting world-class research and teaching. A full professor also has administrative responsibilities and is expected to develop the field in synergy with other fields, develop and lead external research grant applications, as well as exercise academic leadership. 

General duties attached to the position as Full Professor are:
•    Outstanding research within the area of Political Theory in one of more of the areas described above
•    High Quality teaching, supervision and examination of undergraduate, graduate and PhD students
•    Administrative tasks related to the position of Full Professor
•    Knowledge exchange with broader society (societal impact)
•    Research and teaching management
•    Active contribution to the social and intellectual life of the Department
•    Project acquisition of external funding

Your Competencies and Opportunities
In order to be assessed qualified for a professor position at the University of Copenhagen, the candidate must meet the University’s criteria of academic merit. 

We expect candidates to present a clear, well-developed and viable strategy for future outstanding research that will result in further world-leading publications, external research funding as well as a commitment to innovate teaching. In addition, we expect candidates at Full Professor level to engage in inter-faculty cooperation and initiatives (e.g. continuing and professional education) within the Faculty of Social Sciences and beyond.

Applicants for a Full Professorship must be able to document a very high degree of original scholarly production at international level and have a highly recognised international reputation. 

To qualify as Full Professor at the University of Copenhagen, candidates must meet the academic criteria for professor appointments. The assessment is based on the candidate’s fulfilment of these criteria guided by the specific requirements stated in the job advertisement and the material submitted by the applicant. 

The assessment committee will give a written overall assessment, covering the six main criteria areas. The criteria will be viewed as a framework for an overall assessment of whether the candidate is qualified for the position in relation to the job advertisement rather than as absolute criteria, which the applicant must meet in each case. 

Research
Professors are internationally recognised researchers in their fields of expertise. Their research is influential and contributes to the development of their own subject area as well as more broadly.

•    An excellent research profile with leading international expertise in the subject area
•    An articulated vision and strategy for their subject area, also covering ties to adjacent areas
•    Significant influence on the subject area via many peer-reviewed publications across recognised journals and/or books or anthologies
•    Significant research impact through high research quality and/or many citations in recognised journals and/or books or anthologies
•    Participation in national and international scientific networks and conferences, including invitations to present research

Teaching
Professors provide research-based teaching of the highest quality in one or more disciplines and contribute to developing, organising and evaluating courses on all levels.

•    Extensive teaching experience, including examination work and acting as opponent of PhD thesis or doctoral thesis
•    Experience of supervising bachelor students, master's degree students, PhD students and/or postdocs
•    A teaching portfolio that documents teaching experience and reflections on teaching skills
•    Ongoing development of pedagogical and didactic skills, including own and others’ practice in relation to teaching and supervision
•    Interest in including feedback from colleagues, students and others in the development of own teaching as well as mentoring of colleagues with the aim of developing their teaching practice

Societal impact
Professors interact with external partners and seek out new collaborations, communicate and generate knowledge that greatly benefits societal developments, e.g. by influencing the public debate within their field of research.

•    Considerable experience of communicating research to relevant stakeholders, including students
•    Frequent contributions to popular science communication
•    Strategic collaboration with private and/or public organisations and a significant network of external stakeholders 

Organisational contribution
Professors take responsibility for developing an active academic environment, sit on assessment committees, councils, boards and committees at UCPH and contribute to enhancing the University’s brand.

•    Membership of the department's formal forums, working groups and assessment committees and interest in joining councils, boards and committees at UCPH.
•    A collegiate spirit and commitment to collaboration as well as strong relationship and conflict resolution skills
•    Development and management of interdisciplinary collaborations

External funding
Professors initiate grant application activities regarding research funds and obtain and manage funds.
Experience of applying for, obtaining and managing research funds

Leadership
Professors develop the subject area in synergy with other subject areas and exercise academic leadership, including the development of and delegation of responsibilities to junior researchers.

•    Experience of developing own academic leadership skills
•    Experience of academic leadership tasks, e.g. research, course or programme management
•    Responsibility for and contribution to well-being, collaboration, equal treatment, diversity and a good working environment

Strategy of the Faculty of the Social Sciences
The Department of Political Science is part of the Faculty of the Social Sciences. The Faculty is a successful academic community that strives to put knowledge into action by:

•    Engaging partners in the co-creation of knowledge, learning and social change.
•    Empowering our students to become reflective and responsible citizens who have the vision, the knowledge and the competences to change society for the better.
•    Energising global, European and Danish communities of knowledge by innovating research methodologies and by research findings with impact 

For more on the Faculty strategy, see: https://samf.ku.dk/fakultetet/strategi/ . You can read the Department’s strategy here: https://polsci.ku.dk/bilag/StrategiFinalVersion.pdf .

Terms of Employment
•    Employment with the Faculty of Social Sciences and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit. We do this by applying academic criteria of the University of Copenhagen which are related to the duties and conditions of each particular post and the needs          of the Department concerned.
•    The position is permanent, and therefore we strongly encourage the appointed professor to acquire the proficiency in Danish required to teach and interact with colleagues in that language in 3-6 years. The Department will provide and pay for the necessary language training
•    Further information on qualification requirements as professor can be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish 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
•    Terms of appointment and salary is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
•    The salary is DKK 52,500 per month + a 17.1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis. 

The recruitment process
Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

An Equal Opportunity Workplace
The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see https://employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/

International applicant?
The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: https://ism.ku.dk/ 

Contact information
Information about the recruitment process is available from HR, e-mail: [email protected] , please refer to ID number: 211-0126/21-2K.
Additional information about the position can be obtained from the Head of Department Nina Græger, e-mail: [email protected] , phone +45-35337662.

How to Apply
Submit a complete application at our online portal by clicking on the “Apply now” below.
Your application must be written in English and include the following documents:
•    Motivated application
•    Curriculum vitae
•    Certificates and Diplomas
•    Publications. The 10 most important publications, of which at least three must have been published within the five years immediately preceding the deadline for application. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments and named from 1 to 10.
•    Publication list. A complete list of all publications with clearly marked publication dates. The uploaded publications must be marked with * on the list to be assessed.
•    Teaching portfolio. Documentation of teaching qualifications in accordance with the University guidelines for teaching portfolios when appointing academic staff at the University of Copenhagen
•    Documentation of ability to disseminate information. Documentation of the ability to disseminate information to and share knowledge with society.

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

The closing date for applications is 15 October 2021, 23:59, [CET].

Applications or enclosures 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.