Tenure-track Assistant Professor or Tenured Associate Professor of the Experience Economy

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of tenure-track assistant professor or tenured associate professor of the experience economy based at the Department of Scandinavian Studies and Experience Economy.

The tenure-track assistant professorship begins with a full-time appointment as assistant professor with a view to permanent employment as tenured associate professor within three to five years. See ‘Tenure review and the tenure-track assistant professorship’ below for information about attaining tenure.

The associate professorship is full time and tenured.

Applicants must apply for either a tenure-track assistant professorship or a tenured associate professorship.

The appointment begins on 1 May 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.

The position
We are looking for an innovative and dedicated applicant who will contribute to Aarhus University’s core activities in the areas of research, teaching and supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange. The assistant/associate professorship is affiliated with the Department of Scandinavian Studies and Experience Economy, specifically the section of the department responsible for research and teaching in the experience economy.

In connection with the planned relocation of the Master’s degree programme in the experience economy to Campus Herning, Aarhus University is looking for an applicant with a strong research profile in the experience economy or adjacent fields and a current or potential ability to develop both research and degree programmes based on collaboration with external partners and industries as well as entrepreneurs, communities and citizen-based associations in the Herning area. A key task of the position is to play a central role – together with a small team of colleagues – in the relocation to Campus Herning and the academic development of the programme that the relocation requires. Teaching activities in Herning are expected to begin in 2027 or 2028.

Research
The Master’s degree programme in the experience economy at Aarhus University is an interdisciplinary and cross-faculty (ARTS and BSS) programme that attracts students from across the country. Throughout its existence, it has been characterised by close contact with relevant local partners in its efforts to teach students to have an entrepreneurial mindset and to design for locality within the broader field of the experience economy. The programme targets both creative and cultural industries and sectors, but also works with experiences to foster value-creation, creativity and innovation in companies and organisations, municipalities, education facilities and citizen-based initiatives. Furthermore, it is a major aim of the programme to teach students to map problems, create assemblages of stakeholders and lead processes to a desired or – from a societal or planetary level – necessary change. We aim to preserve and further develop these qualities of the programme in relation to the Mid-Jutland region, known for its diverse business environment with many small and medium-sized enterprises, a rich cultural heritage and a tradition for handling large-scale cultural and commercial events.

We are looking for an applicant with a strong research profile in the experience economy or adjacent fields (for example sociology, cultural and creative industries, entrepreneurship, business and management, media and cultural studies, aesthetics, design, communication, cultural geography, anthropology) and with the ability to develop research based on external collaborations with multiple stakeholders, for instance local partners in the Mid-Jutland region. The successful applicant will be expected to develop the field of the experience economy as an academic discipline, to publish original peer-reviewed research internationally and to contribute to new collaborative and externally funded research projects.

Teaching and supervision
We are looking for applicants with teaching and supervision experience in the field of the experience economy or adjacent fields at university level. The Master’s degree programme in the experience economy is inherently interdisciplinary, encompassing elements from both the humanities and the social sciences. The programme is also characterised by a strong pedagogical tradition of practice-oriented teaching and intervention in various local contexts. We aim to further develop this tradition in the new setting of Campus Herning, which houses a range of programmes that could serve as potential collaborators. It is thus important that the successful applicant is willing to engage with a range of different stakeholders in developing the Master’s degree programme in the experience economy in its new setting.

The successful applicant will be expected to take part in the department’s teaching and supervision activities and to teach and supervise on the department’s Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD degree programmes, particularly in the degree programme in the experience economy. Please indicate in your application which courses you could teach. The successful applicant will also be expected to invent and apply innovative and practice-oriented teaching methods and to contribute to the ongoing development of curricula and the degree programme(s) within the field of the experience economy.

Given the international focus of the degree programmes, the successful applicant will be expected to teach in English as well as Danish.

Persons appointed to the position of tenure-track assistant professor must complete Aarhus University’s University Pedagogical Programme for assistant professors.

Persons appointed to the position of associate professor will be expected to supervise and help develop the careers of early-career researchers as well as recruiting and supervising PhD students and participating in the development and implementation of PhD courses within the field.

Knowledge exchange and external collaboration
It is expected that the successful applicant will engage in knowledge exchange, for instance in terms of research collaboration with private companies, government consultancy, collaboration with civil society, particularly in the Mid-Jutland region, and the public dissemination of knowledge. The ability to create and maintain good, trusting relationships both internally and externally is crucial for this position. Strong communication skills in relation to various partners are therefore important.Qualifications

Tenure-track assistant professor
Applicants for the position of tenure-track assistant professor must have a PhD degree or must document equivalent qualifications in a relevant field related to the experience economy (for example sociology, cultural and creative industries, business and management, media and cultural studies, aesthetics, design, communication, geography, anthropology) as well as teaching and research experience commensurate with that attained through a PhD degree. Applicants must be able to document, relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile as documented by a PhD dissertation and/or peer-reviewed research publications within the experience economy or adjacent fields
• teaching experience at university level in areas relevant to the experience economy documented through a teaching portfolio.

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document:

• experience of participation in national and international research networks
• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions
• experience of knowledge exchange with the public
• collaboration with external partners in relation to teaching and/or research activities.

Tenured associate professor
Applicants for the position of tenured associate professor must have a PhD degree or must document equivalent qualifications in a relevant field related to the experience economy (for example sociology, cultural and creative industries, business and management, media and cultural studies, aesthetics, design, communication, geography, anthropology) as well as teaching and research experience commensurate with that attained through an assistant professorship.

Applicants must be able to document, relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile as documented by a strong international peer-reviewed research publication record within the experience economy or adjacent fields
• experience of participation in international research projects as well as national and international research networks
• experience of knowledge exchange and external/industry collaboration in relation to research and/or teaching
• teaching and supervision competences and experience at Bachelor’s and Master’s level, including curriculum development documented through a teaching portfolio
• completion of a teacher-training programme designed for university teaching or an equivalent qualification.

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document:

• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions
• experience of applying for external research funding
• experience of developing teaching (courses and programmes) in close collaboration with external/industry partners.

Contact
For further information about the position, please contact Pernille Hermann, Head of the Department of Scandinavian Studies and Experience Economy, by tel.: +45 8716 3142 or by email: [email protected].

If you need help uploading your application or have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Arts HR support by email: [email protected].

Apply for the positions here
If you want to apply for the position as Tenure-track Assistant Professor of the Experience Economy please apply online HERE.

If you want to apply for the position as Tenured Associate Professor of the Experience Economy please apply online HERE.

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 eight 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

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners: http://ias.au.dk/au-relocation-service/. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here: http://international.au.dk/research/