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 Ph D 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 Ph D students and participating in the development and implementation of Ph D 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 Ph D 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 Ph D degree. Applicants must be able to document, relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile as documented by a Ph D 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 Ph D 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.

Finally, applicants (for both the assistant and the associate professorship) are asked to provide a research plan for the next three years as well as stating how they see themselves and the department contributing to future research developments within the field, including plans for publication, funding applications and collaborations with external partners.

Please note that although the application process can be completed on the Aarhus University system without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include uploaded publications (maximum five for the assistant professorship and eight for the associate professorship) as well as a teaching portfolio (or equivalent documentation of teaching experience and qualifications) will not be considered.

Although the Aarhus University application system includes an option to upload letters of recommendation, please do not include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.Tenure review and the tenure-track assistant professorship
To become tenured, the tenure-track assistant professor must be assessed as qualified for an associate professorship during the last six months of the final year of employment at the latest or, if the tenure-track assistant professor requests it, at an earlier time within the first four years of employment. The assessment is based on the tenure-track assistant professor’s fulfilment of the qualification requirements that apply to associate professorships and the criteria stated in the original advertisement. If the assessment is positive, the tenure-track assistant professor will be offered a tenured position as an associate professor at Aarhus University.

At the time of tenure review for the position of associate professor, the tenure-track assistant professor is expected to have developed a strong research profile at a high international level and published the equivalent of at least two peer-reviewed scholarly articles per year. The tenure-track assistant professor is further expected to have contributed actively to collaborative research and research initiatives with other local, national and/or international researchers in the field. This includes having participated in attracting research funding from external funding bodies and having spent a period of research at one or more recognised research institutions.

At the time of tenure review for the position of associate professor, the tenure-track assistant professor must document the ability to undertake teaching tasks independently at all levels within their own core subject area and document the breadth of their teaching competences at all levels including supervision: they must have taught three to four courses a year, depending on the nature of the specific courses; they must have engaged in supervision activities such as thesis supervision at Bachelor’s and/or Master’s level; and they must have conducted exams. The tenure-track assistant professor is also expected to have participated in curriculum development and to have contributed actively to the academic and research environment of the department. Lastly, the tenure-track assistant professor must have completed the university’s teacher training programme for assistant professors prior to tenure review.Work environment
Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students.

To maintain and develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to be present at the department daily (see specification below).

We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment in which that balance can be maintained.International applicants
International applicants are encouraged to read about 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 wide variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and an AU Expat Partner Programme. You can also find information about the taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.

The successful applicant should be able to speak Danish – or another Scandinavian language – on a level sufficient to manage tasks, including administrative and managerial responsibilities, and to participate fully in the activities of the School of Communication and Culture. These include, but are not limited to, teaching and examining students, reading work-related texts and participating in meetings and collegial gatherings in Danish.The department
The place of employment will be both Campus Herning (Birk Centerpark 15, Birk, 7400 Herning) and Campus Aarhus (Jens Chr. Skous Vej 2, 8000 Aarhus C). The successful applicant will be expected to have a strong and continuous presence at Campus Herning (app. 2-3 days a week from 2027/2028).

Prospective applicants are invited to view the department’s website.School of Communication and Culture
The school is a part of the Faculty of Arts. You will find information about the school and its research programmes, departments and diverse activities on its website.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: norph@cc.au.dk.

If you need help uploading your application or have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Arts HR support by email: hsi@au.dk.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.