Professor of European Studies, with a Focus on EU Law in the Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities employs just under a thousand employees, and approximately 8,000 students study there. The faculty consists of eight departments: Philosophy; Dutch Studies; Media Studies; Arts and Culture; History, European Studies and Religious Studies; Amsterdam Center for Ancient Studies and Archaeology; Modern Foreign Languages and Cultures; and Literary Studies and Linguistics. Each department is made up of capacity groups, which consist of one or more professors and a number of employees who work in the relevant field. 

The Department of History, European Studies & Religious Studies is currently looking for a Full Professor of European Studies, with a focus on EU Law in the Humanities. 

What are you going to do? 

Context of the chair

We are looking for candidates pursuing innovative research in Law and the Humanities, with a proven track record of interdisciplinary research and teaching. The Chair’s research should contribute to academic and public debates on timely topics such as the rule of law in Europe, Next generation EU and Social Europe, reforming the EU asylum system, or the European Green Deal, combining legal perspectives with cultural, historical and political enquiry. The chair holder will be asked to develop a cogent vision of the relevance of EU Law in the Humanities and to propose an inspiring agenda that positions legal scholarship within a Humanities faculty.

Teaching

The teaching tasks of the Chair will primarily be focused in the Law Major and Minor of the BA programme in European Studies, but you will also be expected to contribute to the wider teaching of the Department at both BA and MA levels, in particular in the MA in European Policy. The Chair will also contribute to the development of new interdisciplinary courses in the BA and MA, as well as courses more directly linked to the individual research specialisation.

Research

The successful candidate will conduct research within the Amsterdam School for Regional, Transnational and European Studies (ARTES), one of the five research schools of the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research. ARTES combines Humanities, Law, and also Social Sciences to the study of Europe and other world regions. The professor is expected to provide research leadership on EU Law in the Humanities in the field of European Studies. 

Possible research themes of the Chair in European Studies with a focus on EU Law in the Humanities are: the rule of law in Europe, Next Generation EU and Social Europe, reforming the EU asylum system, or the European Green Deal. These research themes can be developed in the context of Europe and the EU, or other world regions that have relations with the EU and its legal and regulatory frameworks. The Chair will be key to building a sustainable research culture in EU Law in the Humanities in ARTES. Crucial for this is attracting external research funding, supporting and initiating large grant applications together with colleagues, as well as a strong network of academic and societal stakeholders. 

The Chair will play an active role in identifying and guiding potential PhD candidates and will offer candidates with an underprivileged or underrepresented background appropriate support in this process. 

Leadership

We are looking for a dedicated team leader who can both support and motivate colleagues, creating a nurturing environment that allows others to thrive. You will be tasked with shaping a new chair group of European Law (comprising approx. 8 employees), in terms of human resource management (career development, professionalisation, coordination) and offer mentorship. 

The chair group is part of the European Studies capacity group and the larger Department of History, European Studies and Religious Studies (approx. 100 FTE). The Chair should also be willing and able to take on additional administrative responsibilities at Departmental and/or Faculty level (such as Head of Department, Programme Director, Research School/Institute Director). 

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• Teaching in the field of EU Law within a Humanities context;
• Supervising Bachelor and Master students, as well as PhD candidates;
• Contributing to the extension and innovation of the European Studies curriculum in Law and the Humanities, as well as the broader teaching programmes in the Department;
• Maintaining your own research profile while also contributing to building a new research agenda together with the Law Chair Group;
• Actively pursuing external funding for research, notably funding from research councils, national as well as European;
• Carrying out HR responsibilities within the chair group European Law;
• Carrying out administrative and management tasks within the Department, wider Faculty and university tasks. 

What do you have to offer?

Your profile and experience:

• PhD in Law or cognate disciplines such as Political Sociology, Political History, Political Theory, Comparative Legal Studies and European Studies. At minimum an LLM in EU Law is required;
• Proven track record in both Law and the Humanities;
• Excellent international academic reputation and publication track record;
• Experienced and enthusiastic teacher at all levels of academic training and experience in developing teaching programmes at Bachelor and Master levels;
• Capable and enthusiastic administrator, with demonstrable management and leadership qualities;
• Strong track record of acquiring external research funding;
• Experience with attracting and supervising PhD projects and junior researchers;
• Extensive national and international network with academic, political and cultural institutions;
• Experience with collaborative projects and able to establish productive connections with other academic disciplines within as well as outside the department;
• Able to contribute to knowledge exchange in public as well as academic settings;
• A University Teaching Qualification (UTQ). If you have not attained a UTQ you are required to start with the UTQ track upon commencement of your employment contract and obtain the qualification within three years of employment; (*)
• Good command of Dutch and English. If you do not speak Dutch, an active and passive command must be acquired within the first two years of employment and the state examination for Dutch as a Second Language programme II must be passed. (*)

(*) The Faculty will assist in this process. 

Please also check the document ‘Information about chairs at the Faculty of Humanities’ for more information. 

What can we offer you? 

Upon appointment permanent employment is offered. The employment contract is for 38 hours per week. The preferred starting date is 1 February 2025. 

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week, is in accordance with professor salary scale 2, €6,648 to €9,680 (€92,779 to €135,094 gross per year including the 8% holiday allowance and the 8,3% year-end allowance). A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable. 

In certain cases, different terms of employment can be offered. 

What else do we offer?

• The opportunity to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams;
• Excellent opportunities for study and personal development;
• An inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam;
• The opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers at research institutes that - partly as a result of their interdisciplinary approach - are world renowned. 

About us 

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 42,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds. 

The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in the field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes. 

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam. 

Questions? 

If you have any questions about the position or the department, please contact during office hours:

• Prof. dr. Geert Janssen, Head of Department
• g.h.janssen@uva.nl 

Job Application

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the UvA website. We will accept applications until 28 May 2024. Only complete applications received within the response period will be considered.

Your application should include the following information:

• A motivation letter including, among other things, a description of which unique perspective (from a personal and/or substantive point of view) you bring to this position;
• A detailed CV including a list of publications (in English or Dutch). 

Please submit the required information in 1 pdf by uploading in the required field ‘CV’. 

The first round of interviews is expected to be held in early July 2024. A teaching demonstration and research presentation may be part of the application process. 

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity. 

No agencies please.