Two Assistant Professorships in Educational Technology, Digital Literacy and Didactics

The Danish School of Education (DPU) at the Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University, invites applications for two Assistant Professorships in Educational Technology, Digital Literacy and Didactics. The assistant professorships are full-time, three-year training positions and will commence on 1 January 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The positions are based at DPU at either the Aarhus campus or the Emdrup campus in Copenhagen. The selected applicants are expected to take an active part in the daily activities of the school including both teaching and supervision. As the school is located in both Aarhus and Copenhagen, some travel between campuses should be expected.

The positions

The positions involve research and university teaching both with digital technologies (e.g. educational technology) and in digital technologies (e.g. understanding the impact of digital technologies in society). One of the positions will focus primarily on university students and the other on teachers (both pre-service and in-service).

The selected applicants will contribute to research and teaching at the intersections of educational technology, digital literacy and didactics as well as technology comprehension (“teknologiforståelse”).

The positions also encompass areas such as educational design, technology-enhanced learning, learning design, digital competence and digital pedagogy. The main field of research for these positions is higher education, including teacher education.

Applicants are expected to have a research profile that includes empirical studies conducted within educational institutions (schools or higher education).

Research

The selected applicants will be expected to:

• Develop new research projects with direct relevance to the fields of educational technology, digital literacy and didactics
• Contribute to collaborative research initiatives at DPU, both nationally and internationally
• Pursue external research funding
• Contribute to theoretical, methodological and empirical developments in the fields of educational technology, digital literacy and didactics, as well as technology comprehension and educational design.

Applicants are asked to outline their vision and plans for contributing to these research fields during the period of the assistant professorship. 

Teaching

Applicants will be expected to teach and supervise across all levels of degree programmes at DPU, in particular on the Master’s degree programme in ICT-based educational design and/or on digital technologies and didactics within the Bachelor’s degree programme in educational science.

The ICT-based educational design programme is primarily delivered online, through both synchronous and asynchronous activities, with a strong emphasis on guidance and feedback, as well as group and project-based teaching. It is an innovative and experimental programme, which will be developed into a broader 75 ECTS Master’s degree programme in technology and pedagogy over the coming years.

The selected applicants are expected to contribute to the pedagogical and technological development of the new programme. Experience with teaching and developing online, blended or hybrid formats, and with the use of technologies in teaching, will be considered an advantage, but not a requirement. Applicants should document any prior teaching experience and outline their pedagogical initiatives, approach and focus areas for the assistant professorship.

Talent development

The assistant professors will be expected to develop their supervision skills at Master’s level and to contribute to the academic development of students within their field.

Knowledge exchange

The selected applicants will be expected to engage in knowledge exchange as described in the strategy of the Faculty of Arts, for instance through research collaboration with external partners, public dissemination, consultancy work or collaboration with civil society actors. Applicants should document any prior experience with knowledge exchange and outline their plans for the impact of their research on educational practice and/or policy.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD degree or equivalent qualifications in a relevant field. They must be able to document:

• A research profile within two or more of the following areas: Educational Technology, Digital Literacy and Didactics, Technology Comprehension, Educational Design, Technology-enhanced Learning, Digital Competence and Digital Pedagogy
• Experience with educational empirical research
• An internationally oriented publication profile
• Experience with or interest in international and interdisciplinary collaboration
• Experience with or potential for obtaining external research funding
• Experience with or interest in developing and teaching innovative, online and technology-enhanced methods of instruction
• Experience with or interest in supervising student projects.

Applicants must be able to teach and publish in English. If the selected applicants do not speak Danish, they will be required to learn Danish within approximately two years.

The selected applicants will also be expected to contribute to the department’s academic environment. We emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students.

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Department Helle Rørbech by email at hero@edu.au.dk or by telephone on +45 93521225.

Read about the Department of Educational Theory and Curriculum Studies, Educational Philosophy, and General Education here.

The application must be submitted in English.

About the Danish School of Education  

The Danish School of Education (DPU) at Aarhus University is Denmark’s largest centre for research and teaching in the fields of education, didactics and learning, with approximately 240 full-time researchers, including 80 PhD students, and 4,500 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students. The school’s activities are characterised by a high degree of interdisciplinarity and close interaction with society, including businesses, organisations, government agencies and institutions, both in Denmark and abroad.  

International applicants  

International applicants are encouraged to read about family and work-life balance as well as 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 broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and career counselling for expat partners. For information about taxation, see the taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here: http://international.au.dk/research/ 

An appointee who does not speak Danish will be required to acquire proficiency in Danish equivalent to level B2 (CEFR) within approximately three years of commencing the appointment, in order to handle tasks, including administrative and managerial responsibilities, and to participate fully in the activities of the Danish School of Education. These include, but are not limited to, teaching and examining students, reading work-related texts and participating in meetings and collegial gatherings conducted in Danish. 

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 examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than two examples). 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

Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts is one of five main academic areas at Aarhus University.

The faculty contributes to Aarhus University's research, talent development, knowledge exchange and degree programmes.
With its 700 academic staff members, 200 PhD students, 9,000 BA and MA students, and 1,500 students following continuing/further education programmes, the faculty constitutes a strong and diverse research and teaching environment.

The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society, the Danish School of Education, and the Centre for Teaching Development and Digital Media. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.

The faculty's academic environments and degree programmes engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction with society.

Read more at arts.au.dk/en

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website. 

Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/