Associate Professor in International Politics

The Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark, Odense invites applications for a position at the level of Associate Professor in International Politics.

We are looking for talented and dynamic individuals with the ambition of establishing themselves as leading scholars in their field of research. We are particularly interested in scholars working in the fields of war studies and international security. Starting date is planned for February 1, 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The International Politics (IP) section is part of the Department of Political Science and Public Management under the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. The Department is organized around five research sections, including the International Politics section, as well as several cross-disciplinary research centers and research groups. Currently, the department employs around 120 people and attracts 2,500 students in its various full-time bachelor and master programs as well as part-time professional master programs. For a detailed description of the department’s profile and activities and more information about its strategy, please visit the department’s website.

Research within the IP section focuses mainly, though not exclusively, on contemporary security issues. The section has a strong research profile and a dynamic doctoral training program and has extensive partnerships with other Danish and European institutes and universities. The IP section is responsible for teaching introductory IP courses at bachelor level and specialized graduate courses in Political Science, a master’s program in International Security and Law and a professional master’s program in Intelligence and Cyber Studies. All members of the IP section are associated with the interdisciplinary Center for War Studies (CWS), which facilitates research into fundamental questions of war, peace and international order. For a detailed description of the research and activities of the Center for War Studies, please visit the CWS website.

We are now looking for candidates who can support the department in realizing its strategic objectives in contributing to our existing strengths in War Studies. The successful candidate will be someone who produces original ideas through high-quality and pioneering research within areas of relevance to the IP section and to Center for War Studies, and will engage in effective knowledge exchange through our high-quality study programs and through sustained engagement with societal actors and the wider public. The successful applicant will be tasked with a range of obligations in the IP section and in the Department of Political Science and Public Management, including:

• Conduct and publish research at a high international level in areas of relevance to the International Politics section and to the interdisciplinary Center for War Studies
• Conduct relevant teaching and supervision within the department’s entire portfolio of study programs, particularly the full-time political science program and the master’s program in International Security and Law
• Apply for relevant individual/collective external research funding to develop the research environment in line with the strategic goals of the Department and the IP section
• Engage in knowledge exchange activities with the wider society
• Applicants are also expected to perform a number of research-related tasks such as conducting research management including supervision and mentoring of assistant professors, postdocs and PhD students, and participation in academic assessment committees

For applicants to qualify for the position, the following criteria must be met (please consult the Scholarly Qualification Matrix).

• Delineate a research profile aligned the International Politics Section indicating the po­tential for international scholarly impact and for facilitating research cooperation within the interdisciplinary Center for War Studies
• Document a substantial publication record at an inter­nationally recognized level
• Document an ability to form and develop professional networks
• Document experience with various teaching and supervision formats as well as good teaching results
• Document an ability to develop and implement new pedagogical or didactical techniques
• Have experience with and genuine interest in outreach or knowledge-sharing activities and/or cooperation with external partners
• Applicants are also expected to document fulfilment of ONE of the following focus criteria:
• Success in attracting larger amounts of external funding, and strong potential for successful fundraising of major projects within 2-3 years
• Strong experience and good results with genuine course development and coordination and/or contribution to published teaching material
• Proven ability to identify societal problems and to shape research agendas accordingly

In alignment with the new ministerial classification of academic ranks and titles, research and teaching abilities will be given equal weight in the assessment of any candidate. It is additionally important to us that applicants have good interpersonal skills and are dedicated to take part in the everyday academic and social environment at the Department. Such engagement can be documented by, for example, past engagement in social and professional activities.

Within a three-year period, non-Danish applicants are expected to master Danish at a level which enables them to correct Danish exam papers and read administrative documents. Within a five-year period, non-Danish applicants must be able to document Danish language skills at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This can be satisfied by passing Prøve i Dansk 3 (3.5) or an equivalent test. The department offers free language classes and a reduction in workload to support non-Danish speaking employees.

Researchers who have not worked in Denmark before taking up this position may be eligible for a special tax scheme that reduces Danish income tax for 7 years. You can find more information about this tax scheme here.

The University of Southern Denmark does not offer spousal appointments for this position, but both the University of Southern Denmark and the Odense Local Authority provide programs to help new employees and their families integrate into Danish society. This includes special training programs for candidate’s partners on finding employment in Denmark.

The department believes in fostering a stimulating and inspiring environment for both faculty members and students. The department’s ambition is therefore to recruit, develop, and retain talented scholars committed to both academic excellence and departmental development. Furthermore, the department wishes our staff to be gender balanced and reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

For further information, please contact the Head of Section, Vincent Keating, [email protected] or the directors of CWS, Trine Flockhart [email protected] and Chiara De Franco [email protected]

Application, salary, etc.
Appointment to the positions requires a PhD or equivalent and will be in accordance with the salary agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.

An application must include the following:

• A detailed CV
• A letter of motivation
• A detailed research plan (max 3 pages) for the next 4-5 years that describes the applicant’s:
• Potential to advance the field (both empirically and theoretically)
• Relationship to the aim and goals of the International Politics Section and the Center for War Studies
• Planned national and international collaborations
• Potential to obtain external funding


• Certificates/Diplomas (Master and PhD degree)
• A complete list of publications, which indicates which publications are most relevant for the position
• Up to 5 of the most relevant publications. Please upload a pdf for each publication. NOTE: If publications have been co-authored, co-author statements must be a part of this pdf and must include information like in this example. The statement is just for your inspiration.

Furthermore, applicants are requested to submit a teaching portfolio as documentation for teaching experience, and if relevant, supervision qualifications. Formal application instructions and guide for teaching portfolio may be found here.

All non-Danish documents must be translated into English.

Applications that are incomplete may be rejected without any substantive evaluation.

Assessment of applications will be done under existing Appointment Order for universities. Applications will be assessed by an academic assessment committee that determines whether applicants are qualified to be an Associate Professor. The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material. The committee reserves the right to arrive at a decision solely based on the material submitted.

Shortlisting and personal tests may be used in the assessment process.

When the assessment committee has submitted its report, the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her. The assessment report will subsequently be forwarded to the Head of Department who will assemble an appointment committee. The appointment committee will manage and complete a series of job interviews with especially promising applicants. On the basis of the applications, the written assessments, the job interviews, and a deliberation within the appointments committee, the Head of Department determines which candidate(s) will be offered the position.

Applications must be submitted electronically no later than October 1, 2021 using the link below. Uploaded files must be in Adobe PDF (unlocked) or Word format.

Read the guideline for applicants.

Each field can only contain a single file of max. 10 Mb.