Center Leader (Full Professor or Associate Professor on the promotion programme) for the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for University Science Education
Department of Science Education
Faculty of Science
University of Copenhagen
The new Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for University Science Education (USE Center) at the Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen is seeking a visionary and experienced center leader from 1st January 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. We are looking for candidates at either Full professor level or at the level of associate professor on the University’s professor promotion program. If you are in doubt about which level to apply for, we recommend applying to both levels.
About the Center
The USE Center is an ambitious research and development initiative within discipline-based education research (DBER) focusing on the university level based upon grant funding of DKK 125 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The grant runs for five years with the expectation of additional funding for three years of DKK 75 million. As such, it is one of the largest initiatives in university level DBER in the world.
Notice that in continental Europe, DBER is often called “didactics” (of the relevant discipline), but this term is still not widely used in English. Applicants are expected to acknowledge that DBER approaches vary considerably across disciplines and continents, and to be prepared to lead and interact with researchers who reflect that variation.
The USE Center is hosted at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) with satellite partners at Aarhus University (AU) and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). The center is established with an overarching vision of creating an international stronghold for university science education research and development. The mission of the center is to strengthen science education at Danish universities. It will accomplish this partly by enhancing the excellence and capacity of DBER in Denmark, and partly by building on research to enhance quality of curriculum and competences of teaching faculty and to develop the learning of students. For further information, see https://use.ku.dk.
The position as associate professor on the promotion programme or professor is a permanent position, whereas the function as Center leader is limited to the duration of the Center grant.
About the Department of Science Education
The Department of Science Education aims to open up science and mathematics for all through research that enhances education, communication, and public engagement. The Department brings together expertise from the sciences, social sciences, and humanities to lead internationally in science and mathematics education, digital education, history and philosophy of science, and science communication.
The Department currently employs approx. 100 persons – 28 of which are permanently employed researchers – many of whom are international. We offer a vibrant interdisciplinary research environment and an attractive and friendly work environment. It is a hallmark of our research to unite strong fundamental and applied research with high impact in society.
A large part of the Department’s teaching activities concerns the mandatory university pedagogical training and competence development for teaching faculty at the Faculties of Science and Health.
Unlike many places in the world, the discipline-based education researchers at the Faculty of Science are not employed by the individual discipline departments. Instead, they enjoy the synergies of collaborating together within, and across, disciplines as members of the Department of Science Education – of course, in collaboration with the natural science discipline departments.
You may read the Department’s strategy towards 2030 and you can read more about the department in general here: https://www.ind.ku.dk/english/
About the Center leader candidate
The Department of Science Education invites applications from visionary and experienced candidates who can lead the development of research capacity within DBER across the participating universities, and lead research-driven changes in university science teaching practice and science programs.
The candidate should be an internationally esteemed discipline-based education researcher within one of the natural sciences (including mathematics and computer science). The candidate is expected to hold at least a master’s degree in a natural science discipline, and to have extensive research experience in DBER focused on the university level. The candidate should be interested in working with the challenges related to university science education research and science education development at university level, well beyond the candidate’s own discipline. Moreover, the candidate should have an involving approach to leadership and be able to demonstrate strong results in leadership at institutional or research programme levels.
Job description
The Center leader will have the overall academic, financial, and personnel responsibility for the Center. The Center leader will ensure the strategic development of the Center, create a strong Center profile both internally and externally, and set the overall common direction for an organisation consisting of geographically dispersed units. While some research initiatives will be described when the Center Leader starts the position, the Center Leader will be responsible for leading the identification of further relevant and impactful research and development initiatives in close collaboration with the participating universities. The Center Leader will serve as the primary liaison to key stakeholders such as the three international strategic partners (University of Stockholm, University of Colorado Boulder, Utrecht University), the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the international Advisory Board, and the Center’s Governance Board, ensuring activities remain aligned with the center’s overarching goals.
The Center Leader will lead the integration of research efforts across partner institutions, helping to build strong national and international collaborations and establish new research environments at the satellite universities. The Center Leader will foster the translation of discipline-based education research into science teaching practice, including the supervision of PhD students and postdocs. The role also involves promoting a collaborative, inclusive research culture for all Center members.
The Center leader is expected to represent the Center externally, and to develop and maintain good working relations with stakeholders – hereunder the relations with the other departments and programs at the three natural science faculties involved.
The Center leader is expected to engage as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) in some of the USE research projects and as supervisor of some of the PhDs and postdocs.
The Center leader is expected to collaborate with the rest of the Department’s leadership and employees to secure that the USE Center becomes an integrated part of the Department’s research and teaching. The Center Leader is also expected to orient her- or himself towards the Department’s existing university pedagogical activities and university science education research and to those to USE Center.
Overall responsibilities associated with the role of Center leader include:
- Leadership, including guidance and supervision of scientific and support staff
- Education development and research-based teaching, including associated examination
- Research, including publication/academic dissemination
- External collaborations with e.g., other Danish universities, international collaborators and relevant private and public foundations
- Obligation to share knowledge with the rest of society, including participation in the public debate
- Academic assessments
Teaching tasks will mainly focus on the Department’s “Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Programme” – the mandatory university pedagogy programme for assistant professors from the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences – as well as other competence-development tasks for university teachers. Some teaching for BSc or MSc students in the candidate’s own natural science discipline may be possible, based on agreements with other departments at the Faculty of Science.
In the lifetime of the USE Center, the Center leader is expected to divide her/his time approximately as follows:
- 30% research leadership tasks concerning the USE Center
- 50% research task as PI/Co-PI in projects and supervisor of PhDs and postdocs
- 20% teaching and other tasks
After the duration of the USE Center grant, the associate professor or professor will divide her/his time between research (50%) and teaching and other tasks (50%).
Qualifications of the candidate
The qualifications of the candidate can be either at associate professor level or at professor level. When considering applications for the position, emphasis will be on the candidate’s relevant leadership results and experiences, and on the ability to document a high level of original scientific work at an international level within DBER. Furthermore, the candidate’s formal competences and experiences within research-based teaching, educational development, supervision, examination, and organization will be considered.
The candidate should have a profound overview of international university science education research and a deep understanding of university teaching – ideally from multiple international educational systems. Additionally, the candidate must have solid experience with research-based educational development in science programmes as well as strong diplomatic and collaborative skills and ambition to strengthen the quality of science teaching and learning and to elevate the prestige of teaching at universities.
Finally, it is desirable if the candidate has a keen interest in and flair for communication and outreach.
Overall criteria for the position
Six overall criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organizational contribution, external funding, and leadership) are considered in the overall assessment of candidates at each of the academic levels. Find information about each criterion here:
Criteria for associate professor level: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit/dokumenter/5b_Criteria_for_recognising_merit_-Associate_professors.pdf
Criteria for professor level: https://jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabelige-stillinger/kriterier-for-videnskabelige-stillinger/dokumenter-til-meritering/5c_Criteria_for_recognising_merit_-professors.pdf
Specific information about the promotion programme for associate professors
The University of Copenhagen offers particularly talented associate professors the possibility to enter into a promotion programme that can lead to employment as a professor. To be employed as an associate professor on the promotion programme, the candidate must both qualify to work as an associate professor now and demonstrate the potential to transition into a position as a professor at the end of the programme. Both will be assessed based on the university’s criteria for merit (See above).
An associate professor will usually be on the promotion programme for a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 8 years. During the programme, there will be annual interviews with the head of department to assess whether the associate professor is ‘on track’. The programme ends with a final assessment before transitioning to a professorship.
Learn more about the UCPH promotion programme.
About living in Copenhagen
Copenhagen is a green, highly liveable city with abundant water, parks, and harbour clean enough to swim in. Residents enjoy extensive health benefits from Denmark’s public healthcare system, including free treatment from general practitioners, specialists, and hospitals. The city also offers high-quality childcare with a strong educational curriculum, supported by both municipal funding and parental contributions. Public schooling is free and tax-funded, with additional options in private and international schools.
The University of Copenhagen’s International staff mobility services help international hires settle in smoothly. They offer comprehensive support ranging from visa and work permit guidance to relocation assistance—including help with housing, cultural integration, language courses, and family support. This ensures that new staff can focus on their academic work while their transition to Denmark is made as seamless as possible.
Terms of employment
The position as associate professor or professor is a permanent position, whereas the function as Center leader is limited to the duration of the Center grant. Danish associate professors and professors are mostly permanently employed, though Denmark does not have a tenure system in the US sense or a “Beamte” system in the German sense.
If the Center leader is hired on the associate level, she/he will enter the promotion programme that can lead to employment as a professor.
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.
Salary and other terms and conditions of appointment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant professional organisations.
The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2025.
Questions
For further information, please contact Head of Department Jan Alexis Nielsen, janielsen@ind.ku.dk
Foreign applicants may find the university’s International Staff Mobility useful.
Filing of application
The position may be applied for at the associate professor level or professor level. Please note that it is possible to apply at more than one level. If applied at more than one level, separate applications must be submitted (see below).
The application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.
Applying for the associate professorship on the promotion programme please include
- Curriculum vitae including information about external funding
- Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
- Research plan – description of current and future research plans
- Description and documentation of teaching experience and qualifications according to university guidelines
- Leadership vision statement (3 pages). Applicants are required to submit a vision statement outlining their strategic vision for the USE Center, including priorities, development directions, and how they will lead the Center to achieve its mission.
- Complete publication list
- Separate reprints of 5 particularly relevant papers
- Promotion plan according to the university guidelines
Applying for the professorship please include
- Curriculum vitae including information about external funding
- Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
- Research plan – description of current and future research plans
- Description and documentation of teaching experience and qualifications according to university guidelines
- Leadership vision statement (3 pages). Applicants are required to submit a vision statement outlining their strategic vision for the USE Center, including priorities, development directions, and how they will lead the Center to achieve its mission.
- Complete publication list
- Separate reprints of 5 particularly relevant papers
Application procedure
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointments Committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. The Dean then appoints an expert assessment committee in order to make an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee, and each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself. You can read about the recruitment process at the university's Job Portal.
The University of Copenhagen encourages all interested applicants to apply for this position.
Please submit the application with the required attachments. Only online applications will be accepted. The closing date for applications is Sunday 10 August 2025 23.59 p.m. CET
Interviews for this position are likely to be held on 21 November 2025
Please refer to the following no. in future communication in this case:
211-0005/25-2EA Associate professorship on the promotion program for the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for University Science Education
211-0319/25-2K Full Professorship for the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for University Science Education
