Professor in Education, specialising in Special Education - Befattningen är under tillsättning eller redan tillsatt, och det är inte längre möjligt att lämna in en ansökan

The Department of Education is recruiting a professor of education specialising in special education. The successful candidate will conduct research, teach, supervise students and engage in collaborations. Research within special education at the Department of Education focuses on the interaction between an individual’s circumstances and the conditions and resources available to both society and schools. In addition, research studies participation, communication and learning among children, adolescents and young people in society’s differing contexts. The department’s research intends to support special needs education in practice, ensuring that work with pupils with special needs has a firm scientific basis. Current research at the department includes studies of organisation and management, pupil health, barriers to learning, neuropsychiatric disorders, identity processes and exclusion and inclusion. 

Tasks

The tasks as a professor is to build, lead and develop the department’s research activities within special education. The professor is expected to participate in the work to generate good financial resources for research within special education at the department. Furthermore, the professor must remain informed about developments – not just within their own subject field, but also within the discipline in general – and create contacts with other higher education institutions, departments and stakeholders outside of the University. Furthermore, duties include pursuing the development of courses and programmes, and teaching and supervising students at first, second and third-cycle level. 

The position is based in Umeå and we expect participation in the department’s activities. The professor is expected to be present on campus regularly, be an active group member and otherwise participate in the department's activities, including its collaboration with society.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an employment as professor, a candidate must hold a doctorate within education or special education, or have attained an international degree deemed the equivalent of a doctoral degree in education. The candidate must also demonstrate scientific and teaching expertise within the subject of education with a specialisation in special education in accordance to Chapter 4, Section 3 of the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance, and the Appointments procedure for teachers at Umeå University.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria for appointment as a professor shall be the degree of the expertise required as a qualification for employment. In addition, their administrative skills and collaboration ability will be assessed.

Research expertise refers to independent research, the equivalent of double the qualifications required for appointment as a docent; the ability to successfully compete for research funding; the ability to plan and lead scientific activities; documented national and international research collaborations, publications; and the ability to communicate research with society. Expertise can also be demonstrated through leading research projects. 

Teaching expertise refers to experience of teaching in higher education; collaborating with students; personal educational development and contributions to the organisation’s educational development. Teaching expertise also refers to participation in third-cycle education, such as the development and implementation of third-cycle courses and seminars, and successful supervision of doctoral students.

Administrative expertise involves the ability to develop and lead the organisation and its staff; the ability to collaborate with society, and spread information about research and development work. The ability to collaborate refers to formulating, planning, leading and participating in projects involving several people, and participation in joint research and departmental activities.

Weighthing of assessment criteria

When weighting the assessment criteria, particular emphasis is to be placed on research expertise. Great emphasis is to be placed on teaching and administrative expertise.

When assessing research expertise, particular emphasis will be placed on research focusing on special education and areas of particular relevance to the teaching profession and teacher training. Great emphasis is placed on experience of leading major research projects. 

When assessing teaching expertise, particular emphasis will be placed on the development, planning and implementation of teaching and supervision and examination within special education and teacher training. Great emphasis will also be placed on experience of supervising doctoral students. 

When assessing administrative expertise, great emphasis will be placed on the ability to lead and develop the organisation and its staff, experience of honorary departmental, faculty or university positions or similar, and on a well-documented ability to collaborate both nationally and internationally. Great emphasis will be placed on the ability to collaborate, take initiative and commitment to developing the organisation.

Application

Instructions for the application and a list of the documents to be attached to the application can be found here: https://www.aurora.umu.se/globalassets/dokument/enheter/samfak/regler-och-riktlinjer/personal-och-anstallning/lararanstallningar/anvisningar-for-ansokan-och-sakkunnigbedomning/x-instructions-for-applications-for-and-expert-assessments-of-appointment-as-professor.pdf

Qualification requirements and assessment criteria can be found in the appointments procedure for teachers at Umea University, here: https://www.umu.se/globalassets/fristaende-webbar/regelverk/engelska/human-resources-equal-opportunities-and-work-environment/appointments-procedure-for-teachers-at-umea-university_fs-1.1-129-22.pdf

Applications should be made via e-recruitment system Varbi.

We look forward to receiving your application!

About us

The Department of Education has around 100 employees and is one of the largest departments at the Faculty of Social Sciences. The department offers a wide range of courses and programmes and participates in a range of programmes. The department prioritises the following areas of research and education: leadership, organisation and working life, learning and ICT, didactics, assessment and evaluation, gender and educational processes in society, sports education and special education. Read more about the Department of Education here: https://www.umu.se/en/department-of-education/.