Logic List Mailing Archive

Professorship in Philosophy, Umea (Sweden), Deadline: 18 Dec 2009

Ume University announces...

Ume University - with its 33,000 students and over 4,000 employees - is
 
an organisation in constant change and development. Ume University 
conducts groundbreaking research within several areas - several in which 
we are among the best in the world - within others regarded as the leaders
 
in Sweden. We are one of Swedens largest providers of education and offe
r 
a broad and attractive range of courses and programmes. Our campus 
constitutes an inspiring environment for everyone that studies and works 
here. We wish to co-operate with companies and organisations throughout 
the Ume region and all over the world.

Professor of Philosophy

The Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, at Ume
 
Universitys Faculty of Arts, conducts research and offers under- and 
postgraduate studies in Archaeology, Philosophy and Philosophy of Science,
 
History, History of Science and Ideas, Religious Studies and Theology. 
Philosophy offers study programmes and degrees at first-cycle 
(undergraduate), second-cycle (Masters) and third-cycle (doctoral) level
.

We are looking for a skilled researcher and teacher, with a broad 
competence, who can lead and develop research and PhD education within the
 
field of philosophy. Because a long-term strengthening of research is a 
high priority of the Faculty of Arts, it is essential that the applicant 
possesses academic competence and is keen and able to initiate research 
together with colleagues. The applicants research should also have a fir
m 
international grounding.

Special weight will be accorded to the applicants academic competence an
d 
teaching skills. When considering the balance between these bases of 
assessment, more weight will be accorded to academic competence.

In conjunction with the appointment, substantial weight will be accorded 
to the applicants ability to lead and develop research and PhD education
 
within the field of philosophy. Substantial weight will also be accorded 
to the applicants ability to generate external research funding.

In addition, importance will be attached to the applicants administrativ
e 
merits and other skills that are of importance in order to develop the 
subject field, including the ability to develop and manage members of 
staff. Importance will also be attached to the applicants ability to 
develop the potential of the subject Philosophy regarding cooperation with
 
other subjects. Moreover importance will be attached to the applicants
 
ability to interact with the surrounding community and to spread knowledge
 
about research and development within the field of philosophy.

Academic competence refers primarily to the ability to conduct research, 
that is, the ability to make ones own contributions to the development o
f 
knowledge within a particular field of research. But academic competence 
also includes being knowledgeable, having a comprehensive view of the 
field of philosophy and being able to weigh up questions in an appropriate
 
way. Special weight will be accorded to research qualifications within the
 
core areas of philosophy: ethics (normative ethics and meta-ethics), the 
history of philosophy, epistemology, logic, metaphysics (including 
philosophy of mind), political philosophy, philosophy of language, and 
philosophy of science.

Teaching skills means the ability to structure and organize a body of 
knowledge, to impart enthusiasm and interest in the subject and to 
activate students to take responsibility for their own learning, which 
implies a sound knowledge of the subject. Teaching skills also includes 
the ability to take a comprehensive view, to innovate ones teaching and
 
the ability to develop ones own competence in a systematic and focused
 
way. Special weight will be accorded to breadth in competence, in 
particular within the core areas of philosophy.

A person who has displayed both academic competence and teaching skills is
 
qualified to be appointed as professor (HEO Chap 4 Sect 5). Academic 
competence must have been proven through independent research work which 
considerably exceeds what is required for appointment as docent.

Teaching skills refers to the ability to teach at first-cycle 
(undergraduate), second-cycle (Masters) and third-cycle (doctoral) level
. 
The applicant must have taken adequate teacher training courses unless 
there are special reasons why that is not the case. The assessment of 
teaching skills refers to the planning, execution and evaluation of 
teaching, as well as supervision and examination. Teaching skills must be
 
well documented in such a way that their quality can be assessed.

The ability to teach in either Swedish or English is a requirement for the
 
appointment. If the person offered the appointment does not have a good 
command of Swedish at the time of appointment, he/she must within a couple
 
of years be prepared, if required to do so, to take on administrative and
 
educational tasks that require the ability to communicate in Swedish.

The applicant must be able to cooperate with others and must be suitably 
qualified and skilled in other ways in order to perform the work tasks 
well.

The appointees tasks may include teaching, leading seminars and student
 
supervision at first-cycle (undergraduate), second-cycle (Masters) and
 
third-cycle (doctoral) level, and also administrative work.

The appointment includes 75 % research for 3 years and then 50 % research
 
for another three years. After that the same terms apply as for professors
 
at the faculty who have been appointed through promotion. These terms are
 
dependant on prevailing financial conditions and may be altered over time.

The place of work is Ume and a high degree of attendance at the 
department is required. Uneven distribution between the sexes prevails 
within the subject Philosophy in Ume, and among the facultys professo
rs, 
and the faculty is especially happy to receive applications from females.

The application must be written in English. A complete application will 
consist of

     * application, CV including a list of publications and a compilation
 
of the applicants teaching activities. Please highlight a maximum of ten
 
publications that you consider to be your most important contributions. 
The universitys guidelines for the documentation of teaching skills must
 
be followed and qualifications must be presented in accordance with the 
given headings and points.
     * an account of the applicants research experience, educational wor
k, 
development and management of activities and staff, interaction with the 
surrounding community, education and outreach.
     * declaration of intent/statement of policy regarding scholarly 
activities,
     * attested copies of certificates,
     * copies of the scholarly and educational works (at most ten) that you
 
consider to be your most important contributions (as marked in the list of
 
publications).

Applications may be submitted either electronically or on paper. Documents
 
that are sent electronically must be PDF files. Paper applications must be
 
submitted in four copies. The presentation and documentation of 
qualifications must be structured in accordance with the universitys 
guidelines that are available at:
www8.umu.se/personal/umu_internt/anstallningsordning.htm

More information about the department and the subject Philosophy is 
available at www.idesam.umu.se.

For further information, contact Head of Department Lena Eskilsson, +46 
(0)90-786 62 65, email: lena.eskilsson@idesam.umu.se.

Union information is available from SACO, +46-(0)90-786 53 65, SEKO, 
+46-(0)90-786 52 96 and ST, +46-(0)90-786 54 31.

Your complete application, marked with reference number 311-991-09, should
 
be sent to jobb@umu.se or to the Registrar, Ume University, SE-901 87 
Ume, Sweden to arrive December 18, 2009 at the latest.

We look forward to receiving your application!