The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 26 500 students and 7 200 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.
Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (abbreviated IKOS from its Norwegian name) is one of the seven departments at the Faculty of Humanities.
The Department has a broad competency in the study of religion and culture and in language based area studies of South Asia, East Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. IKOS also hosts the Oslo School of Environmental Humanities. The Department has several study programmes at both BA and MA levels. Among the Department's 110 employees about 40 are PhD and Postdoctoral Fellows.
Job description
A permanent (tenured) position of Associate Professor in Middle Eastern Politics is available at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (IKOS), in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Oslo. The position will be linked to the Middle Eastern Studies group, which currently consists of twelve permanent faculty with expertise in Persian, Turkish and Arabic language, politics, anthropology, literature, media, and history. The group is responsible for an MA programme in Middle Eastern Studies and an undergraduate programme in language-based Middle Eastern Studies.
The successful candidate is expected to initiate and lead research, supervise MA and PhD candidates, and participate in teaching and in exam setting and assessment at all levels. The candidate will also be expected to communicate scholarly-founded knowledge of Middle Eastern politics to the Norwegian public. The holder of the position will also be involved in administrative duties in accordance with the needs of the department.
Qualification requirements
PhD or equivalent academic qualifications with a specialisation in politics in the Middle East, whether from a humanities or social sciences background
A demonstrated ability to use oral and written sources in Arabic, Turkish or Persian in research
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English. Proficiency in a Scandinavian language will be an advantage.
Ability to contribute to the teaching of courses in Middle Eastern Studies at all levels
Demonstrated public outreach skills
Personal suitability and motivation for the position
The following qualifications will count in the assessment of the applicants:
Academic qualifications and academic production in Middle Eastern politics, with emphasis on works published within the last 5 years. Originality and innovative thinking will be weighted more heavily than quantity
Ability to communicate scholarly-based knowledge of Middle Eastern politics to the Norwegian public and stakeholders
Potential to contribute to the long-term development of the academic and research environment in the department
Pedagogical qualifications, documented results from teaching and supervision, and disposition to inspire students
Interest and ability in leadership and administration
Ability to create and contribute to a positive environment for collaboration
Experience with and ability to build international networks
In the evaluation of the qualified candidates the full range of these criteria will be explicitly addressed and assessed.
Academic quality, development potential and breadth will be prioritised in this order. The selected candidates are expected to contribute to the objective in the University of Oslo’s strategic plan to “strengthen its international position as a leading research-intensive university through a close interaction across research, education, communication and innovation”.
The successful candidate should demonstrate mastery of both English and one of the Scandinavian languages as working languages. If an appointee is not fluent in a Scandinavian language, the University of Oslo expects the appointee to reach proficiency equivalent to level B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) within two years. Within three years the appointee is expected to be able to actively conduct all functions the position may involve, including teaching, in Norwegian. The Faculty of Humanities will aid and facilitate the appointee in reaching said proficiency.
We need different perspectives in our work
UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.
We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?
We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.
If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).
The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.
More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.
We hope you will apply for the position with us.
We offer
Salary NOK 690 000 - 790 000 per annum depending on qualifications
The opportunity to apply for promotion to full professorship at a later stage
How to apply
The application must include:
Application letter (statement of motivation, summarising scientific work and research interest)
Curriculum Vitae (list of education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience, project acquisition and coordination experience, and other relevant qualifications)
Complete list of published works
Description of one or more research projects which may be relevant for the Department.
List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)
A statement on how the candidate intends to communicate their knowledge to the general public
Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language, either in the original or in translation.
Applicants are required to describe and document the entire range of qualifications and criteria described in the announcement of the post with concrete examples.
The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “apply for this job”.
Selection procedure
As the first step in the evaluation process, a Selection Committee will assess all applications and invite the most qualified applicants to submit a portfolio of educational certificates and academic works (up to 10 publications, which should not exceed 500 pages in total) for expert assessment. Academic texts shall therefore not be enclosed with the application. Applicants who are invited to submit academic works are asked to select three works, published within the last 5 years, to be considered as most relevant for the position. In longer publications (monographs), applicants should specify the relevant pages. Applicants are also asked to submit an Educational portfolio of 3-6 pages documenting educational competence and experience, including a reflection note in which your own practice and learning vision is anchored in the SoTL criteria (focus on student learning, development over time, a research approach and a collegial attitude and practice).
Finally, the most highly ranked candidates will be invited for an interview and a trial lecture.
Within his/her normal duties and in accordance with his/her academic competence, the person appointed may also be asked to work outside his/her Department. The appointment is made under the condition that the employer may change the subject area and assigned tasks according to the needs of the Department.
According to the Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) § 25, Chapter 2, demographic information about the applicant may be used in the public list of applicants, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.
The University of Oslo has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for the purpose of securing rights to intellectual property created by its employees, including research results.
The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.
