Professor in Educational research on the learning and teaching of young children

Ghent University is one of the top 100 universities in the Dutch language area, with more than 44,000 students and 15,000 staff members.

→ Apply until 31/03/2025 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels time)
→ Discipline: Educational research on the learning and teaching of young children
→ 50% Assistant professor tenure track
→ Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
→ Reference number: 202501/PP06/ZAP/003

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is one of the most important education and research institutions in the Low Countries. On a daily basis, 15,000 staff members and 50,000 students implement its motto "Dare to Think". Ghent University's mission statement is characterised by qualitative education, internationally renowned research and a pluralistic social responsibility.

ASSIGNMENT

As of October 1, 2025, Ghent University (UGent) will offer a Master's program in Primary Education. This new program is an initiative of the Flemish government. It is unique in Flanders as it is jointly organized with the university colleges within the Ghent University Association (AUGent) to ensure its practical relevance for Flemish primary education. This vacancy is part of this new program.

Academic education

The Tenure Track professor will primarily be responsible for courses within the Master's program in Primary Education. For the profile Educational Research on the Learning and Teaching of Young Children, this will include the course Powerful Education for Young Children. Other possible teaching assignments may involve courses such as Research Competences (Bridging Program) or (one of) the courses on Teacher Leadership. The teaching responsibilities also include supervising master's theses in the domain of educational research on the learning and teaching of young children.

Given the unique character of the Master's program in Primary Education, the teaching assignment entails a particular focus on collaboration. The candidate will co-design the courses in partnership with colleagues from the university colleges within the Ghent University Association (AUGent). Co-creation involves the joint development and organization of teaching and learning activities. The candidate is also expected to take on a leadership role in guiding program teams for the courses that are co-created.

Academic research

The department expects the Tenure Track professor to conduct both fundamental theoretical research and practice- and policy-oriented educational research on the learning and teaching of young children. Additionally, the lecturer is expected to develop (inter)national networks within the designated research domain and, where relevant, to explore and establish potential collaborations within the faculty.

Societal and Academic services

The Tenure Track professor will contribute to the internal and external service activities of the department. The new colleague is expected to actively disseminate and share expertise within the designated field. In terms of external academic service, this may include regularly serving as a reviewer for academic journals, participating on editorial boards of peer-reviewed journals, and delivering presentations at international scientific conferences. Furthermore, the Tenure Track professor is expected to contribute to the organization of conferences and study days aimed at advancing the field.

Regarding internal service, the candidate is expected to (co-)take responsibility within the education commission dedicated to the development, organization, and quality assurance of the bridging program and the master's program in primary education. This role also includes facilitating collaboration and dialogue with all AUGent partners. Institutions offering the Master's in Primary Education are required to maintain structural and sustainable communication with the professional field (primary schools, school boards, etc.) and other stakeholders relevant to primary education (e.g., pedagogical guidance services, teacher education programs, inspectorates, etc.). The Tenure Track professor will play a key role in establishing, maintaining, and coordinating these structures.

In terms of societal service, the new Tenure Track professor is expected to make one's expertise accessible to policymakers and educational practitioners, provide insights on educational topics, and share research findings with the broader public.

PROFILE

Experience

• You have already conducted eminent academic research in the disciplines relevant for the Master's in Primary Education, which is clearly reflected in publications in high-quality academic journals and peer-reviewed books;
• You are capable of initiating, supervising and acquiring the necessary funding for academic research;
• You are didactically skilled to teach university students to develop academic competences;
• You have expertise in teacher training and/or professionalization;
• You have experience and a network of partners within teacher education and relevant actors within the Flemish educational field;
• You are active in international research networks;
• Recommended are:
  • International mobility, among other things thanks to research stays at institutions external to the one where you acquired your highest academic degree;
  • Positively evaluated experience in provided or organised academic lecturing;
  • Professionalisation of education;
  • Thorough knowledge of Flemish primary education;
  • Relevant research experience in the context of primary education;
  • Experience in supervising (PhD) researchers.

You must master the language of instruction in which you will teach a course at CEFR-level C1. You can demonstrate this by means of a language certificate or a diploma obtained from an institution in which that language is the language of instruction. In addition, Article II.270, §1 of the Codex of Higher Education requires that: (i) you must master the Dutch language at least at CEFR-level A2 within two years after the start of the appointment. (ii) you must be able to master the Dutch language at least at CEFR-level of B2 within five years after the start of the appointment.

• You are quality-oriented;
• You take initiative;
• You have a strong sense of responsibility;
• You have fluent oral and written communication skills in function of communication with networks of (international) research colleagues, with practitioners and policy actors;
• You work independently while being focused on collaboration;
• You hold a thesis-based doctorate or a diploma in Educational Sciences or certificate that is recognised as equivalent.

Upon evaluation of a foreign (non-EU) diploma, a certificate of equivalence may still have to be requested at NARIC. If this is the case, we advise you to initiate this recognition procedure as soon as possible. You are required to have the recognition no later than on the date of your appointment.

• You have at least two years of postdoctoral experience on 1 September 2025.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

• We offer you a temporary appointment in a tenure track system for a term of five years. If positively evaluated by the University Board, the term of office will be transferred into a permanent appointment as an associate professor.
• Should you already be a member of the professorial staff or hold an equal post at a university or research institution, you can immediately be appointed as an assistant professor.

Pay attention: A part-time assignment of a certain degree of the professorial staff cannot be combined with a part-time assignment of a different degree of the professorial staff within the same institution.

The recruitment is from 1 September 2025.

OUR OFFER

Ghent University is committed to properly welcoming new professorial staff members and offering them appropriate guidance. The basic teacher training and courses of 'Dutch' and 'English' for foreign-speaking lecturers are only a few examples of our wide range of training and education opportunities. Furthermore, each Ghent University staff member can count on a number of benefits such as a bike allowance, reimbursement of public transport commuting costs, daycare, a wide range of sports facilities and EcoCheques.

Ghent University also invests in welcoming international professorial staff. It offers various housing options, a relocation bonus, the International School for school-aged children (with a discount on the tuition fee), support when registering at the City of Ghent, support with the procedure of family reunification and other administrative matters in connection with moving to Ghent.

Candidates who are newly appointed at Ghent University with an appointment as autonomous academic staff of at least 50% receive a Starting Grant of € 240.000 to contribute towards the personnel, operating and/or equipment costs of establishing a research team.

GENDER AND DIVERSITY

Ghent University conducts an equal opportunities policy and encourages everyone to apply. Ghent University also strives for a gender balance. Female applications are thus especially welcomed.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

After the final application date, all received applications will be sent to the faculty selection committee assembled for this vacancy. After a pre-selection based on the submitted application files, the selection committee may hear the candidates about their vision and planning regarding education, research and services. It is also possible to organize a trial lesson or a presentation on a subject in the relevant field.

Candidates are asked to discuss their top 5 most important publications or other academic achievements with the highest impact. Next to academic publications, the candidate can also show merit of knowledge transfer by academic dissemination, social valorisation, public awareness, seminars or conference presentations.

The evaluation of the required international mobility is broad and partly takes the gender perspective into account, thus not only considering longer stays abroad but also other forms of internationalisation.

Pregnancy leave, prolonged sick leave, parental leave, filial leave or other forms of absence are taken into account when evaluating the available time for the realisation of academic output.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online through the e-recruitment system before the application deadline. We do not accept late or incomplete applications, or applications that are not sent through the online system.

Your application must include the following documents:

• In the field 'Cover letter': your application letter in pdf format
• In the field 'Diploma': a transcript of your doctoral degree. If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
• In the field 'Certificate of equivalence': only for diplomas awarded outside the European Union: certificate of equivalence (NARIC) (if already in your possession).

Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.

MORE INFORMATION

For further information regarding this vacancy, please contact Professor Hilde Van Keer (Hilde.VanKeer@UGent.be) at the faculty FPPW, department Educational Studies.

Do you have a question regarding the online application process? Please read the FAQ or contact us via selecties@ugent.be or +32 9 264 34 36

Title

Professor in Educational research on the learning and teaching of young children (28337)

Published

2025-03-03

2025-03-31 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)