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KU Leuven

Academic position (100%): The school as a learning and working place for teachers: Educational school policy in primary schools

2025-02-24 (Europe/Brussels)
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About the employer

KU Leuven is an autonomous university. It was founded in 1425. It was born of and has grown within the Catholic tradition.

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At the Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences (PPW) of KU Leuven, a full-time academic position (ZAP mandate) relating to educational policy in primary schools is vacant within the framework of the new Master of Primary Education. This vacancy will have KU Leuven Kulak (Kortrijk) as its main location.
We are looking for motivated candidates with a strong research record and excellent teaching skills in the relevant field. KU Leuven is a leading academic institution in Europe whose mission is to deliver excellent academic teaching and research.

Location
With the Master of Primary Education, the government and Association KU Leuven aim to contribute to strengthen the pedagogical and didactical expertise of primary school teams. Teachers will expand their knowledge and skills with research-based insights to investigate the current challenges faced by primary schools and to translate these challenges into concrete actions at both the classroom and school levels. With this vacancy, the Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences aims to purposefully expand its teaching staff for this new master's program.
This vacancy focuses in particular on systematic research of the 'architecture' in the primary school team, the conditions for developing, structurally anchoring, maintaining and optimizing it. The candidate will be asked to develop a research program around a number of themes (e.g. internal professionalisation processes; job differentiation; local policy development; development, critical evaluation and structural anchoring of various forms of collaboration in view of improving classroom practice; informed policy choices and strategies; ...)., combining several methodological approaches. In addition, you will be asked to initially teach a number of courses in the master program in primary education and the associated preparation program, and will be expected to take a leading role in this master program.

Duties

Research

The candidate is expected to:
  • develop or further develop a strong and innovative research program on educational policy in primary schools, complementary to the research of the current ZAPs of the Kortrijk subfaculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
  • develop cooperation with members of the Kortrijk subfaculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, the research unit, the faculty of PPW and KU Leuven, with the field of practice and with relevant research centers within the faculty and abroad;
  • acquire external research funding;
  • Publish in international peer-reviewed journals;
  • supervise doctorates in a quality manner.

Teaching

The candidate is expected to:
  • teach courses in the Master of Primary Education (Kortrijk campus and Leuven campus). Potential courses are:
  • Learning together, working together. Facilitating learning and working in and as a primary school team
  • Learning and working in teams
  • Educational innovation, educational quality and educational effectiveness
  • Integrated seminar
  • supervise master's theses in primary education
  • Contribute to the optimization and further development of education within the master program in primary education and the associated preparation program; this implies a regular presence on campus and at events relevant to the campus.
The allocation of teaching tasks comes about in mutual consultation and taking into account the candidate's profile. The candidate develops education in line with KU Leuven's vision of research-based, person-centered and socially engaged education.

Service

The candidate is expected to:
  • assume internal service duties within the research unit, faculty and academic community;
  • contribute to the dissemination of scientific knowledge to primary education professionals and the general public;
  • develop, besides a national network, also a strong international academic network in the domain;
  • develop, together with colleges, an (inter)national network with organizations active in the field of primary education
  • take on a coordinating role within the Master of Primary Education in due course, as a career opportunity

Profile

  • You have a doctoral degree in behavioral sciences, preferably in pedagogical sciences, educational sciences, psychology, or in a related discipline, revealing relevant experience and/or expertise in the field of educational policy in primary schools
  • You have a strong research record with international publications in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Mastery of the Dutch language at CEFR level C1 is required at the start of employment, in order to be able to teach in Dutch immediately.
  • Proficiency in English is required
  • A good contact with the primary school network is recommended, as is international research experience 
  • You have excellent and demonstrable teaching skills and are willing to develop them further. 
  • You have (potential) leadership qualities and good communication and organizational skills.
  • You are collegial and can work well as part of a team.

Offer

We are offering full-time employment in a dynamic and internationally oriented research environment. Depending on the candidate’s record and qualifications, she/he will be appointed at one of the academic staff grades. Candidates who have recently obtained their PhD are recruited as assistant professor in a tenure track position with evaluation after 5 years. In case of positive evaluation after 5 years, the candidate will then be appointed to the rank of associate professor. In Belgium, assistant professors are allowed to be main supervisor of a PhD and can autonomously apply as principal investigator for research grants. KU Leuven is offering financial resources to new professors to start up their own research lines. They can also apply for own project funding.
KU Leuven is well equipped to welcome foreign professors and their families and offers practical support in terms of immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching... To facilitate scientific integration and research in the first phase, start-up funding of 110.000 euro is offered to new professors, who do not have substantial other funding and are recruited at least 50%.
KU Leuven aims to create an environment in which all talents can develop to their maximum potential, regardless of gender, age, cultural origin, nationality or disability. If you have any questions regarding accessibility or support options, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Walter Schaeken, tel.: +32 16 32 59 68, mail: walter.schaeken@kuleuven.be or Prof. dr. Fien Depaepe, tel.: +32 56 24 60 75, mail: fien.depaepe@kuleuven.be. For problems with online applying, please contact solliciteren@kuleuven.be.

Besides the motivation letter, in the application file the candidate adds a research statement (max. 3 pages) and his/her vision on academic education (max. 3 pages). The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences values 'open science' and supports transparent and reproducible research. Applicants are asked to document how they have applied open science practices in the past and/or will do so in the future.

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

Job details

Title
Academic position (100%): The school as a learning and working place for teachers: Educational school policy in primary schools
Employer
Location
Oude Markt 13 Leuven, Belgium
Published
2024-12-20
Application deadline
2025-02-24 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)
2025-02-24 23:59 (CET)
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About the employer

KU Leuven is an autonomous university. It was founded in 1425. It was born of and has grown within the Catholic tradition.

Visit the employer page