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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 pageKU Leuven is an autonomous university. It was founded in 1425. It was born of and has grown within the Catholic tradition.
Visit the employer pageThe fulltime professor position will be held within the Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, a research unit within the Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven (Belgium). KU Leuven represents a leading academic institution in Europe that is currently the largest university in Belgium in terms of research funding and expenditure. The university’s mission is to provide excellence in academic education and research and to offer a distinguished service to society. Owing to KU Leuven’s cutting-edge research, KU Leuven is a charter member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and is consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in Europe.
Within KU Leuven, the Leuven School of Mass Communication Research (SMCR) represents a pioneering institution for media effects research. The research focus of SMCR lies on the use of information- and entertainment media (including social media, ICT, television, games, mobile devices), and on how these uses may harm or enhance various components of individuals’ wellbeing and social cohesion. We have a strong expertise in explaining the processes through which various forms of media use affect physical, psychological and social wellbeing in the long run, and the conditions under which these processes occur. Therefore, a series of advanced methods are applied, including longitudinal survey studies, daily diary studies and content analysis. Issues studied in recent years include, for example, alcohol and drug use, (positive) sexuality and sexism, risk taking, depression, self-harm, (positive) body image, and mental and physical wellbeing.
The School adheres to the highest academic standards and strives towards publishing its research in top academic journals (e.g., Journal of Communication, Human Communication Research, New Media & Society, Media Psychology). SMCR staff is involved in various national and international multidisciplinary research projects, primarily of fundamental nature but also with societal relevance.
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You provide scientific, societal and internal services. This is reflected, among other things, in a constructive contribution to education and research, as part of a team's collective projects (e.g. through participation in meetings, teacher days, information sessions, recruitment activities, exchange programs), and service to the academic community (e.g., service to academic associations such as ICA and journals (reviews)), education (e.g., participation in program committee meetings), and faculty (e.g., participation in faculty council etc.) You have an elaborate network of important stakeholders in the field, and have collaborated with these stakeholders to create societal impact and disseminate research.
Applicants hold a Ph.D. degree in communication sciences, social sciences, psychology, or an equivalent diploma. We seek a scholar with a broad theoretical- and interdisciplinary interest and a strong background in quantitative research methods, whose research both relates to and complements the current research lines at SMCR. The successful candidate has an excellent research record as evidenced by more than one dimension, e.g., the quality of their PhD research, high-level publications in the important journals of our field (i.e., ICA journals) and related fields, research impact (e.g., citations) and acquired research funding. We attach great importance to professional and value-driven behavior, an attitude of sharing, mentoring and inclusivity, and collegiality, and will encourage the candidate to collaborate with SMCR researchers as well as with interdisciplinary research groups and centers within KU Leuven. The candidate has a large international network and is eager to further develop this within the context of SMCR.
You will be appointed as a tenure track professor for a period of 5 years, after which, in the event of a positive evaluation, you are permanently appointed as associate professor. Immediately upon starting you will be able to independently develop your own line of research, serve as a supervisor of dissertations, and raise your own research funding.
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KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.
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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