The university is responsible for ensuring that all new employees, regardless of nationality, have the necessary competencies to carry out their specific teaching tasks. This guide particularly focuses on the introduction to teaching and the role of the teacher at Danish universities.
The content on this page is based on AU’s implementation of the ministerial order on job structure for academic staff at universities and the Danish framework for advancing university pedagogy, and on the CED’s collaboration with academic environments to systematically introduce international academic staff to teaching.
Onboarding international academic staff requires a structured and targeted effort to ensure successful integration into both teaching responsibilities and workplace culture. This page provides a guide on how the department or faculty can support new international staff in their teaching tasks, helping them quickly feel confident in their new role.
Through a combination of an introduction to the values of the university, teaching principles, and the specific requirements of the Danish education system, this onboarding process ensures that newly appointed teaching staff acquire the skills and knowledge needed to deliver high-quality teaching.
The teaching domain is heavily regulated by national legislation and university guidelines, while also being influenced by knowledge and traditions within the local teaching environment, which we might take for granted and thus may not openly discuss.
When new staff are introduced and integrated into teaching at the university, the first consideration is their employment category. The planned onboarding programme will vary depending on whether postdocs, assistant professors, associate professors, or professors are being onboarded.
Various topics can be included in the onboarding programme for teaching tasks. The selection of these topics depends on the employment category, prior teaching experience, the specific teaching task, and the extent to which the new staff members are already familiar with guidelines, local culture, and practices.
The topics can be divided into two categories: university-specific and foundational knowledge of the Danish education system:
The CED has developed a concept to support each department’s onboarding of international academic staff in their teaching responsibilities. The programme is planned and agreed upon between the CED and the department’s representatives. The programme can be composed of four different formats and accompanying resources, with the option to tailor it to the needs of the department.
Probably the most important aspect was to understand the general ‘mission’ of the Danish education system and get an idea of the alternative teaching techniques that are used.
(Postdoc, Molekylærbiologi)
This course was a very good introduction to teaching in Denmark and provided elements to think about in relation to what kind of teacher I want to be, as well as providing tools to implement active learning.
(Postdoc, Biomedicin)
To ensure effective onboarding of international academic staff, the CED offers four flexible programmes that can be adapted to the department’s specific needs and the international staff group. These programmes are designed to introduce newly appointed teaching staff to the necessary tools and knowledge within teaching tasks, Danish teaching culture, and the university’s rules and frameworks.
Regardless of the format, all programmes focus on helping teachers understand and adapt to the Danish education system and the university’s teaching principles.
| 1. Online self-paced programme | 3-5 hours Teaching@AU – an introduction to the Danish university education system |
|---|---|
| 2. One-day course | 5 hours The programme is planned with the department based on selected content elements. |
| 3. Programme with one course day and an asynchronous online programme | 10.5 hours The programme is planned with the department. |
| 4. Blended learning programme with two course days and asynchronous online programme | 14 hours The programme is planned with the department. |
The choice of formats depends on the scope of the teaching task, the employment category, and the teaching experience of the staff being onboarded, as well as the department’s specific needs regarding teaching formats and university educational topics.
We have designed the programme as a blended course with two course days and an online programme between the two course days. Both course days last three to four hours, and the online programme is estimated at seven working hours, covering the content elements listed above.
In dialogue with the department, we can scale up or down the programme and introduce more specific content relevant to the department.
A standard programme will look like this:
| 1st course day | Online programme | 2nd course day |
|---|---|---|
|
Introduction by the head of teaching at the department Educational culture, teaching culture, and student-centred learning Meeting the students Key aspects of the Danish education system |
Teaching at a Danish university Organising teaching Active learning Planning and structuring a teaching session |
Teaching at a Danish university (recap) Visit by an international teacher Introduction to specific teaching formats or tasks agreed upon with the department Closing session |
This onboarding programme is designed to introduce international postdocs to teaching at a Danish university, with a particular focus on the cultural norms, unwritten rules, and teaching practices that characterise the teaching environment they will be joining. The programme aims to provide participants with both theory and practical tools to navigate and contribute to teaching.
Upon completing the course, participants should be able to understand and reflect on key aspects of teaching at a Danish university, adapt their teaching to the Danish student population, and be familiar with student-centred and active learning methods. They should also be able to navigate the institutional framework at the department and begin considering their role as a teacher in Denmark.
After completing the programme, participants should…
These learning outcomes are specifically selected to be achievable within a short programme of about 15 hours and focus on the most essential aspects, providing participants with an introduction to teaching at a Danish university.
