Professor of Politics and Sustainability (f/m/d)

With around 400 students and about 50 colleagues in academia and services, Karlshochschule International University in Karlsruhe is an innovative non-profit university of applied sciences. Our mission is to contribute to transformation in economics, politics, business & society. The "Karls" creates a space for inter- and transdisciplinary inspiration, and playful exploration and dialogue. We are particularly distinct by our internationality, with one of the highest proportions of full-time international students in German universities of applied sciences. We have formulated the values that unite us in our mission statement and our diversity statement.

Karlshochschule places great importance on experiential learning, civic engagement, and cooperation with civil society movements. We offer practice-oriented teaching that incorporates service learning, activism, and applied political strategies. Our didactic approach is interactive, using case studies, role plays, simulations, and project-based work.

For the next possible date, we are looking for a:

Professor of Politics and Sustainability (f/m/d)

Your critical, inter- and transdisciplinary, and applied approach should be reflected in your scholarly work, activist engagement, and pedagogical vision.

You will work closely with our international faculty and student body and foster national and global collaborations with civil society actors, grassroots movements, and advocacy groups.

Our Social Sciences & Humanities Faculty systematically explores progressive politics, heterodox and pluralist economics, international relations, and critical governance studies. In this context, we seek a scholar who will contribute to cutting-edge debates on sustainability, political economy, civic engagement, and governance, while bringing in practical expertise in political activism, movement-building, and campaign organization.

We are especially interested in applicants with an inter- and transdisciplinary background in political science or public policy or sustainability sciences with contributions to the fields of politics and sustainability governance (e.g., climate policy, environmental justice, sustainable development policy), political economy of sustainability (e.g., green industrial policy, just transition, sustainable finance, degrowth), comparative or international perspectives on sustainability governance and policy, civic engagement, activism, and social movements.

The successful candidate should be prepared to teach foundational courses in political science, sustainability governance, and civic engagement as well as specialisations in related fields.

We are particularly looking for candidates with experience in political activism, social movement organizing, and public advocacy, who can offer practical and academically informed insights into successful political campaigning, movement financing/funding, and grassroots mobilization. Candidates with established networks in political organizations, NGOs, or activist movements are especially encouraged to apply.

Furthermore, we expect proficiency in methodologies of social sciences, with expertise in sustainability-related policy analysis, movement research, and public policy methods.

You should be open to teach at different locations of the university. A part-time professorship is possible.

We are looking for a candidate with the following profile:

• deep commitment to the university mission and the academic profile of the social sciences & humanities faculty and engaged work with our international faculty and student body
• engagement in both applied and critical teaching and research in the areas of your academic and practical expertise
• expertise to work with diverse, international and multicultural student groups
• willingness and preferably experience in raising third-party funds
• proven track record in civic engagement and/or practical working experiences as well as an international biography, being fluent or native speaker to lecture in English

You should be willing to:

• engage actively, creatively and joyfully in our academic community and become part of Karls' everyday life and living culture
• teach high-quality courses on both undergraduate, graduate and executive level in your area of expertise according to a HAW (University of Applied Science) professorship
• contribute to our degree programs in the field of social sciences & humanities, but also coach, mentor and support students and lecturers, advance academic development and services, including administrative self-organization, public outreach, and development of relevant networks
• strategically develop consecutive and executive courses at the level of master’s programs, with a strong focus on critical, transformative and high-demand programs
• contribute to joint research projects, e.g. applied policy research or citizen science projects

If you see yourself in this role, apply by May 1, 2025, including your full CV, a letter of motivation, a list of your teaching experiences with evaluations and a list of publications. Please let us know your salary expectations and whether you also consider a part-time role. As an employer, Karlshochschule International University values long-term cooperation, promotes equal opportunities and is committed to ethics, inclusion, and transparency. Accordingly, we value diversity and welcome all applications.

We look forward to receiving your application via our online application portal to the Human Resources Department of Karlshochschule International University, addressed to Ms. Judith Strücker, Karlstraße 36 - 38, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany.

For questions outside the application process, please contact the general email address: academics@karlshochschule.de.

If this job advertisement has piqued your interest, but you don't yet meet the requirements for appointment, please contact us and we'll discuss flexible development opportunities (e.g., tandem professorships).