AU Distinguished Senior Innovators
- bridge-builder and catalyst for innovation
Strategic initiative for a stronger culture of innovation across Aarhus University
The Aarhus University Board has decided to create a number of new positions at the university as AU Distinguished Senior Innovators (DSI).
A DSI will be designated at each faculty for a period of three years with the possibility of extension for a further two years. This position is a unique opportunity for experienced, highly regarded researchers who wish to dedicate their time to a combination of research and innovation.
You will retain your departmental affiliation, but on top of that, you will get to work in the university's innovation hub The Kitchen. In this way, you will be the university's bridge-builder and catalyst for innovation.
As an AU Distinguished Senior Innovator:
- You maintain your departmental affiliation, but on top of that, you'll work in the university's innovation hub, The Kitchen. In this way, you will be the university's bridge-builder and catalyst for innovation.
- You will be part of a facilitation track that supports the actual innovation work in the programme. This includes workshops, business development and facilitated peer-to-peer courses that create a sense of community among the group of innovators.
As an AU DistinguishedSenior Innovator you will:
- advise and support projects that can create a positive change in relation to promoting the innovation and entrepreneurship agenda at your faculty.
- become an ambassador for academic entrepreneurship, where you carry out research at your department while also practising academic entrepreneurship based in The Kitchen.
- become involved in developing a variety of business ideas or innovative solutions in collaboration with colleagues in the field with the aim of strengthening the innovation culture in a broad sense.
In order to improve your opportunities to focus on research and innovation, the programme includes:
- facilities (office space, possibility of access to laboratories).
- access to external expertise.
- access to funding to innovation (dedicated application support for the provision of external funding, e.g. e.g. Proof-of-Concept funds).
- access to investors, including specially designed models for access to investors for researchers who need it.
The programme is divided into two pillars:
- The AU Distinguished Senior Innovator (DSI) comprises experienced researchers with academic standing, who are appointed with effect from 1 January 2025.
- Distinguished Junior Innovator (DJI), who are early career researchers to be appointed later in the programme. The early career researchers will be linked to one or more projects during the programme period, and the appointed AU Distinguished Senior Innovators will act as supervisors and sources of inspiration for the early career researchers.
Your profile as a researcher to be considered is:
- Professor or similarly excellent researcher.
- Proven innovation experience.
- Must be a driving force for innovation at the respective faculty and department, and act as facilitator and ambassador for the effort.
If you wish to be considered for assignment to the programme, please contact your head of department, who can also describe the internal application process in your faculty.
The application deadline is 9 August 2024.
The final decision on the appointment will take place 9 October 2024.
