Conferment of the Title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor at Aarhus School of Business and Social Sciences (Aarhus BSS), Aarhus Universitet

Guidelines for the conferment of the title honorary professor/associate professor at Aarhus BSS.


The title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor is a distinction conferred in recognition of an individual’s outstanding contribution within the academic fields associated with Aarhus BSS. The title may be awarded for a period of up to five years to national or international scholars, or other individuals of a high academic standing, with whom the University seeks to maintain or further develop a close academic association.

The award of the title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor requires that the individual concerned is a recognised scholar or otherwise possesses qualifications of a correspondingly high academic standard.

The authority to confer the title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor is vested in the Dean.

Expectations of the Honorary Professor/Associate Professor
The specific duties of each Honorary Professor/Associate Professor shall be agreed separately with the relevant department. Aarhus BSS expects that the appointment will give rise to an ongoing academic collaboration, typically involving regular visits to the department.

An Honorary Professor/Associate Professor will normally be expected to:

  • engage in collaborative research with academic staff within the department
  • deliver lectures within the department
  • participate in conferences organised by the department
  • undertake specific teaching duties by prior agreement
  • contribute to the department’s recruitment activities

Procedure for Nomination to the Title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor

Stage 1: Preliminary Consideration
Where a department wishes to nominate an individual for the title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor, the Head of Department shall submit a reasoned proposal to Aarhus BSS HR & PhD, which will forward the proposal to the Dean.

The reasoned proposal must include:

  • a brief account of the nominee’s academic qualifications. The nominee must be a recognised scholar or possess qualifications of a high academic standard.
  • a statement outlining why it is in the interest of the department to confer the distinction and thereby strengthen its association with the nominee
  • a description of the duties the Honorary Professor/Associate Professor is expected to undertake
  • a proposal for the composition of an expert assessment committee

Should the Dean approve the reasoned proposal and the composition of the assessment committee, the formal assessment process shall be initiated.

Aarhus BSS HR & PhD is responsible for administering the assessment process.

Stage 2: Assessment
The assessment committee shall be composed as follows:

  • Honorary Professor:
    The committee shall normally comprise three professors, at least two of whom must be external to Aarhus University.
  • Honorary Associate Professor:
    The committee shall normally comprise three members at no lower than associate professor level, at least two of whom must be external to Aarhus University.

Aarhus BSS HR & PhD shall ensure that the department has informed the nominee of their nomination for assessment with a view to the award of the title, and that the nominee is willing to accept the distinction.

Aarhus BSS HR & PhD shall contact the nominee and request submission of material for assessment.

  • Honorary Professor:
    The nominee may submit up to ten publications for assessment.
  • Honorary Associate Professor:
    The nominee may submit up to five publications for assessment.

The assessment process shall then proceed.

Stage 3: Recommendation
The completed report of the assessment committee shall be submitted to Aarhus BSS HR & PhD, which will present it to the Dean. The Dean shall make the final decision regarding the award of the title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor.

Aarhus BSS HR & PhD shall inform the nominee of the outcome and arrange for the dispatch of a formal letter of appointment signed by the Dean.

Stage 4: Announcement
New appointments shall be announced on the department’s website and included in the official list of Honorary Professors and Associate Professors at Aarhus University.

www.au.dk/om/profil/historie/haedersbevisninger/adjungerede-professorer-og-lektorer/

Should the department so wish, a press release announcing the appointment may be prepared. Aarhus BSS IT and Communication can assist in drafting and publishing such a release.

Extension of the Title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor
At the request of the department, the appointment may be extended for a further period of up to five years.

The Head of Department shall submit a request for extension to Aarhus BSS HR & PhD, accompanied by an account of the activities undertaken and the benefits derived during the current appointment.

Aarhus BSS HR & PhD shall forward the request to the Dean. If the extension is approved, Aarhus BSS HR & PhD will arrange for a formal letter of extension to be issued to the Honorary Professor/Associate Professor.

Remuneration and Financial Provisions
The title of Honorary Professor/Associate Professor is an honorary distinction and does not carry remuneration; it constitutes an unpaid affiliation with the department and Aarhus University.

Certain expenses may arise in connection with the activities undertaken as part of the affiliation. In the case of international Honorary Professors/Associate Professors, travel is to be expected. In connection with visits, the Honorary Professor/Associate Professor may, subject to prior approval by the Head of Department, be granted:

  • reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses
  • reimbursement of subsistence expenses upon submission of receipts (or alternatively a per diem allowance by agreement)
  • where appropriate, an honorarium in respect of guest lectures

Where departmental capacity permits, office facilities may be made available for defined periods, potentially on a shared basis.

Honorary Professors/Associate Professors at Aarhus University
A list of Honorary Professors/Associate Professors at Aarhus University from 1989 onwards is available on the University website:

www.au.dk/om/profil/historie/haedersbevisninger/adjungerede-professorer-og-lektorer/

Legal Basis
Executive Order No. 451 of 12 April 2019 on the award of the titles of Honorary Professor and Honorary Associate Professor:

https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2019/451