An academic in Ethics in Education and Didactics of Philosophy and Citizenship

Within a consortium of four university colleges (Galilée, Vinci, HELHa and Hénallux), the UCLouvain-Saint-Louis - Bruxelles and the University of Namur, UCLouvain collaborates in implementing the reform of teacher training, which sets out to increase the quality of teacher training, and therefore of pupils, by linking teaching and research.

In view of these joint degree programs between UCLouvain and the four university colleges, the holder of this position will teach in the pedagogical departments of these university colleges, which are located at about ten sites.

Post description

Within the Faculty of Education and the Institut supérieur de philosophie, Social Sciences and Humanities Sector, this position will include the following teaching, research and community service duties:

Teaching

Note that probation typically lasts four years during which the teaching load is light (90h/year).

You will teach mainly in the field of initial teacher training, within the various study cycles (co)managed by the Faculty, and in particular within the framework of the Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in teaching in sections 1, 2 and 3. You will also supervise Master's theses.

You will mainly teach the ethics of education and the didactics of philosophy and citizenship in these programs.

Sections 1, 2 and 3 are those that train teachers from, respectively, kindergarten to the 2nd year of primary education, from the 3rd year of kindergarten to the 6th year of primary education, and from the 5th year of primary education to the 3rd year of secondary education (in line with the Decree of 7 February, 2019 defining initial teacher training). The different programs open progressively: from September 2023 for section 1, section 2 and section 3 and from September 2024 for the Advanced Master in Teacher Education, the evolution of the volume of teaching hours will be progressive.

You will collaborate with school-internal and school-external professionals within the field of compulsory education.

Most of the teaching assignments will be situated at the pedagogical departments of the university colleges. Courses will be given in French, and you may be required to work on evenings and on Saturdays.

Research

You will develop your research activities, including coordinating research projects, in two distinct fields: philosophy and ethics of education, and didactics of philosophy and citizenship. Nevertheless, particular attention will be paid to the field of educational ethics in the broadest sense, i.e. including research on the ethical issues of the teaching profession or research on the ethical issues of educational practices, situations and policies (aims of the school, school justice, citizenship education, pluralism in schools, etc.). This research will be linked to fundamental ethical reflections and open to other disciplines in educational sciences, within the Interdisciplinary Research Group on Socialisation, Education and Training (https://uclouvain.be/en/chercher/girsef). You will be responsible for the supervision of PhD theses.

In addition …

Once tenured, you will carry out various service activities and responsibilities within the institution, such as being a member of a programme committee or examination committee or having management responsibilities within the faculty or research institute.

You will also contribute to serving society through collaboration with educational stakeholders, schools and university colleges, who are involved in teacher training. You will also collaborate with partners, in the economic, social, cultural or development cooperation fields. Finally, you will ensure, through research and teaching activities, the university’s international visibility.

Education

You have a PhD in Philosophy or in a domain that can be considered as equivalent.

Experience

You have a proven track record in university teaching, with evidence where possible by formal evaluations. Your scientific experience is demonstrated by publications of international standing.

You have supplemented this with an extended stay or significant experience abroad, outside the institution that awarded your doctorate.

You have a professional experience in compulsory education and/or in teacher training. You have knowledge of the compulsory educational system of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

Skills

You are comfortable working as part of a team of academics and integrate research results into your teaching. You are capable of conducting high-level scientific research, from obtaining funding to team management. You are creative, open to pedagogical innovation and multidisciplinary.

Given the nature of the position, you will preferably have a perfect knowledge of the French language from the start.

You will be able to communicate in English. If this is not the case, you undertake to acquire a command of this language within two years of taking up your position. Knowledge of other languages is an asset.

Specifically (if applicable):

• You have scientific experience on ethics in education evidenced by publications in international outlets;
• You are able to contribute with your research in interdisciplinary projects in educational sciences;
• You have proven skills in the didactics of philosophy and citizenship.