Awarded during the summer for a period of three years, the Circle U. Academic Chairs programme is an important backbone of the Circle U. infrastructure, tying several activities together and is an enabler for cooperation and dissemination across our universities. Being entirely funded by our member universities, the programme also safeguards the sustainability of our cooperation beyond the pilot project phase, irrespective of external funding
What is the context for the chairs?
One of Circle U. ambitions is to establish new opportunities for cooperation and lay the foundation for stronger academic collaboration.
To do this, the nine universities member of the alliance are setting up a joint Circle U. education and research infrastructure. This provides spaces for students and staff to, on the one hand, co-create knowledge and solutions with external stakeholders and, on the other hand, engage in policy development with external stakeholders.
The infrastructure consists of four platforms to mobilize knowledge for impact:
- Interdisciplinary Knowledge Hubs
- An Open School of Public Governance
- A Think and Do Tank on the Future of Higher Education
- Student Led Sustainable Innovation initiatives
The Academic Chair Programme is the enabler for sustainable and strong activities within the platforms.
Learn more about the platforms.
What is the role of the chairs?
The Circle U. Academic Chair Programme ensures strong and sustainable connections across our universities, between research and teaching, between students and staff, and between universities and society.
More precisely, the role of the chairs is to:
- Develop and lead interdisciplinary projects within Circle U.
- Link teaching and research, including in a trans- and interdisciplinary way.
- Encourage students to play an active role in the creation of knowledge and to get involved in socially engaged research.
- Represent and champion Circle U. both internally and nationally and internationally, as well as to external stakeholders.
- Stimulate new models of academic collaboration and partnership and share them within the alliance.