Ph.D. fellow, Architecture & Design, Aalborg

Deadline: 15.10.2009
Open to: PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Masters degree
Funding: Stipends and salary

At the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine, Department of Architecture & Design a position as Ph.D. fellow (position no. 562/06-19-29194) is open for appointment from 1.1.2010

Job description:

“Aalborg Øst” – A transformation of a suburb to part of the future city

The PhD stipend is available within the general study programme “Planning and Development”.

The PhD position is an integrated part of a larger research project. The focus of the PhD is mapping physical conditions in an urban context which today prevent people from meeting each other on a daily basis. The research done by the PhD fellow will take a point of departure in the City of Aalborg and in one specific urban area “Aalborg Øst” and will act in close cooperation with the other partners in the bigger research project.

The PhD fellowship will analyze how the different areas of “Aalborg Øst” are used by younger people. It will investigate if it is possible to design the areas in a different way so that it is possible for primarily the younger people to meet and enjoy, and communicate with each other and other people on a regular daily basis. This part of the research project can be divided into three minor parts or work packets. The young people are chosen as the target group because they are the future users of the city of Aalborg and “Aalborg Øst”.

In the first part of the PhD fellowship, GPS based tracking should be used to register a group of younger people’s behaviour and flows in “Aalborg Øst” and the city of Aalborg. The GPS tracking should be combined with statements from interviews about the young people’s daily life and dependency on the design of the urban area they are living in.

In the second part of the PhD fellowship a layout and design with the incorporated changes suggested by the young people in “Aalborg Øst” and based on the GPS tracks should be made. The layout and design should result in better places for young people to stay and live in during the day together with other target groups of people. There are already local designs in “Aalborg Øst” like the playground ”motionslegepladsen på Ravnkildevej” which can be used as inspiration where different types of people with different cultural background etc. meet regularly.

The third and last part of the PhD fellowship also takes a point of departure in “Aalborg Øst” but should present a vision and a plan for how “Aalborg Øst” can be connected more directly with the other areas in
the municipality of Aalborg by reducing the amount of dwellings in one urban area and increasing it in others, making specific urban areas more compact, in “Aalborg Øst” and maybe close down existing urban areas and create new urban areas closer to the City of Aalborg. The third part of the PhD fellowship should also present a principle strategy for how suburban areas in general and specially how “Aalborg Øst” can become a more differentiated and diverse urban area with regard to different types of ownership and functional attractions and more directly connected to rest of the city of Aalborg.

Background and expertise:

The PhD fellow position is anchored in the Department of Architecture & Design, Aalborg University, where the PhD fellow will be involved in teaching and supervising. The PhD fellow will also be heavily involved in other research projects in order to get as much research experience as possible. A candidate with relevant research experience or other similar work experience will be preferred.

Qualification requirements:

PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Masters degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School of the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine, in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 18 of January 14, 2008 on the PhD Programme at the Universities. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed every six months. It is a prerequisite for continuation of salary payment that the previous progress is approved at the time of the evaluation.

The qualifications of the applicant will be assessed by an assessment committee. On the basis of the recommendation of the assessment committee, the Dean of the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine will make a decision for allocating the stipend. Appointment and salary acc. to the Ministry of Finance Circular of January 11, 2006 on the Collective Agreement for Academics in Denmark, Appendix 5, regarding PhD fellows, and with the Ministry of Finance Circular of June 13, 2007 on the employment structure at Danish Universities.

For further information about stipends and salary contact Ms. Tine Lützhøft, The Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine, email: tl@adm.aau.dk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone: +45 9940 7380.

The PhD application form can be downloaded from the following address.


The faculty has a research school, The Doctoral School of Engineering, Science and Medicine and a Network for all PhD students.

You may obtain further information from Associate Professor Henrik Harder, Department of Architecture & Design, phone: +45 9940 7168, email: hhar@aod.aau.dk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it concerning the technical aspects of the stipend.

Application marked with the PhD stipend No. 562/06-19-29194, should include in four copies: the PhD application form, the Masters diploma including grades, publications, Curriculum Vitae, proposal for a PhD study plan and any other material, as well as a list of submitted material. Due to legal constraints electronic applications will not be accepted. The application must arrive at Aalborg University with the morning post by the 15.10.2009.

Application is to be forwarded to :

Aalborg Universitet
De Ingeniør-, Natur- og Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakulteter
Niels Jernes Vej 10
DK-9220 Aalborg Øst