New social science associate deans for research and education

On 1 March, two scholars with extensive academic and management experience will take up new positions as associate deans at the Faculty of Social Sciences (SAMF).

Mads Meier Jæger, professor in the Department of Sociology, will take up a new position as associate dean for research. He will be responsible for developing research efforts across SAMF and UCPH in collaboration with the faculty's departments and centres.

One of his key tasks is to ensure that the social sciences at SAMF play a stronger role in policy- and mission-driven research. At the same time, he aims to forge closer links with the surrounding community:

"At SAMF, we excel in curiosity-driven and basic research. We must maintain this leading position. However, there is an increased demand for policy- and mission-driven research that addresses major societal challenges. SAMF has a lot to offer, and we need to strengthen our position in these areas," says Mads Meier Jæger.

He also emphasises the need to better communicate the fact that research SAMF already makes an important contribution to addressing major societal challenges, such as the climate crisis.

Mads Meier Jæger's own research focuses on social inequality, including how family background affects educational choices, economic opportunities, and cultural tastes.

Signe Vangkilde replaces Sara Hagemann as associate dean for education. Signe Vangkilde is professor in the Department of Psychology, where she has also been deputy head of department and head of studies since 2021.

As associate dean for education, she will work with SAMF’s academic environments and students on the development and quality assurance of social science programmes. This will be done in parallel with the implementation of the UCPH administrative reform, the reorganisation of certain master’s programmes, and the move from CSS to the South Campus.

"We are facing significant changes at SAMF. Therefore, it is crucial to stay focused on what matters most: fostering collaboration to continuously develop and offer the best research-based programmes in Denmark within the social sciences. We must place even greater emphasis on how to best educate academically reflective, critical graduates who thrive academically and are equipped with tools that can contribute to solving society's major challenges," says Signe Vangkilde.

She also emphasises that SAMF should be at the forefront of lifelong learning programmes that can contribute to welfare innovation and other societal initiatives that benefit more people.

In her own research in cognitive psychology, Signe Vangkilde has been particularly interested in how people's attention and their experiences of the world around them are developed, applied, and challenged across different contexts. She has also led several research-based intervention projects.

SAMF to become even more solution-oriented

With the two new appointments, SAMF now has a leadership team that is well equipped for the future, says Dean Vibeke Koushede.

"We will have two associate deans with a clear vision of how we can more effectively develop our research and educational programmes across the faculty and UCPH. Together with the rest of the UCPH, we will also work more decisively towards being an innovative and solution-oriented university, and on offering lifelong learning programmes that benefit society as a whole," she says.

"In addition to their academic skills, Mads and Signe bring strong social skills that will be of great value in achieving our goals and with the reform of the master's programmes, the relocation and other organisational tasks."