Sociology to find new head of department

On 31 January 2025, Benedikte Brincker will end her term as head of the Department of Sociology.

After five years of solid results, she has decided to change her personal and professional priorities and has therefore decided not to apply for renewal. She will move to a position as Professor of Political and Historical Sociology in the Department of Sociology when her current contract expires. The recruitment process for a new head of department will begin as soon as possible.

Although Benedikte Brincker's appointment on 1 February 2020 was marked by lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, she is handing over to her future successor a strengthened department in terms of research, education, finances and organisation.

During her time as head of department, she has implemented a reform of the department's sociology education programme, which has, among other things, reduced graduate unemployment and first-year dropout rates. The results have been highlighted and selected as part of the University of Copenhagen's accreditation in 2023.

She also leaves the department with a strengthened research profile. The last few years have seen a significant increase in the department's external funding. In particular, the number of postdocs has increased, which has led to a targeted effort to create a well-integrated research environment for them. This effort was also recognised in the latest research evaluation, where the department was classified as one of the world leaders in its field and of high international standard.

Financially and organisationally, the department has also undergone a positive development under Benedikte Brincker's leadership. This includes a generational change and greater diversity in the workforce. Some of the focus areas in the work on the department's internal organisation have included governance structures, transparency and the implementation of a new budget model.

The department is thus well equipped to become part of the university's new organisation on 1 March, when the ongoing administrative reform comes into force.

The process of finding a new head of department will begin as soon as possible and will follow the standard procedure for appointing department heads at the University of Copenhagen. The process is thus not affected by the ongoing administrative reform.