PhD position in Universal Design at Design School Kolding

We hereby invite proposals for PhD research projects that focus on Universal Design within industrial design/product design. It is a prerequisite that the project a) contributes to the field of Universal Design (UD) or its cognates, Inclusive Design and Design for All by involving people challenged by certain physical disabilities, and b) is based upon approaches and methods of artistic design research which means it is based on a body of new, creative design.

Universal Design is a relatively new research field in Denmark, and as a PhD-student you will play a prominent role in building up this important field. The PhD project is part of Design School Kolding’s new strategy that focuses on development of Universal Design in our research and teaching. The work is partly funded by a grant from the Bevica Foundation. The successful applicant will be able to make use of Bevica´s extensive and well established network in disability support and advocacy. You will also be part of the Bevica Foundations National Network for PhD-students and Post Doc’s working in the field of Universal Design in Denmark.

The PhD student will be part of one of the three laboratories at Design School Kolding, the Lab for Social Design to which theme the work is ultimately related. Lab for Social Design conduct research and artistic research with the aim to create social and cultural change. We explore social sustainable and inclusive futures within social design, social innovation and welfare design. We do this through democratic design experiments that uses material oriented- and visual approaches and methods. The overall collaborative design (co-design) approach is empathic and performative.

The ambition is that all children and adults can unfold their full potential in all phases of life – also when life hurts.

The proposed PhD project must follow the general rules for the doctoral program (see https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/sites/default/files/download/rules-for-phd-programmes-2016.pdf). We will prioritize proposals specifically pursuing artistic research and leading to ‘A dissertation based on a body of work’ (“Works to be understood as creative productions, design objects, experiments with fabrication, etc.”).

It is a basic requirement in the application:

• to demonstrate an understanding of the field of Universal Design generally,
• to indicate a specific sub-area of interest within Universal Design which addresses people with some kind of physical disabilities,
• to have a plausible and clearly expressed research question (yes/no questions and long, multi-clausal abstract questions are undesirable). You are welcome to add a few sub-research questions as well.
• to have a clear description of the universal design research process by which the question(s) might be answered (what are you going to do to answer the question(s)?).
• to include a preliminary research plan. Applicants are encouraged to clearly outline a practice-based approach with focus on Universal Design within the field of product design/industrial design based on specific experiments.

Applications will be assessed, among other factors, according to the richness and interest of the topic; the clarity of the explanation of how it might be explored; its relation to design research and practice. You must relate the application to existing practices of design research e.g. research through design and also to research design in general.

The application must have the following sections:

1. Introduction to the Ph.D. project
2. Literature review of Universal Design to show state of the art and familiarity with the field; indication of theory of research in design and also research in general.
3. The research question clearly indicated including how it contributes to the field of Universal Design or its cognates, Inclusive Design and Design for All.
4. Proposed design research methodology.
5. An account of the nature of the empirical data to be generated and whom to collaborate with.
6. Bibliography/references

About Design School Kolding

Design School Kolding is an independent institution under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. We offer BA, MA and PhD Degree Programs with teaching based on innovative practice and research in close collaboration with the business community and with public and private institutions. We also offer postgraduate courses and consultancy services. Our BA program comprises four study programs, Industrial Design, Communication Design, Fashion & Textile Design, and Accessory Design, including interdisciplinary courses within design methods, aesthetics, design history, the history of science as well as form studies. Our MA program is an international, cross-disciplinary program that supports and expands the above-mentioned design fields and allows students to specialize in one of three areas: Design for Play, Design for Planet and Design for People to which we also dedicate our research and development activities within the three laboratories.

Design School Kolding has approximately 100 fulltime employees. The school offers a dynamic work environment with dedicated colleagues from many different backgrounds. The atmosphere enriches daily work and brings life to the old factory building in which the School is housed and which is constantly changing to suit the School’s needs. With the three overall strategic areas of Social Design, Sustainability and Design, and Design for Play, Design School Kolding is dedicated to improving the world through design. This also means that Design School Kolding has a strong focus on creating an education that is relevant and aimed towards future employability. Another way of strengthening the education is by having research aimed towards the four directions of the BA programs, as well as towards the strategic areas. The research thus supports and develops the teaching while ensuring cross-pollination. We offer a dynamic, internationally oriented education and research environment with close collaborations with external actors and research environments.

The Facts

The position is a full-time position and salary is according to the current collective agreement that regulates the Danish labour market. For the application to be considered, all three points listed below must be addressed with all mentioned materials enclosed:

• Ph.d. research project description of 4-6 pages. The project description should contain a letter of motivation including thoughts on the kind of artistic design research to be pursued, overview of existing knowledge, a theoretical base, research question(s) clearly expressed, research methodology, an account of the empirical material/data which the applicant expects to generate, and finally a preliminary research plan.
• CV of maximum 1 page. It is also possible to send a 5 pages portfolio.
• Diploma or alternatively a complete transcript of records (for BA and MA degrees). In order to be considered for the position, the applicant must have, as a minimum, a two-year MA degree, preferably from a design program, prior to the date of appointment.

The applicant must further have a fluent, fault-free oral and written English communication skills.

The application and materials must be in English or Danish.
Our school has the policy that if we employ a person unfamiliar with the Danish language, then the person is obliged to develop skills to communicate in Danish society within three years.

Please apply through Design School Kolding’s recruitment system which you find on the advertisement at the school’s website.

After the application deadline, a shortlist of the most promising applications will be made, which will then be assessed. When the committee has finished its review procedure, each shortlisted applicant will receive an assessment of his or her application.

This advertisement is a readvertisement of the position. We welcome both national and international applications. Design School Kolding wishes to reflect its surrounding community and encourages anyone to apply for the position, irrespective of personal background.

The application deadline is October 1st 2021, and the assessment will happen shortly thereafter.

The position is to be filled by December 1st 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter.

For further information, please contact secretary of research and development Christina Stind Rosendahl, phone +45 91 33 30 04 or mail: csr@dskd.dk or professor in social design Eva Brandt, brandt@dskd.dk

Also, please read the Design School Kolding Research Strategy: https://www.designskolenkolding.dk/sites/default/files/download/videnstrategi_61.pdf or pay a visit to the school website: www.designskolenkolding.dk

Application due: 01/10/2021

Start date: 01/12/2021

Workplace: Designskolen Kolding

Read the job description at the university homepage

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Post expires on Friday October 1st, 2021