Vacancy
§ A full-time tenured professor (combination of a full appointment at GUGC with 10% professorship at Ghent University)
§ Discipline: Neuro Science (Neuroinflammation and/or Neuroimmunology)
§ Affiliation: at GUGC: Biomedical Research Center (Dept. KR01), at UGent: Faculty of Sciences (Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, WE14)
Last application date
September 30, 2025
Anticipated starting date
February 1, 2026
Contract
Full-time, tenure-track position with an initial performance evaluation at the end of the third year and a comprehensive tenure review at the end of the fifth year.
The professorial rank will be determined based on the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.
Degree
Ph.D. degree in the domain of Medical Biotechnology, Biomedical Science and Engineering, or equivalent
Occupancy rate
100%
Vacancy Type
Teaching and research staff (Autonomous Academic Staff), Professorial Staff (ZAP)
About Ghent University and Ghent University Global Campus
Ghent University is one of the most important education and research institutions in the Low Countries. On a daily basis, over 15,000 staff members and 50,000 students
implement its motto, "Dare to Think." Ghent University's mission statement is characterized by qualitative education, internationally renowned research, and a pluralistic social responsibility.
GUGC is an extended campus of Ghent University in South Korea and the first European university to be part of the Incheon Global Campus (IGC). Since 2014, GUGC has offered Bachelor of Science programs in Molecular Biotechnology, Environmental Technology, and Food Technology. Ghent University is one of the top 100 universities in the world (ARWU 90, 2024), and Ghent University ranks even higher in the life sciences subjects taught at GUGC.
The Biomedical Research Center (RC5) is one of the five existing research centers of the Ghent University Global Campus, Korea (https://rc5.ghent.ac.kr/). The Biomedical Research Center (RC5) is dedicated to the study of human brain disorders such as mental disorders and neurodegeneration with the aim of delivering knowledge for better diagnosis and treatment. To sustain and strengthen the teaching, research, and service activities of the Biomedical Research Center (RC5), GUGC is looking for a full-time professor with a background in Neuroinflammation and Neuroimmunology.
Please visit the homepage of Ghent University (Global Campus) to learn more about our organization:
https://www.ugent.be/
https://www.ghent.ac.kr /
Assignment
The assignment concerns academic education (in English), academic research and carrying out academic services in the discipline of Biomedical Biotechnology,
with special focus on neuroinflammation and neuroimmunology.
Academic Education
You deliver lectures across various course units in Molecular Biotechnology and Animal Sciences, serving as both a lecturer-in-charge and a co-lecturer. You are willing to colecture
courses with other faculty member(s) in the center if necessary. The courses you can contribute to include Immunology, Molecular Biology, and Animal Biology. You play a pivotal role in guiding students' research efforts.
This includes supervising both bachelor's and master's theses. Furthermore, you serve as an academic advisor for Ph.D. students, providing valuable mentorship and support in their academic pursuits.
Academic Research
You conduct cutting-edge research at an internationally competitive level within the expansive field of Neuroinflammation. Your work may span various domains of animal research strongly associated with human brain disorders such as mental disorders and neurodegeneration.You link up with colleagues at the global campus and the home campus of Ghent University in Belgium.
You also link up with colleagues at Korean universities and research institutes or at international research institutes.
Academic Services
In collaboration with colleagues at both the global and home campuses of Ghent University, you actively contribute to the development of the Biomedical Research Center.
This includes endeavors such as securing national and international research funding, with the aim of establishing the center as a recognized hub of expertise in South Korea and beyond. Furthermore, you play an integral role in the internal and external services of the Biomedical Research Center and GUGC. This involves taking
on internal responsibilities, participating in committees and workgroups, and serving as
a mentor to contribute to the overall growth and success of the center and the university.
Profile
Experience
- You hold a doctoral degree in a relevant subject (Neuroinflammation, Neuroimmunology, or equivalent)
- You have an excellent academic track record, proven by peer-reviewed publications in proceedings of high-quality conferences and international journals.
- You are capable of initiating, supervising, and acquiring the necessary funding for academic research. In this respect, you have a demonstrable record in obtaining research funding;
attracting Korean research funds will be considered an advantage for obtaining the position.
- You are didactically skilled in teaching university students to develop academic competencies.
Skills / Attitude
- You possess proficiency in English, at the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), along with strong academic writing and presentation skills.
- You have independent research and strong self-learning abilities; a creative and inquisitive attitude is a must.
- You have strong didactic, communicative, and managerial skills, including people management, as well as a large interest in providing and supporting academic education.
- You are a team player, open to (interdisciplinary) collaboration within both GUGC and the home campus of Ghent University.- You are comfortable with working in an international and multi-cultural environment
that is dynamic in nature (GUGC alone currently has more than 20 nationalities among its teaching and research staff).
- You are quality-oriented.
Admission requirements
- You hold a thesis-based doctorate, or a diploma or degree certificate that is recognized as equivalent.
- You have at least two years of postdoctoral experience by the start date of your appointment at Ghent University (Global Campus). This term of two years is determined by the date written on the above-mentioned required diploma.
Language requirements
Each member of the teaching staff or of the academic staff charged with a teaching assignment must master the language in which you teach a course unit at Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level C1.
This is also called the teaching language requirement.
Gender and diversity
Ghent University conducts an equal opportunities policy and encourages everyone to apply. Ghent University also strives for a gender balance.
Selection procedure
After the final application date, all received applications will be sent to the assessment committee assembled for this vacancy. This committee will first evaluate the application files.
Therefore, it will match all elements of the file against the required expertise for the position in terms of education, research and scientific service. Based on this deliberation, relevant candidates will be shortlisted to be invited for further selection (interview, possible presentation or test lecture ...).
Afterwards, the committee will rank the suitable candidates and present this ranking to the GUGC and Faculty Boards. This advice will then be presented to the University Board for approval.
Candidates are asked to list their top-5 most important publications or other academic achievements with a high impact. Next to academic publications, the candidate can thus demonstrate merit of knowledge transfer by academic dissemination (including experience in teaching university students), social valorization, public awareness, seminars or conference presentations. These competences are also taken into account when evaluating the candidates.
Pregnancy leave, prolonged sick leave, parental leave, filial leave or other forms of absence are taken into account when evaluating the available time for the realization of academic output.
Appointment information
We offer you a contract as an assistant or associated professor, depending on your previous career and scientific output.
We offer an initial full-time appointment with a renewable term, up to a maximum of five years. This is a tenure-track position, with an initial evaluation conducted at the end of the first three years and a final tenure review at the end of the fifth year.
The career trajectory follows the same regulations and evaluation timelines as professorial appointments at Ghent University’s home campus. For further details,
please refer to:
https://www.ugent.be/en/work/mobility-career/career-aspects/professorial-staff).
Although fully employed on the pay-role of GUGC, the appointment consists of a 90 % appointment at GUGC and a 10 % appointment at Ghent university home campus.
This makes that the selected candidate has access to all possibilities offered to professors of Ghent University with respect to internal funding calls and access to services offered by the home campus.
The selected candidate will be integrated in a department of the Faculty of Sciences.
Compensation and benefits
Compensation and benefits or Salary will be determined in accordance with the Ghent University salary standards.
✓ Salary will be determined in accordance to the Ghent University salary standards
✓ Bonus: a bonus in June (92% of monthly salary) and a bonus in December (100% monthly salary)
✓ Transportation and housing
✓ Severance
✓ Private health insurance
✓ Leaves and holidays
✓ For international applicants: visa support and relocation
How to apply
Application procedure
✓ Professorial staff application form
✓ Motivation letter
✓ Full resume (CV) including at least 2 references
✓ Portfolio including below items:
➢ Your research plan, including a description of the integration of your research in the Biomedical Research Center
➢ Your vision on research, education, and service, including the strategy of applying and obtaining research funds from outside
✓ A complete list of your publications
✓ A copy of your Ph.D. and Master's degree certificates (if you have a degree certificate in a language other than Dutch, French, German, or English, please add a legalized translation in English)
✓ Copy of proof of at least two years of experience as a postdoctoral researcher
✓ Copy of proof of teaching experience at universities
* All required documents must be submitted in English. The documents MUST BE MERGED INTO A SINGLE PDF file and sent to gugcacademichr@UGent.be (subject line: RC5_ZAP_last name.firstname)
More information
For further information regarding this vacancy, please contact Prof. Dr. Dongik Park (Dongik.Park@ghent.ac.kr).
