You recognise yourself in (a large part of) the following profile:
1. You hold a master’s degree in European Studies or a related discipline (such as Political Science, International Relations, European Law, History, Sociology or Public Administration). Experience with PhD research is an extra plus.
2. You combine organisational skills and policy insight with the ability to maintain overview in a complex, international and multidisciplinary environment.
3. You take responsibility and initiative, work independently, and place strong value on collaboration, alignment and shared ownership.
4. You have experience in coordination or functional leadership (e.g. through programme coordination, project leadership, academic or team coordination) and lead people in a connective and respectful manner.
5. You have strong analytical skills, can set priorities and make decisions in a demanding environment.
6. You are a motivated teacher with attention to didactic quality in an international bachelor context; experience in European Studies and/or research methodology is an asset.
7. You enjoy and are effective in supervising students’ bachelor’s theses, including in a multidisciplinary setting.
8. You communicate and teach fluently in English (C1 level). Bilingualism in English and Dutch is highly valued. Candidates who do not yet speak Dutch at the time of appointment are eligible provided they are willing to learn Dutch; KULeuven offers a supportive language training.
9. Experience with programme or curriculum coordination, policy work and/or international cooperation is a strong asset.
As Head of Programme Coordination for the Bachelor of European Studies (BAES), you are responsible for the organisational and operational coordination of this international joint bachelor programme. You connect academic vision with day‑to‑day practice, safeguard programme coherence and play a key role in the further development and sustainable consolidation of BAES, including the leadership of a small and experienced team, in close collaboration with the Programme Director and faculty services.
You combine strategic oversight with operational engagement: you take initiative, facilitate decision‑making and ensure smooth cooperation with the other partner institutions. In addition, you remain academically involved through a limited teaching assignment and the coordination of the bachelor’s theses.
Your responsibilities:
Programme and organisation
10. Coordinating the day‑to‑day operations of BAES, with attention to quality, continuity, transparency and student‑centredness.
11. Translating strategic and academic choices into concrete educational and organisational decisions.
12. Maintaining oversight of and contributing to the design and implementation of programme and curriculum processes in an international context.
13. Identifying challenges and opportunities and, where appropriate, initiating improvement actions or escalation.
Leadership and collaboration
14. Leading and connecting a small, experienced team responsible for educational, student and policy support.
15. Safeguarding a balanced distribution of tasks, workload and wellbeing within the team.
16. Fostering an open, constructive and collaborative team culture.
17. Working closely with academic colleagues, faculty services and international partners.
18. Preparing, facilitating and chairing programme committees and core meetings.
Teaching and academic engagement
19. Actively contributing to the academic development and profiling of the European Studies curriculum.
20. Teaching one course unit (with or without co‑teaching), in line with your expertise.
21. Coordinating the bachelor’s thesis process and supervising students in their bachelor’s theses.
The Bachelor of European Studies (BAES) is an international, multidisciplinary joint bachelor programme that prepares students to critically understand Europe and actively engage in shaping it within a complex global context. KU Leuven is the degree awarding institution and is responsible for the programme’s central coordination, which is offered in collaboration with 11 European partner universities.BAES is embedded within the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSW) at KU Leuven and is supported by close cooperation with other faculties both within and beyond the university. The BAES team operates at the intersection of academic content, educational organisation, policy development and international collaboration. The programme is currently in a phase of further development and consolidation. Its innovative character, international governance structure and pioneering approach to education make BAES a particularly attractive environment for those who are energised by educational innovation and motivated to contribute to the development of sustainable structures and strong quality assurance in an international context.
22. A full‑time key role and a contract of unlimited duration in a unique and innovative international bachelor programme, within a warm and collegial working environment. A 90% appointment is negotiable.
23. If you are immediately deployable for all assignments of this position, you will start in grade 8. Promising candidates who cannot yet immediately take on all assignments or who still need to complete a specific training track will start in grade 7. Grade 9 is exceptionally reserved for candidates who, from the very start, can take up additional responsibilities due to extensive knowledge and experience.
24. Real impact on curriculum development, programme organisation and the student experience, with opportunities to help shape a programme in development.
25. Autonomy and initiative, combined with clear institutional embedding and support from the faculty and central services.
26. Close collaboration with a small, experienced team that carries the daily operations of BAES and shares knowledge and responsibility.
27. The opportunity to remain academically engaged through teaching and supervision within European Studies.
28. Attention to a sustainable and realistic workload and long‑term employability.
29. Time and support to grow into the role: we do not expect you to master everything from day one, but offer guidance, trust and opportunities for professional development.
30. Appointment and remuneration in accordance with KULeuven regulations, including associated benefits.