CS will continue to formulate open calls to screen the market in all areas of computer science and we fully support and adhere to AU's 7 recruiting norms. An effort to identify more specific and relevant channels to post calls will be initiated. The department strives to align our calls posting cycle in the best possible way with the North American Academic hiring cycle.
The use of search committees and personal networks to attract the best candidates will be encouraged and increased significantly.
Our recruitment process needs to be fast and transparent. We run a process that allows for this while at the same time securing a thorough evaluation and consideration, to make sure that we recruit the best qualified candidates that will also fit well into the department.
Another focal point for the department is to recruit more women, this pertains to both the student and the faculty level. We will investigate the obstacles and address the ones that we can affect, such as needs for cultural shifts, how to make diversity intentions clearer in job calls and the hiring process.
Being a public university, salary levels are not internationally competitive, in particular not at the senior level. And at the junior level, employment opportunities in the industry are attractive alternatives. Hence, we must compete on other dimensions, such as attractive funding, in particular starting grants.
When recruiting scientific staff at the senior level, it is of critical importance to be able to offer starting grants in terms of a number of PhD- and postdoc-positions, depending on the type of position. This is a major challenge. Recruiting at the junior level, i.e. to tenure-track positions, we face a similar challenge although at a smaller scale. We will provide adequate support for candidates to apply for the available funding from external sources.
We will continue to recruit young talents to tenure-track positions and make sure to support the development of their talents.
Strengthening the PhD programme in computer science by offering more PhD courses. These should also be open to international PhD students.
Secure more external funding for PhD students via research grants and promote the use of industrial PhD schemes while at the same time working on establishing attractive contracts with local businesses. This could keep some of the talented students open to a career in academia.
Continue our focus on recruitment of highly talented students to PhD positions through our talent track programme. The aim of the programme is to ensure high retention among the talented students by exposing them to the research groups early, but it also constitutes an important source of talents for recruitment to PhD positions.
