PhD Courses in Denmark

The Basics of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education for PhD Students

PhD School at the Faculty of Law at University of Copenhagen

Dates and time: 17-19 November and 10-12 December 2025 from 9:00 to 15:00

Do you want to learn more university teaching and learning in order to make better decisions about your teaching?

The purpose of the course is for you to be able to plan and facilitate university teaching and examination based on knowledge and understanding of a number of basic pedagogical theories and methods. You will also learn to see your own and others' teaching in an analytical, constructive and reflexive manner, to evaluate appropriate strategies and ways of acting on this basis and to share reflections and feedback with colleagues on teaching and educational issues.

During the course, you will be working with:

 - the characteristics, framework and conditions of university teaching, e.g. research-teaching integration
 - students' learning processes, prerequisites and diversity
 - learning objectives, examinations and learning activities and the alignment between them
 - the learning environment and its importance for student learning
 - various student-centred learning activities and tools
 - criteria-based feedback
 - examination

You will be working with these topics in a wide variety of ways both before, in and between the six days, as the activities of the course will also serve as inspiration for how you may teach. As a core course activity, you will be asked to plan and conduct a small example of your own teaching and then receive feedback from the other course participants and teachers.

You will receive further information about learning objectives, course content and working methods upon admission to the course.

Preparation and programme
In accordance with the ECTS weighting of the course, the amount of activities that take place before and between the seminars is significant (approximately 1 – 1½ working week). These activities are a prerequisite for the participants to engage in the course in a meaningful way. Before you sign up for the course, we therefore encourage you to consider whether you are able to devote enough time to preparation in the days leading up to the course and between the two blocks of seminars.

Literature references, material as well as information about preparation and programme will be made available to you in a course room in the learning platform Absalon, in which you will be enrolled upon admission to the course.

Language: English

ECTS: 3 ECTS for participation

Max. number of participants: 24

Registration: Please register via the link in the box no later than 6 October 2025. 

Further information
If you have any questions regarding course content, activities and programme, please do not hesitate to contact course directors Bjarne Simmelkjær Sandgaard Hansen (bssh@hum.ku.dk) and Christina Juul Jensen (cjj@samf.ku.dk).

This is a six-day (3 ECTS) course on teaching and learning in higher education, i.e., theories and methods of university teaching, teaching techniques, research-based teaching etc. The course is also available in Danish in the Spring semester with the title Universitetspædagogik for ph.d.-studerende. A two-day (1 ECTS) introductory course on teaching techniques for classroom teachers is available as an alternative. Find description of and dates for that course in English here and in Danish here. NOTE: Instructors, teaching assistants and part-time lecturers also participate in this two-day course. 

In addition to these two courses, a two-day (1 ECTS) course on supervision of students is offered in English in the Autumn semester and in Danish in the spring semester. Find description of and dates for the next course in Danish here