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Early Career workshop

Early Career workshop at NFF 2026 — 12 August 2026

The Early Career workshop offers ‘a forum to be introduced to different career tracks and discuss different career options with colleagues and more experienced scholars’.

The workshop is open to ‘late doctoral students’, postdocs and assistant professors in all areas of business administration. All topics, perspectives, and methodological approaches are welcome. 

In addition to serving as a source of academic inspiration, the workshop is also a social event. Participation is limited to a maximum of 10 students. Priority will be given to doctoral early career applicants that have not yet decided what kind of career they would prefer and thus are likely to benefit the most. Preference will further be given to applicants from NNF member institutions.

The workshop will take place in a cooperative, open, and friendly environment. Each participant is expected to present and discuss their own plan and to provide feedback to others. Sessions, in between lectures, will be held in small groups (2–3) based on the submitted material, with a senior scholar assigned to each group.

Two experienced scholars specialising in business administration will participate in the workshop parallel sessions. They will offer support and feedback, share insights from their experience, and engage actively in discussions. The workshop will be chaired by Anna B. Holm & John P. Ulhøi.


Tentative programme

09:00–09:30Welcome & introduction to the workshop and a short presentation of each participant
09:30–10:30Going back and forth between academia and industry by Dr. Pall Rikhardsson, CEO, Planet Youth
10:30–11:00 Coffee break
11:00–12:30Student presentations and feedback (two parallel sessions)
12:30–13:30Lunch
13:30–14:30Pursuing a business career outside academia by Dr. Heather Louise Madsen, Vice President, Panzer Glass
14:30–15:00Coffee break
15:00–16:30Student presentations and feedback (two parallel sessions)
16:30–17:30Avoiding desk rejection by Prof. John P. Ulhøi
17:30–18:00Emerging topics during the day and wrapping up
18:00–20:00Dinner
20:00–Downtown Aarhus (on your own)

Application process

The application deadline is 27 March 2026. To apply, students must submit the following to this link:

  • A motivational letter (including a CV, max 2 pages)
  • A short outline paper (max 2 pages) addressing: (i) status (where you are in your career) and (ii) your (ideal) plan for the near future

Both documents must be submitted as PDF files. There are no specific templates or formatting guidelines.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance by 9 April 2026.

Additional information
Early Career applicants who wish to participate in the workshop must also attend and register for the NFF conference. A paper presentation for the conference is not required.

There is no additional fee for NNF members beyond the student conference fee. Accepted students will be provided with dinner on Wednesday evening, as well as lunch, coffee, and refreshments during the workshop.