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Bilkent University
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Yorks Lad



Joined: 16 Aug 2009
Posts: 93
Location: England

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:59 am    Post subject: Bilkent University Reply with quote

Does anyone have any views on Bilkent? Just seen an ad for them and it seems like an interesting option.
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Sirens of Cyprus



Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 7:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The phone interview I had with them a few years ago was absurd. They basically asked me to deliver a lecture over the phone. This was before the Islamists gained power, and the university was still promoting secularism, and my assigned topic was something like the importance of the separation of church and state. I think this was a test to see whether you could stimulate students to write essays. They did their best to make me feel awkward about it, and I was.
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Yorks Lad



Joined: 16 Aug 2009
Posts: 93
Location: England

PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh dear! That does sound odd...!

Thanks.
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sedaa91



Joined: 07 Jan 2012
Posts: 34

PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

at the uni? prep school? private schools? which one Smile
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Yorks Lad



Joined: 16 Aug 2009
Posts: 93
Location: England

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The advert I saw was for the university.
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JohnRambo



Joined: 06 Mar 2008
Posts: 183

PostPosted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yorks Lad wrote:
The advert I saw was for the university.


I'm still trying to find out information myself.

I read this: http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php?topic=39669.0, and an old post about Bilkent. What I could gather is that the pay is decent, though not the highest. The benefits are good. The university is good. You have to try to please management, be positive, say positive things, they're interested in helping their students improve their writing significantly, Ankara is a nice city, and Bilkent has a nice campus. I couldn't clearly ascertain if management management is decent or not.
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parnett



Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 179
Location: China

PostPosted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 4:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Years ago, I applied for a job at Bilkent, and was turned down (perhaps because I was over qualified). I was also asked to conduct a grammar lesson over the phone. My topic was the first conditional. The inteviewer told me I would have 30 minutes to prepare the lesson, and they would call back. I told them I did't need the time as I had taught the lesson countless times before. That was the end of the interview.
Years later, I had the opportunity to work in Ankara for 8 months. I enjoyed my time immensely as I was able to live in the nicest part of town (Gaziosmanpasa) in a beautiful furnished flat. There were plenty of small cafes and restaurants nearby to occupy my spare time at. I would say that if you are looking for a party, Ankara should not be number one on your list.
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parnett



Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 179
Location: China

PostPosted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 4:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Years ago, I applied for a job at Bilkent, and was turned down (perhaps because I was over qualified). I was also asked to conduct a grammar lesson over the phone. My topic was the first conditional. The inteviewer told me I would have 30 minutes to prepare the lesson, and they would call back. I told them I didn't need the time as I had taught the lesson countless times before. That was the end of the interview.
Years later, I had the opportunity to work in Ankara for 8 months. I enjoyed my time immensely as I was able to live in the nicest part of town (Gaziosmanpasa) in a beautiful furnished flat. There were plenty of small cafes and restaurants nearby to spend my spare time at. I would say that if you are looking for a party, Ankara should not be number one on your list.
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JohnRambo



Joined: 06 Mar 2008
Posts: 183

PostPosted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It seems like a good institution from what I could gather.
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bilalbill



Joined: 03 Apr 2013
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:16 pm    Post subject: Bilkent Reply with quote

I would carefully consider your options here. Ankara is an ok city, there are reasonable travel options, the basic package (accommodation, visa, flight etc) is good, but there are considerable "professional challenges". Especially in the preparatory school.

If you get an interview, you might want to ask what are the difficulties that new and experienced teachers report are the most challenging and what percentage of staff leave their contract early.

It might be just the job for you, so long as you know what type of environment you will be working in.

All the best,
Bill
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Sirens of Cyprus



Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Come on, Bill. What are these challenging difficulties?
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bilalbill



Joined: 03 Apr 2013
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Sirens,

I think that a search through these forums would be sufficient. Some of the writers are perhaps a little too emotive in their writing style, but when you put a number of the posts together they paint a fairly clear picture of the type of issues in the workplace.
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wander&teach



Joined: 15 Nov 2009
Posts: 126

PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Heads up all you Turkey job seekers. It appears that Bilkent University's new flexi-contract criteria for 2013 didn't go over too well with the existing staff, both foreign and Turkish. Coupled with the opening of the new Ipek campus nearby, which has been siphoning off Bilkent's best teachers, there are now many job openings available there this recruiting season. As always just be sure to do your research and get a copy of their loop-hole-filled contract in English. Also, if you agree to anything extra or they offer any incentives make sure you get it in writing.
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CVN-76



Joined: 28 Mar 2014
Posts: 171

PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 10:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Atrocious turnover. Bad press on the net. Teachers leaving for the new campus to escape the old campus. Red flags, all. Bilkent U has had red flags up since forever. I would avoid the place.
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wander&teach



Joined: 15 Nov 2009
Posts: 126

PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 2:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Turkey wouldn't be Turkey without many unreliable and outrageous conspiracy theories. Mine, (insert disclosure, IMHO memo here), is that the conservative A.K. Party is intentionally pressuring affiliated universities to make life difficult for foreigners so that annual turnover is in fact the norm so no one gets too comfortable. After all, there are scores of English speaking Turkish teachers teach in the many fine Turkish institutions who have the special ability to teach English to their students in Turkish to fill these positions. And as we all know, most foreigners are way too demanding with the audacity to stand up for their rights when wronged and even wanting their contracts fulfilled as written without any room for personal interpretation, even the female ones! In addition they tend to be poor role models with their open minds and free thinking and poison the Turkish youths mind with impure thoughts.

Now before your get your feathers ruffled and start squawking this is pure conspiracy and no actual factual information was used. For entertainment purposes only.
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