Job Discussion Forums

[AV15]

[Jmbf]

I'm also not an expert, but I'm not convinced that university work is necessarily that much better in terms of working hours. From a website detailing working conditions across different jobs in HK:

University. Professors teaching at universities throughout Hong Kong will have a more flexible work schedule, but this role also comes with a lack of consistency in working hours, due to the nature of tasks being undertaken. This doesn’t necessarily equate to fewer work hours, instead, it typically involves different scopes of work to be completed daily. A number of responsibilities can contribute to this erratic and fluctuating schedule, including the number of lectures in a given day, study group sessions, open office hours, and faculty meetings. It is important to consider these, in addition to the regular teaching duties such as lesson preparations and grading.

This seems to imply that a lecturer's / professor schedule might be more flexible and involve SLIGHTLY less hours than other teaching positions, but it doesn't seem to be as significant as a 20 hrs vs 40 hrs difference.

Naturally, if anyone working in such as position could confirm any of this, then that would be appreciated.

[AV15]

[Kowloon]

It's a reasonable debate. I can't give a definitive answer either. I am on the NET scheme myself, must admit I'd never heard anyone on the scheme complaining about holidays. Now, that potentially could be down to the older NETs on the scheme coming from Western schools, where their holidays might have been abbreviated by exam marking, school trips, curric planning etc. so in comparison scheme holidays are fine. No idea.

I generally get 10-14 days at Xmas, CNY and Easter, then as you said, I always have a 28 day block in summer, although usually a bit more, towards 33. Then after I return I need to pop in for a meeting, but am then free again until term starts. A lot of NETs will do a Europe/America/Oz/NZ trip with the 28 days and then pop off to somewhere closer for a week before term. Not ideal if you have your heart set on 8 weeks of backpacking mind.

I know a lecturer (not a professor, doesn't have a PhD) at a Uni here, although not well enough to ask him outright about office hours. He does keep them to an extent though. As I have visited his office a few times on days he hasn't been teaching.

[HeidiHector]

You can always study part-time on the side. Many schools themselves have PGDE (2-3 years) or PhD (4-5 years) programs. And you would probably get a discount for studying at the school where you work.