Job Discussion Forums

[desert_traveller]

Dear All,

I got a job offer from PSU in Riyadh. Did a bit of reading on Dave's, got quite a bit out of it, and would like to ask the following (I am a male):

(1) Working hours. They say it's 8-15 daily, with 4 actual teaching hours. So, I wonder, what's the rest for? And are teachers actually expected to spend the remaining 3 hours at the uni?

(2) Extra meetings, training sessions (if there are any), are they held within these office hours?

(3) Holidays. 60 days in the summer and the two religious holidays, 10-15 days each, all paid. Thats clear enough, but how about the rest, ie between-semester and mid-semester breaks? It is also unclear from their communication if they pay basic salary for holiday time or basic+allowances (quite a substantial difference).

(4) I was told I will get paid for the 12th month, which is holiday pay, once I have returned for the next year. Now, what if I don't? What if I simply decide not to renew and openly tell them this before I leave for the summer?

(5) Students. PSU is a private university. Lotta spoilt brats from posh families? Or hard working students (I mean that in Saudi terms, I know what that means) who know their parents pay a lotta money for their tuition?

(6) General management. Exit/re-entry visas, admin etc etc, effective or a pain? Again, I know in Saudi these terms have a different meaning, so lets say, relatively speaking.

(7) I saw a sample contract and it has a clause that I find a bit kinda worrying. It says that if you leave PSU you are not allowed to take up work in Saudi for a year. What's that about? Is that how they try to retain their staff? Cant be that good if they feel they need to put that in the contract, isnt it? Is that something very strict or are there ways around it? I don't find this clause very welcoming at all. Honestly, I dont like it very much. But maybe its just much ado about nothing.

(8 ) Any general or specific comments, word of mouth, warnings, advice, etc.

Thanks a bunch folks and have a nice day.

[Cleopatra]

My information on PSU mostly comes from the women's side and may be a year or two out of date, but for what it's worth:

Regarding your first two questions, PSU is known to be fairly relaxed about time keeping. So long as they teach their classes and are present for their office hours, nobody monitors teachers too closely. Last I heard, they also didn't much care about 'professional development' so I don't think you'd have to bother too much about meetings etc.

Holiday pay is your full salary. Not sure what you mean about '"allowances".

As for students, people I know who have taught male students at PSU and other private colleges generally say that students are usually polite and respectful, but not neccessarily intellectually gifted. This is because talented male Saudis generally qualify for the state-run colleges or go abroad to study.

Regarding paperwork, I would say PSU is pretty average by Saudi standards - certainly not a model of efficiency but in the end of the day things usually more or less work out.

As for your final question, I know for a fact that PSU do NOT give NOCs and they have even been known to chase up - and have deported - teachers who have '"snuck back"" into the country. So yes, this is a factor you should bear in mind when considering employment with PSU.