Job Discussion Forums

Roslagen · Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Posts: 5 Location: LA area

After a frustrating hour trying to find even NAMES (much less email addresses) of coordinators of English Language Units on Kuwait University's official website, I remembered Dave's ESL cafe.

Would anyone inside or outside KU know whom to contact re EFL positions within the university in order to send letters of inquiry/a CV?

I have 15+ years of university-level IEP experience in the US, Middle East and Japan a Master's and PhD, but this is the first university website I have ever seen that makes it impossible to find names + position + contact information for faculty/staff.

Any details appreciated!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Take this as a perfect example of how things go at KU and in Kuwait. They are famous for this. Two of the most opaque, unhelpful, and downright abusive bureaucratic organizations in the world. (OK... the university is a bit better than the rest of the government bureaucracy...) In the past, working conditions varied greatly between departments (varying from great to nightmare) and I expect that is still true, but as to breaking the code... perhaps we could get Dale Brown to write a book about it...

Unless you have some particular reason to have to go to Kuwait, I would apply at places that seem more interested in finding and hiring you. Cool

Have you tried AUK? They are more applicant friendly. And there is the rest of the Gulf unless you've already beenthere/donethat.

VS

Roslagen · Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Posts: 5 Location: LA area

** Actually, have already sent letters of inquiry to AUK and GUST (they have more normal university websites). But KU is becoming a personal challenge! Must be SOME way to contact a human being in the bureaucracy there ... Am also considering Bahrain, one of the most humane countries in the Gulf, in my opinion.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Just a hint... letters of inquiry will nearly always been ignored in the Gulf. In fact, I am confident that no one will respond. If you are interested, just send a CV through whatever avenues you can find and wait to find out if they respond. (AUK is a good job... GUST has significant issues.)

It was many years ago now, but my first experience with KU was in the early 90's just after the war. I applied and got a telegram (yes... a telegram) saying that I had been accepted - no idea of contract details or salary or anything. This was like in February. Then I never heard another word. The end of May arrived and I was about to go on summer leave. I even tried having a friend in Kuwait go and visit to see if we could find out anything... or just someone with a phone number. No success. I got a late job offer in the Emirates and accepted. I went on summer leave and arrived in Abu Dhabi for my new job near the end of August. In late September, my mother in America got a phone call from KU (how they got her number, I have no idea as I didn't give it to them) asking when I would be arriving. She informed them that I had a new job and moved to the UAE in August and gave them my phone number in AD. They never called me.

Theoretically they have improved... maybe they have worked up to a Fax machine by now. Laughing

VS

Roslagen · Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Posts: 5 Location: LA area

Sent CV with the letter of inquiry via snail mail to AUK a couple of weeks ago. At least it takes up space! How does it compare to American U. Cairo, where I taught in the 90s?

What about American University of the Middle East? Their website seemed a bit sketchy, but they are affiliated with Purdue U. in Indiana, USA.

(A telegram? Wow. How 1960s. A fax is still more "real" than an email, which can easily be ignored, however.)

Starfell · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 138

I've never seen KU advertise- how weird.Where do they do that?

I once met a new teacher from there and gave her a lift home, on the way we passed a dead Indian lying on the road near the Emiri- an omen?

The living quarters looked like a slum in Lille......she didn't stay long.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

pat blake · Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Posts: 31 Location: Kuwait

KU hasn't advertised in awhile except in country. They've advertised in eslcafe and the chronicle in the past, but lately it has been local newspapers in Arabic only (I think Arabic only, but not quite sure about that). I lived in Ku housing for a year in a building not yet remodelled. On the outside they do kind of resemble Soviet era tenement buildings, but the newly redecorated ones are nice on the inside. You do now have the option to take a housing allowance and rent off-campus.