Job Discussion Forums

egyptfan · Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Posts: 94 Location: Middle East

Just wondering if anyone heard anything from BUE?
Re-advertised a few times on tefl.com after closing date of July 5.
Can't fill vacancies or just overly fussy? Confused

stoth1972 · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 11:33 pm Post subject:

I think Veiled Sentiments said they were only looking for UK applicants. Do you have and MA TESOL?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 14849 Location: USA

That is what their webpage said...

Flying Scotsman · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 3

I have heard that BUE salaries range from GBP 16k - 26k p.a. for British-hire staff (can anyone confirm this?). If so, this would compare favourably with other places in the middle east whose currencies are pegged to the US$. If offered a job, you'll have to bargain hard to get near the top end of the scale. The university itself is located 70km from central Cairo (Mohandessin/ Zamalek) and travelling times from these places are horrendous - expect to travel one and a half hours each way. However, you don't have to live in central Cairo, the university provides all British-hire staff with a rent-free flat in El Sherouk, but as hardly anyone lives there and there's no public transport and nothing at all to do, most of the expats have moved into town. There are currently 7 British teaching staff in the university, 4 of whom teach English. The bulk of the teaching staff are Egyptians - currently numbering about 60. BUE is a private enterprise, and cost-cutting appears to be the name of the game. If you really want to live in Egypt, and have an MA in TEFL, then this place might not be too bad - if you don't mind the long working hours, excessive travelling, lack of printing and photocopying facilities - oh, and having to eat lunch at your desk while students come into ask you questions (Office hours are all the hours you don't teach or have meetings) - as there's no cafeteria or staff canteen as such. You can save money as Egypt is a cheap place to live, and the Egyptians themselves are such warm, hospitable people. Students at BUE range greatly in abilities: some have excellent English and are very motivated to learn, others are quite the opposite. Although I don't work in the English Department, my colleagues tell me that they (the English Dept.) are trying to get the university to agree to a minimum-English level for admission, but as yet, this hasn't happened.

mistral · Joined: 17 Feb 2007 Posts: 93 Location: Herat Afghanistan

BUE are advertising again. Have things improved? Do they recruit Americans? Anyone working there?