Job Discussion Forums

Aprilshowers · Joined: 29 Feb 2016 Posts: 6

I am new to the forum.

I have had an offer from Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou. This is my first time in China; teaching or visitng.

What should I be aware of with the university or Suzhou?

What are the working conditions like at XJTLU? i have had a look on Glassdoor; most reviews are negative. It sounds like a lot bullying goes on there. What kind of salary should I expect as an EAP tutor?

What is life like in Suzhou? Is it safe? Which areas would I look into renting an apartment? Does the University give enough allowance for this? Would I have to ship over all my western stuff or would I find most things there?

I would really appreciate your responses.

mackidrei · Joined: 04 Apr 2013 Posts: 29

Aprilshowers · Joined: 29 Feb 2016 Posts: 6

The reviews were mainly from staff from engineering faculties and admin. 14 reviews out of a minimum of 500 staff. This would account for less than 3% of the staff. Nevertheless, I am hoping gain a perspective here on the ESL front.

ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

As said before, as salaries are high at XJTLU (it is one of the highest paying gigs in China) expectations and stress levels can be high too, certainly compared to your 'average' ( if there is such a thing) Chinese University Oral English teaching job, where you earn just 6000-7000 rmb per month, or sometimes less.

Some people can cope with stress for a higher salary, and others think it is not worth it.

If you get the chance to contact some teachers there by email, that would be a good way of sussing out the general work atmosphere there.
Suzhou, is considered to be an above average working location in China, with many good amenities and restaurants, and an active student population, with several colleges there. Pollution, in general, is moderate, by Chinese standards.

Ghost in China

airapets · Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 78 Location: The Middle Kingdom

You might be able to reach some people who teach there on linkedin. They might be able to answer some of your questions.

The bear · Joined: 16 Aug 2015 Posts: 483

teacherwhy16? · Joined: 09 Mar 2014 Posts: 16

Look up posts by bagua8, s/he has discussed working there until very recently. There is also another thread about this uni on page 1 of China, job related.

coffeespoonman · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 512 Location: At my computer...

Your experience at XJTLU really depends A LOT on which module / year / section of the Language Centre you work in. And that is largely up to chance, at least when you first join. Some areas of the LC are super laid back, with excellent materials in place and a great team of people. Some areas are less... convenient.

I can honestly say that, for me, this is the best job I have ever had. Conditions, for me at least, are better than I ever expected to receive as an EAP teacher anywhere. I'm talking about salary and benefits, but also about the way EAP tutors are viewed by senior management, other faculty, etc. Opportunities for professional development are everywhere, and excellent facilities (private office, excellent computer equipment, etc.) were something I never expected when I joined here.

Having said that, this place isn't for everyone. It can be a lot of work. You are expected to contribute in many ways that you might not be elsewhere. You're expected to be able to create materials and assessments. You're expected to understand CEFR, Virtual Learning Environments, and a whole slew of policies that are apt to change at any time (but not without warning).

For me, this has been an EXCELLENT place to develop myself professionally. For others, it's a pain in the arse - they just want to teach their minimum hours and go home. That's totally fine, but this isn't the place for that kind of person.

For your other questions, Suzhou is extremely safe. Other than possible traffic issues, safety is a complete non issue here.

I live near the big pants building (kind of the heart of the SIP, Xinghai square), and I'm happy there, though the commute is a bit longer than I'd like. Your allowance will just about cover a small place around there, but not quite. It might cover a small place east of the lake or near campus, but you'll need to bargain a bit. In any event, the difference isn't much.

You can find absolutely everything here, and once you learn how to use the online shopping website, Taobao, you'll find things cheaper than back home (it's all manufactured here anyways).

Suzhou is not a land of milk and honey. Air can be nasty, though not nearly as bad as the places you've seen on the news. The city is quite boring once you've exhausted the few things you're likely to enjoy, though Shanghai is just down the road. The language is not easy to learn, and English is practically non-existent, including on the internet, thanks to bans (goodbye Google maps).

But I have enjoyed my years here, for the most part, due to my excellent students and colleagues, and what I would say is one of the best jobs I'm likely to ever have, all things considered.

The great salary helps too. Smile

kungfu · Joined: 06 Mar 2016 Posts: 21

How much does this gig pay then? I'm curious. Most uni gigs Ive seen are 9000 so not worth it

Dedicated · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 972 Location: UK

According to the BALEAP website for EAP jobs, the salary offered is between
15,161 and 30,701 RMB per month depending on qualifications and experience.

coffeespoonman · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 512 Location: At my computer...

Yeah, that's about right, though few are going to be on the lower end. It's also worth mentioning that that's net, and doesn't include benefits housing or travel (which is still paid directly to you if you don't use it), etc.

Aprilshowers · Joined: 29 Feb 2016 Posts: 6

Thank you for all of your responses.

Coffeespoonman thank you for taking the time to write in such great detail. It is good to hear the positive comments from someone who works in the department. Your passion truely shines through. How long have you been there?

Are there really teaching jobs that you can just do your minimum teaching hours and go home?!

I was thinking of shipping my furniture, tv etc there.. from the sounds of it, it will not be worth the hassle.

coffeespoonman · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 512 Location: At my computer...

My pleasure. Dave's was a huge help to me when beginning my career 10-11 years ago, so I try to return the favor when I can. I find that it's often mostly unhappy people who post on the internet (not just on Dave's but everywhere) because the happy people are too busy being happy to post online, so I try to help keep the balance.

This is my fifth year here. Suzhou's not bad, but I wouldn't still be here if it weren't for this job.

And yeah, no need to bring anything at all. There's an IKEA just down the road in Wuxi, and one opening in Suzhou soon. And TV's are way cheaper here than practically anywhere else in the world. But your flat will be furnished anyways (they all are, whether you live near campus or not), so unless you're a videophile with a 4k tv or something, no need to think about furniture or tv's or the like.

CSM

bagua8 · Joined: 22 Mar 2012 Posts: 57

Hi April,

I just finished a contract with XJTLU. My experience was generally positive. PM me if you have questions.

B8

The_Penguin · Joined: 27 Apr 2016 Posts: 6

Can anyone who works at XJTLU or has worked there recently give me some information about the holidays? I've been told that teachers get 47 days (including public holidays) but it's not clear if these are working days or calendar days.

I've also heard that there are quite a few non-teaching weeks, and your manager may let you have these as additional holiday, or that you can take extra, unpaid leave. Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks!