Job Discussion Forums

[Roger]

Don't start comparing jobs in HK universities with those on the mainland - that would be a barrel full of worms!
Let's just say that mainland universities don't compare favourably to western universities in any which way you might look at them, whereas HK's universities are western universities on Chinese territory.
It can, hwoever, be a thoroughly enjoable job working at a mainland university. You will earn considerably less, and you will be considerably freer than in HK. You will not be teaching anything substantial except if you have much coveted degrees (my university for example hired a foreign professor to teach CAD).
If you want to teach any subject using English as the medium of instruction you will have to be rather well-provided with degrees and experiences - something that would possibly cause you to think twice about leaving your current tenure for a one-year stint here. Add to this the fact that most of your Chinese students will most likely be unable to follow you using English.

[bukowski1234]

[quote="Roger"]
Add to this the fact that most of your Chinese students will most likely be unable to follow you using English.[/quote]

This seems to be the case as reported by many respondents on this board. (Coincidentally,a majority of respondents on this board tend to express a general dissatisfaction with their experiences in China). Unfortunately, my experiences with foreign Chinese and Japanese students studying in the States bears out your contention that those educated in HK exhibit greater foreign language skills. A student having the good fortune to be able to live in HK brings with it a host of other social advantages which supports formal education, as it does in the States.

However, I've worked with students from eastern provinces in mainland China whose financial situation at home was better than those who lived in impoverished western provinces. One exception was one student who hailed from Inner Mongolia. His English comprehension and spoken English was amazingly good.

In another thread I mentioned that I had intended to work for another university a few years ago but didn't. In the several months of courtship with the university, I corresponded with a half dozen students from that university. I am sure that those students were not typical of the student body. They may even have been members of the foreign languages department for all I know.

I have a relative who teaches a foreign language at a top-tier university who wouldn't consider teaching outside of his school because he is convinced that students at other schools are idiots. One can agree or disagreee with that, but the fallacy is obvious.

I won't be giving up tenure in another position when I move to China. For the past fifteen years I have been largely self-employed. I taught to fill the periods of business down time during those years. Now I am in a position to be able to travel and to spend time in China and (hopefully) to stay awhile.

But yes, I fully expect that universities in mainland China won't compare favorably to those on the mainland. The compensation? Hmmm... what I've seen of HK tells me that my accommodations on the mainland will certainly be more spacious on the mainland and that the cost of living will be substantially less on the mainland, so my mainland China salary x 10 in HK may not be such a tidy sum.

But would I like to live and work in HK? Heck, yes.

[Roger]

[bukowski1234]

Yes, I meant Hong Kong.