Job Discussion Forums

[majimart]

Hi All,

If anyone has information about working for Abu Dhabi University as an English teacher, and more specifically, the Institute for Enterprise Development, I would love to hear about it.

I have an opportunity to work there for 8 weeks (currently in Canada--this is an "exchange" type situation between my university and this one) and I'm debating whether it would be a good idea or not.

Please let me know what you think, or if this has been discussed recently (within 4 months) please direct me to the right pages.

Cheers
Majimart

[hafniumite]

If your host institution in Canada plans to continue to pay you during the exchange and if Abu Dhabi University are going to provided accommadation, then one should be able to last about 8 weeks in this place. Abu Dhabi University does not have the best of reputations. If they expect you to find your own accommadation and they, and not your host institution, are to pay you during this exchange, given the cost of apartments in this town, current exchange rates between the Dirham to the Canadian dollar, and based on what I have heard they pay their EFL teachers, I would forget it.

[Iamherebecause]

Can you tell us which Canadian institution?

If ADU are getting outside collaboration then maybe things might improve there....

[majimart]

Yes, my university here (University of Victoria) is offering to pay us our regular rate, and all expenses including housing, transportation and food.

I did some research on the Internet last night and discovered that the number of contact hours with students, 20 per week, seems to be much higher than what other institutions require.

I'm considering this chance to check out the area. I have thought about going over to work there for a little while now. I'm just hoping that 8 weeks would be bearable, considering the reputation of the ADU.

[veiledsentiments]

I'd say that 8 weeks is easy to do anywhere, especially when you have a known employer paying salary and expenses. You may run into a few headaches, but the end is in view by the time you arrive.

It is a perfect way to check out the area and would be perfect if you were there during TESOL Arabia.

Go for it... in spite of it being at ADU...

VS

[Iamherebecause]

18 - 20 contact hours per week is fairly typical for a post on an English language programme. On the up side, often all those hours are with similar classes - so you don't have to do oodles of preparation.

Accommodation and transport and food paid with the salary coming in in Canadian dollars - sounds good - you'll even be changing money in the right direction for the exchange rate.

[heyjoe]

Any more info On Abu Dhabi University? How did it work out for you Majimart?

Hope someone can give me some info on this school, living conditions etc.

thanks

[veiledsentiments]

Who is your short-term contract with heyjoe? Is it directly with ADU or with an outside payer like this odd situation in this thread?

VS

[norman42]

My experience with Abu Dhabia University is that they dismiss teachers with only the student complaints. The program offers 200,000 Dhrs per student from the government to Abu Dhabia University to complete the program. Its a cash cow for the University. We have had 4 teachers dismissed in the first 2 days of our program because the students did not like them!! So, Beware of this situation if you are coming here to teach even for 2 months. The Administration backs up the student NOT the teacher has been my observation and it makes me feel as a teacher very uneasy.

Any comments from others would greatly be appreciated.[b][/b]