Job Discussion Forums

[Jim Bigelow]

Dear Colleagues,

After speaking to a friend this evening he made Sharjah seem a very appealing place to work!
Would those of you have some knowledge in this regard advise me where I could start to contact schools/centres in Sharjah.

Many thanks

[veiledsentiments]

Hi Jim

Sharjah has a big education complex that includes 3 different universities. There is the American University in Sharjah which is sexually integrated and has a pretty good reputation. They require an MA and a few years of experience.

Then there are two segregated institutions. There is a branch of The Higher Colleges of Technology split into men's and women's. You don't hear anything bad about them on this board, so I guess that are OK. But, when you apply to HCT, you have no say in where you are located. They don't require an MA, but they have a killer interview process - very demanding.

The last is Sharjah University - men's and women's branches. It has had some terrible growing pains. I hear that it is better than it was a couple years ago, but I would want to communicate with a few current teachers to hear the latest. I'm not sure of their requirements.

I haven't heard about any other colleges there, but there may be some. Sharjah is not one of the more pleasant Emirates to reside in, but Dubai is close as long as you like traffic.

VS

[JCMach1]

Jim,

Sharjah is great if you like a slightly slower pace than Dubai. Having said that, Dubai is VERY close by if you need some excitement. I teach with AUS and University City is a wonderful place to work. AUS hires people every year. It looks like this year will bring quite a few hires because of increasing enrollment.

Also coming on line soon in University City is ETISALAT University. I don't know if it will be completed for next Fall or not.

[veiledsentiments]

Hi JCMach1

ETISALAT university? Is it going to be mainly IT or something? Have you heard anything about it that you can share with us? I am going to check and see if it has a website yet.

Thanks for the info.

and Jim-

If you wants to see some pictures of AUS, check out this posters website. Click on the www circle on his message.

VS

[JCMach1]

Here is the link for ETISALAT.

http://www.etisalatuniversity.ac.ae/index.htm

I believe the facility will be completed this year... so look for hiring with either FALL 2004, or SPRING 2005 in mind.

My relatively new website is http://www.usa2uae.com/

[veiledsentiments]

JCM: Thanks for the link.

Whew, I was almost overcome by the rhetoric - such perfection of goals and ambitions. While the website gave little more information than projected majors and construction photos galore.

Not much useful to a prospective teacher yet. I would think that if they are planning to start courses by next fall, they should be well into the hiring process. Not to mention organizing the courses, which should have started already - not at the same time as the new faculty is arriving along with the students. Guess we'll have to just watch this space.

From the photos in the banner, it appears that it will be sexually integrated. Where is the campus located in relation to the other campuses in University City?

I am still confused about the use of the 'Etisalat' name. I'm not sure what the word means, but since this is the name of the phone company, it just seems --- strange? --- not terribly appealing? --- or perhaps it is just me.

VS

[Truth Hurts]

VS

Etisalat is derived from the Arabic verb: itassala, to call, telephone, to communicate.

Etisalat is the plural form of noun 'communication' hence communications.

TH

[veiledsentiments]

Thanks TH - that seems a good name for a telephone company then.

But, that doesn't help make the name of the new university make any more sense to me, but then my opinion isn't really worth all that much to them, I don't suppose.

VS

[JCMach1]

I believe the ETISALAT University project is loosely affiliated with the state run Phone Company.

The campus is site is directly next to AUS as you come in the main entrance and through the clock tower roundabout. I think it will (ultimately) end up being the 'poor man's' AUS in terms of an engineering education. The AUS School of Engineering can be quite difficult to get into. It is yet to be seen whether the new University can be a cut above HCT. We shall see



About hiring... I can't imagine that they will let the facility sit for a year. The campus should be completed by Spring/Early Summer 2004 I suspect. Also, they may not take a large class the first year as they ramp-up the school gradually.

Keep an eye open though...

A better option is to take an AUS job. There should be 3-4 new jobs in English language and translation this year (+ more if anyone leaves). Also, IEP hires every year.