Job Discussion Forums

[ProfessorsWife]

My husband is hoping to receive positive confirmation in the next couple of days for a position with HCT. Can anyone offer up some information regarding the following?

Housing - for a family of 4 what should we expect?

Cost of living - HCT pays for housing, but what typical expenses should we expect otherwise?

Does anyone know what the average salary is for a professor at HCT? I know this is dependant on degree and experience, but averages?

Vehicle - Is it necessary to have one?

Thanks so much. Any information is greatly appreciated!

[Dedicated]

I'm a little confused - HCT is not a university, so there are no titles of Professor in the system. Did you mean Dean(in which case you will be based in Central Services in Abu Dhabi) or College Director (in which case you presumably applied for a specific college).

As far as I know, a Dean gets about 30,000 UAE dirhams per month, whereas a College Director about 40,000.

Housing is generally very good, and you can expect an apartment with up to 4 bedrooms etc. in the smaller Emirates. If you are in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, the housing allowance will scarcely cover the rent, and you may have to subsidise out of your own salary. You are given a furniture allowance (30,000 dirhams) on arrival, then shown your empty apartment, then have a week to shop and furnish it.

For cost of living, check <www.tefl.com> which gives details. Your biggest expense will be paying for air-conditioning for 6 months of the year, as temperatures hit the high 40sC - you cannot live without it. In a villa, this can be 4,000 dirhams a month.

You will absolutely have to buy a vehicle - you cannot get anywhere with kids without one, particularly in Dubai. Again, for 6 months of the year, it is too hot to walk anywhere.

I think you need to do a bit more research and read previous entries about the demise of the previous Deans/Directors of HCT.

[ProfessorsWife]

[quote="Dedicated"]I'm a little confused - HCT is not a university, so there are no titles of Professor in the system. Did you mean Dean(in which case you will be based in Central Services in Abu Dhabi) or College Director (in which case you presumably applied for a specific college).
As far as I know, a Dean gets about 30,000 UAE dirhams per month, whereas a College Director about 40,000.


Housing is generally very good, and you can expect an apartment with up to 4 bedrooms etc. in the smaller Emirates. If you are in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, the housing allowance will scarcely cover the rent, and you may have to subsidise out of your own salary. You are given a furniture allowance (30,000 dirhams) on arrival, then shown your empty apartment, then have a week to shop and furnish it.


For cost of living, check <www.tefl.com> which gives details. Your biggest expense will be paying for air-conditioning for 6 months of the year, as temperatures hit the high 40sC - you cannot live without it. In a villa, this can be 4,000 dirhams a month.

You will absolutely have to buy a vehicle - you cannot get anywhere with kids without one, particularly in Dubai. Again, for 6 months of the year, it is too hot to walk anywhere.


Professor is what we call an instructor at the college level, in the United States, my apologies for the confusion. What should he be referred to as??

Would a dean then be considered the same thing as an "instructor"?


Do you have any idea what the housing allowance amount is that's offered? I'm concerned about needing at least a 3 bedroom apartment within Dubai. 30,000 dirhams seems reasonable for furnishing.

[NadiaK]

The job titles can be a bit confusing. A while ago, some of the job titles changed, but now the old titles are creeping back in (some of the job ads use new and old interchangably within the same ad).

There are basically four levels of academic staff at the college level:

Faculty (teaching staff)
Supervisors (who are also known as Chairs)
Head of Instruction (who is also known as a Dean)
College Director

For faculty level salaries, do a search of earlier threads - somewhere I posted a link to the range of salaries of incoming faculty, but I can't remember where. There should be a slight increase in these as of August this year. Basically the range is approx. 10-12,000 Dhs depending on quals and experience.

Housing allowances (and to a certain extent the kind of housing) vary from place to place.

Def. get a car if you're in the big cities. Not quite so necessary in the smaller towns, where distances are smaller and taxis are cheaper.

Electricity and water can be significant costs - most people in villas who I know pay around 1000 Dhs in the summer (it helps if you have a well, or no garden). Some apartments may have some or all of the water and electricity included in the rent.

[veiledsentiments]

[ProfessorsWife]

My husband has his MFA. The titles that are used in the US are dependant upon what you're actually teaching. He would be teaching Graphic Design. An MFA is a terminal degree within Electronic Arts. Meaning - it's the same as a PhD or something of the like, as there is no further degree available. Thus, someone in his position is referred to as a professor.

Thank you for the info on needing to buy a car, much appreciated.

[Stephen Jones]

Professor is the title for somebody who holds the chair of a subject. Nowadays it would be rare for them not to be PhDs, but it was not that uncommon in the past for distinguished scholars not to have more than their first degree, or a masters (in the UK you would take a Masters or a PhD, not both).

On the continent professor simply means teacher so the equivalent title would be catedr�tico or equivalent (from catedra meaning chair, and from which the word cathedral comes).

In Korea all the conversation teachers they have in EFL departments at University get the title of Assistant Professor, so you see people change country and get promoted from Assistant Professor to Instructor :)