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DMIXDJ
Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Kigndom Of Bahrain
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:35 am Post subject: PMU Information? |
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Hi all, i have done a Search and found lots of info on PMU, but none really up to date!
Does anybody have any information on the basic Package that PMU would offer including Basic Salary, Housing, Flights for Family, Internet, Health ins and of Course, any information on being a teacher at that Uni.
Many thanks
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Paul in Saudi

Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:09 am Post subject: |
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I am also interested in PMU, in case my other offer fizzles out.
Anyone? |
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Mia Xanthi

Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 955 Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Does anybody have any information on the basic Package that PMU would offer including Basic Salary, Housing, Flights for Family, Internet, Health ins and of Course, any information on being a teacher at that Uni |
Basic salary: for a prep teacher with an MA, I would say somewhere between SR 10,000 and SR 12, 500, depending on experience. Those with doctorates make considerably more. Those who teach anything other than English also make MUCH more
Housing: a nice but rather military-looking compound with a nice pool, a gym, a game room. Teachers now have fully furnished three-bedroom villas, one per teacher. Furniture is adequate, but not top quality. Some have been asked to share villas and in return they receive a small stipend. There is some talk of new teachers being housed in a very nice apartment building downtown, but I have no details on this.
Flights: airfare is provided for employee and dependents. I don't know if there is a limit on the number of dependents. Round-trip airfare home is provided once a year
Internet: this has been a problem area. There are computers and wireless in the main hall for common use, and they seem to work pretty well. There is also some kind of wireless service you can subscribe to for your villa, but people are not happy with it. The university provides you with a laptop.
Health insurance: minimal health coverage is provided for the employee and dependents. I've heard it described as a very bare-bones type of policy, but it covers regular care at local hospitals. I don't know if there is any coverage when you travel.
You'll have to be more specific if you want information on "being a teacher". I'll try to find out anything you want to know. |
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DMIXDJ
Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Kigndom Of Bahrain
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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Many thanks for the Reply! It Does sound Reasonable! what i meant by being a teacher at PMU was referring to the General vibe, Organisation, workload etc....
Thanks, once again!  |
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scot47

Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Dr Brasscat will be here shortly to tell us all how wonderful PMU is (and how much he hated his previous posting in KSA). |
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Mia Xanthi

Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 955 Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject: being a teacher |
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The workload is 20 hours a week for those in the preparatory (pre-university English) program. It's somewhat less if you teach freshman composition or any non-English courses.
Organization? Not much, I'd say, but things seem to be getting better. PMU is ending the second year of a start-up, and things have been chaotic to put it mildly. There have been a lot of growing pains while the admin sort out policies and procedures. BTW, please be aware that while PMU is built on a "Western" model, the power structure is 100% Saudi. Make no mistake about it: western administrators hold "face" positions, but the Saudis make the decisions. This makes for a lot of culture clash, so those who come need to be prepared. It has many of the same problems that teachers find at other Saudi-administered institutions -- not more problems, mind you, but the usual number. Forewarned is forearmed.
On the bright side, teachers have their own well-equipped offices and the university does offer a lot of opportunity for those who like to work with technology. |
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Cleopatra

Joined: 28 Jun 2003 Posts: 3657 Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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| BTW, please be aware that while PMU is built on a "Western" model, the power structure is 100% Saudi. Make no mistake about it: western administrators hold "face" positions, but the Saudis make the decisions. |
I think that's the case just about everywhere. However influential and important some "Westerners" may think they are, ultimately it is always the Saudis who call the shots. Hardly surprising really, it being their country and all that. |
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007

Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 2684 Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: being a teacher |
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| Teta Mia Xanthi wrote: |
| BTW, please be aware that while PMU is built on a "Western" model, the power structure is 100% Saudi. Make no mistake about it: western administrators hold "face" positions, but the Saudis make the decisions. |
Good description of the Saudi mentality and administration, Teta Mia!
Do you think it will come the day were the Saudi administration changes its �style� and become more �civilized� and �energized�?
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| On the bright side, teachers have their own well-equipped offices and the university does offer a lot of opportunity for those who like to work with technology. |
Teta Mia, what type of technology is provided in PMU?
| Teta Mia wrote: |
| Housing: a nice but rather military-looking compound with a nice pool, |
Teta Mia, I have heard that the pools in PMU are empty without water and full of snakes!!
So, what is the point for a pool without water!
| Uncle Scot wrote: |
| Dr Brasscat will be here shortly to tell us all how wonderful PMU is (and how much he hated his previous posting in KSA). |
Congratulation for Brasscat for his Doctorate from his excellency Uncle Scot!
His Excellency Uncle Scot, what did you do to trapezius? He was supposed to publish his saving statistics, but it seems he vanished in the middle of the virtual world!  |
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Mia Xanthi

Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 955 Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: being a teacher
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Good description of the Saudi mentality and administration, Teta Mia!
Do you think it will come the day were the Saudi administration changes its �style� and become more �civilized� and �energized�?
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I think that it is not for me to make such judgments. I am only warning those who may consider coming that they need to expect a somewhat different style of management.
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| Teta Mia, what type of technology is provided in PMU? |
Lots of technology, Uncle 007. The students all have laptops and the building has wireless. They have Smartboards and Blackboard and all that good stuff. Perhaps Dr. Brasscat can give a more complete description since I have not seen it in a while.
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Teta Mia, I have heard that the pools in PMU are empty without water and full of snakes!!
So, what is the point for a pool without water! |
Well, Uncle, you need to check your hearing. The last time I saw it, that pool was full of water. Maybe you are talking about some of the staff offices rather than the pool?  |
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Griff-James
Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 171 Location: A place full of 18 year olds and endless ale. Not not this time.
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Mia,
How much more can those who teach science and have a PhD get?
Regards,
Griff-James |
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Mia Xanthi

Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 955 Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject: how much? |
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| How much more can those who teach science and have a PhD get? |
I think that those with doctorates who teach English can expect a couple of thousand more a month. I would expect (and this is just a guess) that those with doctorates who teach science would make in the range of maybe SR18,000?
Again, just educated guesses at best. |
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007

Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 2684 Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:49 pm Post subject: Re: how much? |
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| Mia Xanthi wrote: |
| Quote: |
| How much more can those who teach science and have a PhD get? |
I think that those with doctorates who teach English can expect a couple of thousand more a month. I would expect (and this is just a guess) that those with doctorates who teach science would make in the range of maybe SR18,000?
Again, just educated guesses at best. |
Well, the above salary is only for a Professor with more than 20 years of experience and in a specific field.
I know a friend in one of the government universities who holds a PhD and the title of Associate professor in engineering, his salary is SR13700 only! So, guess for yourself. |
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Griff-James
Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 171 Location: A place full of 18 year olds and endless ale. Not not this time.
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Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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| A relative works in a hospital in one of the other Gulf countries and earns about �40K per annum. I thought there would be more money in SA! |
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Asda
Joined: 01 Jun 2008 Posts: 231
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Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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Hi all,
At PMU, is there an option for a cash allowance option for accomodation? As for medical cover, what are the exceptions that they don't cover? How many days summer vacation do you get?
I am qualified to teach EFL/ESL and Prep Year standard math. I am due to submit my Masters thesis this September. Are there any differences between working hours and pay on either of the faulties?
I have about 4 years experience teaching pre-univ math in the UK, I have just done 1-year mainly ESL with some math at a college in Jeddah and plan on hanging loose here for another year at least. I plan on visiting the east in the next month or so as I have a friend out there.
Any info will be greatly appreciated. |
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jabberjaw
Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 57
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Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject: PMU social life |
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| According to another thread on this forum, PMU is hiring 90 new teachers for the fall and will be putting them on a new compound. As many of you know some compounds have a lot more going on than others. Does anyone have any details on what the social life will be like there? Bar(s)? Any bands/entertainment coming through? Can you get any nurses onto the compound? Do the hospitals in that area even let the nurses go out? Thanks. |
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