Job Discussion Forums

[KefiinCairo]

I got a positive resply for an interview for a university in Sharjah at the conference in the UAE. I have a masters degree and six years experience teaching English in secondary school. I had also taught English for one year at an information technical institute in Egypt.
I did a search and what I read about the schol is mostly positive.

Can any one tell me about the salary an benefits? My husband and my daughter join me later. Will I be there sponsors?

My daughter is three. Does the university help with day care?

Any information will be helpful.

Thank you.

[helenl]

Which university in Sharjah?
American University
University of Sharjah

You will be their sponsor - so far as I know, no tertiary institution in the UAE offers day care. That said, if you are going to one of the two named above, there will probably be others in the same position and a mother who is not working who might be willing to help.

Otherwise, you can sponsor a nanny.

[Nordic]

American University of Sharjah has a day care center in the campus. At least this is what their web site says.

[Kefi_in_Cairo]

The teaching vacancy is for a full time teacher with the University of Sharjah. I see there are two different campuses. One is for men and an one for is women. Would I choose which campuses?

I did not receive any information about insurance. Will the insurance coverage include my family?

Thank you for your answers.

Kefi

[helenl]

Sorry, but shouldn't you be asking the UofS HR department questions like these? So far as I know, from my own experience of HCT AUS & ZU - the health insurance should cover your family - but you should confirm this with HR.

You might be able to specify a preference for which campus - I don't know if the teachers are segregated along with the students or not. Again, ask HR

[Kefi_in_Cairo]

Helen.
I received a brief summary of benefits but these questions I have aren't answered. I come to this forum hoping someone with experience can give me a more direct answer. Isn't that the point of this discussion forum-teachers helping teachers.

[veiledsentiments]

The reason that you should ask HR is that they have the most up-to-date answers - especially since UoS is in the process of cutting benefits for EFL teachers. They have currently been slashing holidays and vacation time for the English teachers (since we are mere MAs, not vaunted PhDs, and thus deserve only the dregs of academia - or at least that is the attitude of the new Dean.) That is something that you may want to ask HR about also. I hear that there are no more between semester breaks or mid-semester breaks... plus summer leave has been shortened and plans are to shorten it each year.

Be warned that you may be walking into departments with a lot of unhappy teachers at the moment. I was told that new teachers have been getting a lower housing standard that in the past, but since a number of teachers are getting fed up, perhaps you can take over their flats when they resign.

Sad to see this place deteriorate. It had just gotten its act together. But, once you get someone at the top who has no respect for the EFL teachers and considers them drones... and a new Director who won't support her teachers... there you go.

VS

[helenl]

I can't help but if UofS HR is not giving you this information even after you have specifically asked for it (having the job offer in hand) is a BIG RED FLAG to me anywhere in the world.

The first question that would cross my mind after asking
"will the health coverage cover me, my husband and x number of children aged i,ii, iii etc." and getting no specific response would be " why won't they answer this question - it's a yes or no one "

Sorry, but if you've asked a clear yes or no question and not received a yes or no respone I'd be very concerned.

[Sheikh N Bake]

As a former old hand in the UAE (nine years at three institutions) I second helenl and VS. The U of Sharjah had a terrible reputation in the beginning and now it seems even worse than before. Since we're just talking about an interview so far, I really hope you get some interviews at more reputable institutions.

[veiledsentiments]

Well, I'm not sure that I would go quite that far Shake... unless of course they go back into the process of firing all the native speakers at the end of the year as they were doing annually at the beginning.

The new Dean has shown himself to be targeting the EFL department for attack. What remains to be seen is if the place will be allowed to tank as an employer again. Will the Sheikh at the top step in - again - to stop the process? Will the new Director/Head (not sure of her title there) grow a backbone and support her staff against any unfair policies?

I would certainly not put it at the top of my list for a job in the coming year, but... if it is the best or only offer one has, it has not reached the level of 'horrible' yet. I would put it ahead of a place like ADU.

VS

[Sheikh N Bake]

I don't know, VS--it may be better than nothing, but as you say, the EFL dept. is being targeted. That's not the kind of EFL department I'd get myself into...perhaps not even if I didn't have any other offers, with the caveat, of course, that that would depend on the urgency of my finances.

[Kefi_in_Cairo]

Thank you all for the information about the work place, the directr and the dean. I hope to get my questions answered about housing, insurance and other benefits at the conference.

I searched for information on the University Sharjah in this forum and found this only one year before about working for the University Sharjah.

[veiledsentiments]

[Sheikh N Bake]

Oh my God, yes--never take a job with split shift. I'd rather be the janitor than do that. It's the kind of rat race that in East Asia is relegated to backpacker conversation schools.

[Kefi_in_Cairo]

Veil Sentiments,
Thank you for your rapid reply. I hold a BA in English & Comparative Literature with a minor in Arabic Literature and a MA in TEFL from AUC.

I have a tele-conference interview next week with HCT, but I have read on this forum that teachers there have little choice as to where they might be posted.

I also received a positive reply from Abu Dhabi University, but the salary offer is quite low and it is too far from Dubai for my husband to commute.

I got an interview with the University Qatar and Kuwait Univesity but my husband wouldn't be able to work there.