Job Discussion Forums

[rneedles]

Thanks to everone for the continual flow of ideas, thoughts, and information about pursuing a career teaching in the United Arab Emirates.

Currently a Ph.D candidate looking to relocate to Dubai. MA in Business Administration, six years teaching in higher education online and on ground. I have been trying to secure employment for about a year. Applied to HCT and UAE without any luck. I have not even tried PI or Sharjah because in the job description it says; "must have an earned Ph.D. Can I do something to increase my marketability? Awareness? Resume?

Recently was approached by Teachaway and had a phone interview last week about HCT. Great guy named Ash, phone interview went great according to Ash. Said he could only recommend me and HCT would have the final say. Well it has been two weeks and both jobs that I applied for, my application is no longer being considered.

I am single and looking to teach somewhere besides the U.S. I can't find full-time employment in higher education in the States, especially not a tenured track position. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[Sheikh N Bake]

What is your PhD field?? My advice is, don't be in a hurry to relocate to the Gulf before you've finished your doctorate. After that, apply. If they don't accept you, get some adjunct experience under your belt. Hardly any US doctoral candidates would want to relocate to the Arabian Gulf so I imagine your reasons are personal rather than professional, but what do I know.

[veiledsentiments]

I agree with SnB... finish your PhD and continue to get experience, preferably classroom rather than online.

Since you mentioned tenure, are you aware that there is no tenure system in the Gulf for expats? It is a contract to contract job.

Once you have the PhD, apply directly to the universities... (HCT, ZU, AUS, and UAEU). Avoid all recruiters.

VS

[rneedles]

VS thanks for your help. Ph.D in Organizational Management should be completed by late next year. Been an adjunct business professor for the past six years without any hope of getting tenured. I would like to teach in the States, however the pay for adjuncts is quite a travesty and the future is bleak. Six years of making poverty level income is enough.

I quit a job ten years making $50,000 a year with benefits to pursue a teaching job in higher education. Thanks for all the valuable insights from everyone, I appreciate your opinions and experiences about pursuing employment in the Middle East.

[veiledsentiments]

I hear you... this whole "adjunct" thing is abusive at best.

One detail... don't apply until the PhD is officially finished. Don't jump the gun on your applications. The timing could cause you some problems with that first job. You may want to expand your search beyond the UAE to QU Qatar, AUK in Kuwait, or even SQU in Oman... or even as far as AUC in Cairo. (check out their websites to see if you are interested)

VS

[rneedles]

VS, will look into other areas besides Dubai. Thank you and please offer any ideas or thoughts you may have.

[Sheikh N Bake]

Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi also, if they are still hiring. And don't forget the overseas branch campuses of US universities. Some of them need to hire on a contract basis directly. So many--Webster Univ is all over Europe, and Thailand I think. There's Temple U in Tokyo, NYU in Dubai (supposed to open in 2010), Michigan State in Dubai, Georgia Tech all over the world, and many more. I can't guarantee the Dubai-based ones I mentioned are actually going to open--things always change, but it's the information I have at my fingertips.

[trapezius]

You know that if you come work in the Gulf, you can all but say goodbye to any chance of a lecturing post in the US in the future?

I am surprised you can't find a post in the US. You are doing your PhD from the US, but can't find a job there? I would say keep looking there, Canada, and in Europe. New Zealand and Australia as well.

Good luck.

[veiledsentiments]

PhDs are common, tenured university jobs are few in the US... so it has been since the mid-1970s.... basic supply/demand problem.

VS

[rneedles]

VS, When I first went to Purdue University in Indiana in the mid-1980s, all my instructors had a Ph.D or were tenured-track. The cash cow known as higher education has encouraged and promoted the hiring of adjunct faculty as their business model for the past 20 years.

[veiledsentiments]

When I first started university in the late 60's, nearly half of the teachers were MAs. By the time I went back for a second BA degree in the early 80s, nearly 100% were PhD's. You are right... now the tenured positions are being replaced by adjuncts...

VS