Job Discussion Forums

Sean Og · Joined: 02 Jun 2010 Posts: 2 Location: Ireland

Can anyone give me information on the P.I. in Abu Dhabi? I've heard that, while pay and conditions used to be excellent, they have deteriorated severly. Is it true that annual leave is only 30 days and must be taken before the end of the current academic year? Also, I'm told that there's some weird mechanism by which leave entitlement is calculated from the start of the calendar year as a means of cheating teachers out of a large part of their entitlement.

Clarification would be appreciated.

Sean

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

The holiday time is true, though taking it before the end of the academic year? I don't think that's accurate. Friends of mine will be taking their time over the summer. Generally, PI is no longer the sweetest deal in town. Then again, the 'sweetest deal' financially is likely much less pleasant of a work environment than PI.

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

In 2002, PI salaries for EFL people were pretty much Dh 15,000 across the board, with a furniture allowance of Dh. 44,000. What's the deal now, out of curiosity?

Mine's a pint · Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 46 Location: Somewhere

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

I know. These poor little oil companies like ADNOC need to save every penny.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

[quote="mishmumkin"]

Sean Og · Joined: 02 Jun 2010 Posts: 2 Location: Ireland

Fair comment by Veiled Sentiments. Dr O (MOD edit) may be a good engineer but it sounds as if he knows little about education. Why is it that so many people imagine themselves experts simply because of their own experience as a student? It's as if having had your appendix out qualified you to perform appendectomies.

The other and persistent problem is that some senior managers who find themselves freed from the constraints of Western laws and practices regarding human resources simply become autocrats. It's a problem which has plagued HCT and many other institutions in Arabia for years. Collegiate structures that have taken years to build have been destroyed in short order by blind dictatorships attended by cronyism and sycophancy. The old notion of an academic leader as 'primus inter pares', first among equals, doesn't exist in these situations so consultation is seen as a sign of weakness.[/i]

bje · Joined: 19 Jun 2005 Posts: 527

Pikgitina · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 420 Location: KSA

Mine's a pint · Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 46 Location: Somewhere

eha · Joined: 26 May 2005 Posts: 355 Location: ME

'There seems to be a kind of fear about the whole thing: as soon as one wants to discuss something, ask about something or talk something through, people start getting defensive, blameshifting (where there was no blame to begin with) or just get totally paranoid. WTF!?'

It was ever thus. That kind of change takes decades, generations of critical thinking --- and I don't mean the kind of game-show that currently often passes for critical thinking taught as a subject in its own right--- and generations of social training to get teachers to loosen up a bit and respect each other. Hard to blame them, though, when you think about the damage that's been done to the profession over the last thirty years or so. Enough to demoralize the staunchest 'practitioner'--- remember, we used to be called 'professionals'?

kiefer · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 268

marianthelibrarian · Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 25

Re Mr JH - I take it he's leaving his current post, then? How very interesting.

And I agree he's a good chap.

Splitting Hairs · Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Posts: 99

Where does he work at the moment? I thought he had left the country. I am looking to get back to the UAE soon.