Job Discussion Forums

[mateacher]

Does anyone work there? I was using the search engine but it seems that there is an Alfaisal Academy or Institute that is getting the pretty bad reviews but not the university. They are different places right?

Do they pay well?
Do they give an accommodation allowance that is enough to live on a compound?
How is the work?

[nomad soul]

It's quite obvious they're completely different entities. Al Faisal University is a private university whereas Al Faisal International Academy is a training/language institute that, I believe, partners with at least one sketchy contracting company (thus the lousy reviews). By contrast, Al Faisal U's university preparatory program (UPP) is well run. I know the current department head, a very congenial yet professional American, who I initially met at TESOL Arabia several years ago. UPP's teachers (mostly native speakers) tend to stay, so be aware there's stiff competition for new positions with preference given to applicants with previous Mid East teaching experience. Anyway, you can read about employee benefits on Al Faisal U's website. As for salary, you'll have to apply to find out.

By the way, I'm curious as to why you're still looking at jobs in the Kingdom given your wife's strong aversion to wearing an abaya and living in an ultra-conservative/restrictive environment.

[scot47]

There are two institutions with similar names

King Faisal Univarsity
www.kfu.edu.sa
and Al Faisal University
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfaisal_University.

I have never heard of Western TEFL teachers at either. The first recruits mainly from India, Pakistan and the Middle East.

Your typo confuses matters further. There is no Al Fasail University

[nomad soul]

[trapezius]

Is it really coed? I can see the wikipedia page says so, but I find it hard to believe. KAUST gets a pass because it is the King's private possession... and those (scholars) who dare to criticize the gender mixing there are removed from their positions. But, how come Al Faisal gets a pass? And how come when it was established there was no big fuss if it truly is coed? (especially considering it was established before KAUST)

And if it really is coed, that would make it the country's first coed uni. KAUST would be second, as it was established after Al Faisal was.

From what I know from a few years ago, the pay was around SR. 15,000/month. It has a very Western orientation--admin style, programs, academic culture, curricula, emphasis on science research, collaboration with Western unis--and there are lots of Westerners there, so they must be doing something right!

[mateacher]

[plumpy nut]

The allowance will not be enough for her to stay in the kind of compound you are thinking of.

[nomad soul]

[nomad soul]

[scot47]

You will not get enough housing allowance to pay for a compound such as you mention.

[plumpy nut]

There was recently an article in the Arab News stating that gender mixing in some form or another at schools was not going to be tolerated. I don't remember what institutions it was referring to.

[trapezius]

^ it was referring to all institutions, but obviously some get a pass:

KAUST: for being the king's private property

Al Faisal U: ???

Western K-12 schools: for being Western schools

[nomad soul]

From an August 2012, Arab News article about Al Faisal U, "University that cares for students":

What about the “equality” of education in the University?

To ensure that the (female and male) students benefit from world class teaching staff and have equal educational opportunities, the university has adopted the “shared class” system, taking into consideration our communal values and specialties. In other words, professors give lectures in one lecture theater for both female and male students as the class is divided into two sections, thereby allowing all students to benefit from lectures indiscriminately. The university utilizes teaching staff of highly experienced talent whose recruitment is not an easy matter. (Source: http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/university-cares-students )