Job Discussion Forums

[AMINK]

Hi there everyone,
I just wanted to know if anyone has any information (good or bad) about Prince Mohamed Uni (PMU) in Al-khober.

I have an interview with them for a ESL teaching position, so I wanted to get a heads up if anyone has worked there or knows anyone who works there.
Any information will be useful, I.e. Housing info, salary, benefits, atmosphere of the uni, etc, etc.


Much appreciated guys. [/list]

[scot47]

Try the SEARCH function here. You will find there are posts on this topic.

[veiledsentiments]

The search will give you over a hundred threads and about a dozen of them are in the last couple years.

VS

[cultofpersonality]

One of those employers that ask you about two or three questions then it's decision time!

[HavCrick]

I was hired after a 5 minute interview in which everyone involved was rushed to get to a meeting. Having a meeting is the definition of administration at PMU. Why they need to have so many meetings and what happens in those meetings is a great mystery. However, based upon operations, I can only presume the following:
[size=9]
[i]They look at the needs and determine the best course of action to address those needs (and there are PLENTY!!). Then, they do the exact OPPOSITE!![/i][/size]

Certainly, there are worse jobs in KSA. But, if I had known the realities before I signed, I would never have taken the job. PMU's reputation is on the decline throughout the area. They (admin) know this, but they absolutely refuse to to take the actions that would turn it around. They seem to be totally clueless about ACADEMIC English. It is getting more and more like a children's language institute and less like a university.

The administration has no idea how to create or manage a team. Some teachers refer to the Dean, Chairman & Manager (for lack of better title) as The Three Stooges because of the absolute dribble that comes from their mouths. The manager can speak for an hour (and has) and say absolutely nothing.

Always remember that this is a PRIVATE UNIVERSITY!! That means money is the god that rules. The program itself is an absolute joke. Yet, the teachers are blamed. Teachers are expected to "motivate students to attend class and do the work." Yet, as one student said "teacher, everybody knows this is high school. The rules are not enforced."

In January, the school tested (Oxford) all students in the Advanced level of PREP and 57% of those students tested at the Beginner and Low Beginner level -- THAT should give you an idea.

The Chairman's favorite line is "we teach SKILLS." But, they (admin) have no idea how that is done. Their idea is to give them another, more difficult, book and they will learn. The "teach skills" bs is repeated ad infinitum. However, the books used are too advanced for the students and the tests they are given have absolutely nothing to do with what is taught. The test maker is terribly incompetent. He was going to be terminated as a teacher because he was so bad, but they kept him and made him the test maker. Another one of those decisions to do the exact opposite of what is best. Working here is the most demoralizing, demotivating job I have ever had; the same is true for students.

Again, private university. It was started as a place where students that could not pass an entrance exam for a "legitimate" university could pay their money and get a degree. Oh, yes, the university just received its NCAAA accreditation. That proves the whole accreditation process in KSA is a joke.

I could continue and if you send more questions through a private email, I will reply. Also, ELI is the language institute in Dammam that manages a couple of programs for PMU.