Job Discussion Forums

Lady Luck · Joined: 07 Feb 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Planet Earth

Can anybody give me feedback about their experiences teaching EFL at AUD ? There is next to nothing about them here. I always assume that no news is good news. Is that the case with AUD ?

What are the students like and how big are the class sizes ?

Is the faculty housing as posh as it looks on their website ?

I would be most grateful for any information at all.

Question

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

Over years there has been little buzz on AUD. During its first years they went through the usual start-up problems, a flurry of bad press and unhappy teachers, but nothing since.

The last thing I heard about them was that they have very few Westerners employed there and I have never seen an advertisment for teachers - nor have we had any posters here mention that they worked there.

Hopefully someone else will have something new to add to this sparse history.

VS

younggeorge · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 350 Location: UAE

Most of their EFL teachers are locally recruited and on dependents' visas. The accommodation, I believe, is OK but I remember there being issues about security checks going in and out. Sorry, that's about all I know.

Lady Luck · Joined: 07 Feb 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Planet Earth

Dear VS and YG:

Thank you for helping me out. So far it seems as if no news is good news.

LL

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

I'm not sure that I would interpret it that way. There is so little known that I would be VERY wary.

If they are doing only local hires, that often means that it is people without qualifications. It also suggests that their pay scale is low. I would certainly want to communicate with current and ex-teachers.

VS

younggeorge · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 350 Location: UAE

Not necessarily. I've known 3 people who worked there as local hires, all spouses of ZU teachers. They were all qualified and quite happy with the pay. What worried them was the usual steady increase of class size and non-teaching expectations and the lack of security: there was never a guarantee of work next semester till they knew how many students they were going to have. They've all moved on now, but following their spouses, not resigning out of dissatisfaction with AUD.

Lady Luck · Joined: 07 Feb 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Planet Earth

Thanks YG. Of course what one person finds acceptable another may not. That being said there are common areas such as pay and class size which all teachers can agree on. Thank you for you honest appraisal.

LL