Job Discussion Forums

[veiledsentiments]

I received a PM from a timid newbie who asked me a question that I can't answer about Qatar U. I didn't find any discuss of the topic on the older threads either.

So, what are the working hours at QU? Are teachers responsible for outside projects other than teaching? How much work does this entail? Do you have any choice on what projects you work on? Does it seem to be fairly assigned?

If you do not wish to post this publicly under your screen name and prefer to be anonymous, feel free to PM me about it. I will share the information if I learn anything useful.

VS

[QatarChic]

I know a few people who work there- as far as I know teachers work 20 hours per week, and are given the same level more or less. Of course the problem (which exists throughout the Middle East) is that students who are classified as Intermediate are more likely to be elementary level etc......

Teachers may work mornings, with some people finishing midday.....there are afternoon slots as well as one or two evenings. Apparently, there is has recently been an emphasis on teachers taking added responsibilities in areas like listening, reading, writing etc,.....

The impression I get overall is that teachers who have just joined are getting a better deal than those who have been there for a few years........

Once again, I DON'T work there but this is what I hear from people who do

[veiledsentiments]

So, are you saying 20 contact hours? Are they getting split shifts?

Sounds like those that are there awhile are getting assigned the new extra projects? See what happens if they start to recognize you!!

VS

[QatarChic]

From what I hear, people are supposed to be there for 6 hours a day, with some - but not all doing split shifts. Apparently its luck of the draw.

[dmb]

[squirk]

[veiledsentiments]

Obviously this is your first job in the Gulf. You are describing nearly all of the university students and all the universities in the Gulf.

VS

[battleshipb_b]

Eighteen hours is pretty good. Some places in the kingdom work you 20 or even more. Be happy.

[quote="squirk"][quote] So, what are the working hours at QU? Are teachers responsible for outside projects other than teaching? How much work does this entail? Do you have any choice on what projects you work on? Does it seem to be fairly assigned?[/quote]

There are 18 contact hours. Six hours of listening/speaking, 8 hours of reading/writing and 2 hours of grammar. Some people get 2 hours paid overtime for grammar, some don't. I have no idea how they choose the grammar teachers.

The teaching/working atmosphere is what I call [b]SORE[/b] - a Suppressive/Oppressive/Repressive Environment for both teachers and students. The syllabus is too ambitious; students are very weak but they are forced to take courses which are too difficult. They need to change their cut off levels so that students are placed in the CORRECT level. Sadly, most of them aren't. They can barely write and most hate reading. It's a big problem. Instead of getting them to read properly, they get them started on research projects when they can't write a proper sentence. Like I said, over ambitious![/quote]

[lollaerd]

Eighteen hours is not bad but from my girlfriend's friend, they have to put in a lot of extra non-teaching hours on committees or groups or something like that. With lesson prep, marking, etc. it makes a 40- 50 hour work week.
Gulag teachers just went in and out with minimal prep as it was all done for us. No committees and no extra duties. Just teaching so we could leave at the end of the day with no homework or marking. Not a bad deal, so I understand why the QU teachers are so frustrated.

[veiledsentiments]

[wilberforce]

Souk Waqif is a great place to run into all sorts of people I used to know.
Latest deadly news from QU Foundation is that they are going to cut the current 2 year program into a one year program. This means a lot of heads are going to roll. It has already started according to the guy I met. A lot of teachers were given their walking papers. It sounds like what was going on a few years ago.


Not good news. If they are going to cut staff, let's hope they don't go on a hiring jag just to get travel goodies to TESOL conferences, etc.
So QU definitely looks like a place to avoid if they are going to change to a one year program. I wonder what will happen to all their low-level students. Are they going to up the admission standards? It' sounds grim for the teachers who work there. There must be a lot of worrying going on.

I feel for you QU guys as this is exactly what happened to us at the Gulag a couple of years ago when Griffith lost the contract and had to get rid of so many of us. We were desperate for information which was definitely not forthcoming. The guy I talked to yesterday says nobody knows nothing, if you get my drift. A very stressful work environment for all, no doubt!

[veiledsentiments]

I will repeat what I posted elsewhere, this is merely a discussion at the university and you know how they come up with these ideas that eventually they realize won't work. Right now their classes are overly large and they need more teachers, so you will see ads I expect. To pass on the "one-year" discussion as fact would now be considered passing on a rumor. Even if they do decide to do it, it would not be put into effect until the future. The question will always be what to do with the low level students... and since we are talking about Qataris here, cutting them off from an education is not likely to happen. (look at what happened at UAEU when they tried to do this same thing ... the university had to back down and continue their foundation program as it was)

A small number of teachers have been "not-renewed" - we're talking single digit here - as happens every year in every language center, especially large ones like QU where there are over 100 teachers. Actually they are lucky that they have been informed early enough that they can get to work on the CV and job search.

As usual, nobody knows much of anything, but rumor gets passed on as fact... especially if it sounds horrible and dramatic. So it goes in the Gulf. I certainly wouldn't worry about taking a job there.

VS

[wilberforce]

I just hear they are canceling the IELTS abnd TOEFL requirements so any students who join this foundation program won't need to do them. The students must be over the moon.

What is going to happen to all those ielts courses they teach?

[wilberforce]

Qatar University and Community College in education tie-up
Qatar University (QU) and Community College of Qatar (CCQ) yesterday signed an articulation agreement which will allow the latter�s graduates to pursue higher education at the former.
�CCQ graduates with a Grade Point Average of 2.5 or above and a minimum of C grade (70% marks), are eligible to apply to QU,� explained al-Naimi, who is also a former president of QU. QU vice president for student affairs Dr Omar al-Ansari recalled that the process that culminated in the articulation agreement was started a year ago.�This initiative is part of co-operation and integration between institutions of higher education in Qatar,� he said.
QU vice president and chief academic officer Dr Sheikha Jabor al-Thani and CCQ�s interim dean Dr Butch Herod attended the agreement signing ceremony.
Qatar Foundation�s vice president of Education Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, Texas A&M University at Qatar dean and CEO Dr Mark H Weichold, QU vice president and chief financial officer Dr Humaid al-Midfaa, vice president for research Dr Hassan al-Derham, Foundation Programme director Dr Khalid Alali and other senior officials were also present.
The conditions of the agreement are established in line with the principles of accreditation described by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) from which QU is in the process of seeking institution-wide accreditation.
By the terms of the agreement, CCQ students having completed 60 credit hours of undergraduate coursework in the college�s Associate Degree in Arts (AA) or Associate Degree in Science (AS) programmes, are eligible to apply for admission to QU�s undergraduate programmes.
They would also be allowed to bypass QU�s English, math and computer competency requirements. However, CCQ students who have not completed their associate degrees and wish to be admitted into QU, would need to fulfil those requirements as well as complete at least 24 credit hours of undergraduate coursework at the college.
In turn, CCQ will accept reverse transfers of QU courses to the college for consideration as AA or AS degrees.

Prof al-Misnad said the agreement underlined the continuity of education promoted by policymakers in Qatar that allowed students from established educational institutions such as CCQ to add value to their certificates by following on to further study.
�We are pleased to be part of this agreement with CCQ which will provide students with a wide range of study options to build on their previous studies by pursuing their area of interest and specialisation�.
Prof al-Naimi stated it was of great importance to CCQ to sign its first articulation agreement with the country�s national university, since many of the graduates would seek to continue their studies in Qatar.
�This agreement will open the door for them to excel in their studies towards enrolment in QU where they can pursue studies for their bachelor�s degree. This kind of co-operation will definitely add more value to the higher education structure in Qatar,� he added.
The articulation agreement between CCQ and QU will be administered by an Articulation Sub-Committee comprising chief academic representatives from QU and CCQ for programme review and evaluation, recommendations, and relevant changes.