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AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF THE MIDDLE EAST (Kuwait)
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dia123



Joined: 04 Aug 2014
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 1:44 pm    Post subject: Re: AUM Reply with quote

nomad soul wrote:
Another bad sign. The question you should be asking yourself is how many red flags do you need to see before realizing this place isn't worth it?

Seriously give 'aum story blogspot' a look. (Google it.)


One thing for sure nomad soul, that if these people think they are using teachers to fulfill their selfish greedy nature, am so positive that there are teachers out there who are using them as badly in return. After all, none stays against his will and if teachers are staying, that means they are in a way enjoying the game Wink

Cheers to the winners !
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dia123



Joined: 04 Aug 2014
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 1:48 pm    Post subject: AUM Reply with quote

And after all, they are not hurting the professionals in any shape or manner. The only victims in this game are their own students and citizens.
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 2:48 pm    Post subject: Re: AUM Reply with quote

dia123 wrote:
And after all, they are not hurting the professionals in any shape or manner. The only victims in this game are their own students and citizens.

Not sure that I'd agree with that. You are referring to the long term victims. I'd call their employees the short term victims. They are hurting the professionals and the profession. Who wants to go to all the aggravation and expense of moving to another country to find out that the management is possibly both incompetent and abusive. To find out that the students are out of control, nasty, and running the asylum. Between the two of them, one probably doesn't want to get up in the morning... loathes having to enter the classroom... and all one wants is to get out ASAP. A teacher or professor could have been misled and resigned from a decent job to find out that this place is so bad that they have to go through the whole job hunting process again.

Most people go to these jobs with the hope of staying for a couple contracts... 4-6 years depending on contracts given. Having to move in a year or two to get away from a severely negative situation is disruptive, and likely means that one not only saved nothing, but had to hit savings to get the heck out.

VS
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dia123



Joined: 04 Aug 2014
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 6:32 pm    Post subject: Re: AUM Reply with quote

veiledsentiments wrote:
Most people go to these jobs with the hope of staying for a couple contracts... 4-6 years depending on contracts given. Having to move in a year or two to get away from a severely negative situation is disruptive, and likely means that one not only saved nothing, but had to hit savings to get the heck out.

VS



Right ! But there is a reason they are understaffed. People don't buy their business unless it's more profitable for them. Teachers who have the same offer back home or better aren't likely to touch the University ground floor. Only if it's offering better that it becomes worth thinking about. And now , everything is provided online for people to search and see for themselves what's best for them and do the math of the pros and cons. None takes an offer against their will and if they really know what's best for them, they would definitely make the right choice. What matters most is to never make a decision before gathering all necessary factors and instances. I think what i have done in two days and our excellent exchange in this forum, am ready to make my decision to apply or not. I will not disclose my decision so that it does not affect someone else's decision. We better seek out for ourselves what's good for us Very Happy
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alnorman



Joined: 14 Aug 2013
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 12:16 pm    Post subject: Re: AUM Reply with quote

nomad soul wrote:
...if I revisit this and other forums in 2016 and see two-years' worth of mostly positive (and credible) reviews about working at AUM, it's an indication the university's track record has improved---that the work situation is better and worth a second look.


Many prospective AUM faculty naively hope that AUM is going to change for the better. While this is understandable, after all it's a natural human desire to wish for things to improve, one should understand the principles that govern AUM to realize that it is never going to improve in any genuine way. AUM is a shameful for-profit "educational" enterprise that is very aggressive at portraying superficial positivism.
At the end of the day, both the AUM administration and AUM students are getting paid for participating in this "American" university fraudulent scheme. It's poor faculty, who are destroying their integrity and ruining their careers, that will ultimately pay the price.

AUM is good at two things: First, fully exploiting its affiliation with Purdue University, which makes it eligible for very generous government payments. Second, at being able to temporarily fool many people into believing that it wants to improve and become a quality institution. AUM keeps saying the same fairy-tale for years, while exploiting naive faculty and enriching its ruling elite.

Anyone who worked at AUM and was able to free itself from its poisoning grip, knows that AUM exemplifies the worst features of the Middle East "education". It's a laughing stock inside and outside of Kuwait for those who had a chance to see its innards. As long as AUM remains an integral part of its for-profit parent, Human Capital, it is going to continue to poison the educational landscape of Kuwait.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 6:06 am    Post subject: Re: AUM Reply with quote

alnorman wrote:
nomad soul wrote:
...if I revisit this and other forums in 2016 and see two-years' worth of mostly positive (and credible) reviews about working at AUM, it's an indication the university's track record has improved---that the work situation is better and worth a second look.

Many prospective AUM faculty naively hope that AUM is going to change for the better. While this is understandable, after all it's a natural human desire to wish for things to improve, one should understand the principles that govern AUM to realize that it is never going to improve in any genuine way. AUM is a shameful for-profit "educational" enterprise that is very aggressive at portraying superficial positivism.
At the end of the day, both the AUM administration and AUM students are getting paid for participating in this "American" university fraudulent scheme. It's poor faculty, who are destroying their integrity and ruining their careers, that will ultimately pay the price.

For clarification, my comment was based on curiosity; I have no interest in working at AUM, although a friend recently asked me about them. I seriously doubt AUM is capable of getting their act together in a few years, if at all. They'd have to reduce their high turnover rate, add credible content to their website to make it informative, and exhibit some semblance of transparency by indicating those in charge. When carpets fly...
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nwtefl



Joined: 20 May 2015
Posts: 148
Location: England

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been contacted by the university too - so does anyone in these forums have anything good to say about them ? Or would people who work for them not exactly frequent these forums ??
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So 10 pages of negatives isn't enough for you? Laughing

VS
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mikkenzi



Joined: 12 Jul 2013
Posts: 16
Location: Kuwait

PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

None of the people posting here actually work at AUM! One would think that they have nothing better to do with their lives but post lies and slander colleagues...
If you have been contacted, why not visit it? After all, they bring you for a campus visit on their expenses Smile Maybe you should judge yourself rather than rely on people who have absolutely nothing to do but indulge in negativity all day long...
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 7:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Frankly, most of us are just pointing out obvious red flags---the first indications to any astute job seeker that something is off about AUM. Its website doesn't make a professional first impression at all and still lacks vital information that job applicants need in order to get a better sense about the university.

But instead of rushing to judge others on this forum as "liars" and "slanderers," why don't you simply post helpful, positive info about AUM since you seem to know a lot about it? What has your experience been as an AUM teacher? How are the students? Why do you recommend AUM to job seekers? Why are they hiring so many teachers? Who is AUM's president? Who's the director of the English Preparatory Program?
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mashkif



Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 178

PostPosted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mikkenzi wrote:
None of the people posting here actually work at AUM! One would think that they have nothing better to do with their lives but post lies and slander colleagues...
If you have been contacted, why not visit it? After all, they bring you for a campus visit on their expenses Smile Maybe you should judge yourself rather than rely on people who have absolutely nothing to do but indulge in negativity all day long...






Not to come across as defensive, but what, precisely, written on these pages constitutes "slander"?

Fact is, as nomad soul pointed out, that what is known about A.U.M.'s practices is highly suspect and un-academic. By all accounts, working at the joint is an unholy hybrid of working as a babysitter for the "students" and domestic helper for the "management."

I spent years in Kuwait, love the place, and will be returning there in the future. I know first-hand that the A.U.K. and G.U.S.T. are solid employers who will treat you well, support you academically, treat you as an intellectual, and provide students approaching the caliber witnessed in the parts of the world where university studies are taken seriously. I know first-hand that Box Hill College Kuwait is the exact opposite. I know from many "horse's mouth" testimonies that the Australian College of Kuwait (A.C.K.) is somewhere in the middle, whereas Kuwait University (K.U.) offers great working conditions but hit-and-miss students. And from what I have heard (granted, second-hand information) as well as read here, I have a distinct impression that A.C.M./A.U.M. is similar to B.H.C.K.

Lastly, your suggestion to go visit the campus to get a feel for the place is way off the mark. By all means, do go for the free trip and the experience, but an hour or two touring a campus can tell you precisely NOTHING about the actual conditions of working there. If and only if you are allowed to talk to faculty members of your choice--and do so in private!--and sit in on lectures (although circumspection is needed here in case they just put on a show to snow you) can there be any talk of it being a remotely indicative experience. And something tells me you ain't gonna get none of it!

So, a shrewd prospective employee can either heed the dire assessment of A.U.M. given on these pages or accept the trope that the dozen-plus people who proffered their input on here are all a bunch of rumormongers, slanderers, and liars, and take your chance.

If you choose the latter, PLEASE let us know how it works out for ya. I think giving you a semester to find out would be a fair timeframe. Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing
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nwtefl



Joined: 20 May 2015
Posts: 148
Location: England

PostPosted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got a video interview with AUM on Monday - not because I particularly want to work for them, but as I don't see any of the 'good' employers advertising ( I did apply to the Australian one), the job seeker doesn't have a lot of options!
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nwtefl



Joined: 20 May 2015
Posts: 148
Location: England

PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm well I had the interview this morning. Yeah it went fine and they will give me another next week.

BUT a few things. I was told that class size is "30 - 35 students". 30-35 ??? What ??

Also, I was asked how "I would respond to criticism from senior staff and also from students" ? That's a bizarre question to ask. Criticism from students ?

Lastly, if successful at the next interview, they expect you to fly to the campus (they haven't actually given you the job by the way), teach a lesson, and, if they like you, you will be given the contract there and then. Seems a long way to go for no guarantee.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nwtefl wrote:
I was told that class size is "30 - 35 students". 30-35 ??? What ??

Don't be surprised if it turns out to be 40 students. Shocked

Quote:
Lastly, if successful at the next interview, they expect you to fly to the campus (they haven't actually given you the job by the way), teach a lesson, and, if they like you, you will be given the contract there and then.

Doing a demo lesson while jetlagged. Sounds like fun. At least you're in the UK. I can't imagine how effective that demo would be for an American flying from, say, California. Razz
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nwtefl



Joined: 20 May 2015
Posts: 148
Location: England

PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep. I've really no interest in teaching a class of 30 students. The answer would logically be to employ more teachers so the class size would be reduced, making the experience more productive for all involved blah blah, but obviously that's too......obvious.
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