Job Discussion Forums

metalval · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 44 Location: Ukraine

Recently I received an offer from Dhofar University. I've read a lot of bad stuff about it. I want to speak to someone who is actually teaching there now. I would really appreciate that.

Mojoski · Joined: 03 May 2009 Posts: 170

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php?topic=39686.0

I did a google search and came up with this discussion thread. Doesn't sound good. I'm trying to get to Oman too, but I think I'll leave this one alone.

Neil McBeath · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 277 Location: Saudi Arabia

I met a woman who was working at Dhofar University at the recent ELT Conference at the Sultan Qaboos University.

I asked her about the bad news coming from the place and her answer was that you should not believe all you read, and that some of the complaints were coming from a clique of professional malcontents. That, I would suggest, is entirely possible. A lot of people on these threads abuse their anonymity, making comments that they would never DARE say if they felt they could be identified. That leads to generalisation and exaggeration.

Beachee · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 22 Location: Beachee head

Indeed many people do let off negative steam on Dave's. But when the same institutions get mentioned again and again, year after year, you have to ask 'why? If all these posts and comments are untrue, why do the same complaints / comments keep on coming up - even when it is a new group of teachers?'

Some of the news concerning DU is in fact true. No one is daft enough to believe all that is posted, but a good precentage is true. In Dhofar, DU does not have the good reputation that SQU has - and for good reason.

As with many educational set ups in Oman nowadays, ethics have vanished and have been replaced with corruption. Not good for Oman or the reputation of its educational standards.

jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

The spring time 'feeding frenzy' at its best: a time when contracts are being renewed (or not), instructors are itchy and looking, admin trying to determine its needs for the fall, malcontents burning tents before they leave, supervisors applying last semester and year end pressure to instructors, students thinking about Khareef, recruiters promising 'God knows what', ministries making impossible demands; all generally living outside the moment and thereby creating tension.

'This too shall pass' - James Thurber's dog, Barkis