Job Discussion Forums

[crewmeal1]

It comes to something when people are fired for encouraging too many students. Religion raising its ugly head again

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080195/Malory-Nye-claims-sacked-white-Christian.html

[veiledsentiments]

I suspect that there is more to this story that is covered in the article. For instance, the big red flag to me ... since when is the "principal" allowed to change the name of the college.

He changed it from the "Al-Maktoum Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies" to the "Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education."

If I was a betting person, it looks to me like he tried a bit of a coup to change the direction for which the institute was founded without the permission of those who actually had the say.

VS

[spiral78]

I was also curious about the 'charges pending' issues here. Surely there is no legal obligation for an ME university to honour what Westerners would regard as fair play laws connected to race and religion.....I'd be very surprised if this couple actually has any legal recourse regardless of what was behind the dismissals.

[crewmeal1]

Some good points raised VS. Remember this is the Daily Mail we are talking about and there accuracy on the truth has always been questionable. When I used to work for the British Council in Syria my manager chastised me for even daring to bring a copy into the staffroom

I do not believe for one minute there is a grain of truth in the headline, otherwise there would be less 'white Christians' working the UAE. Whilst the patron is said to be Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, it doesn't state whether he is funding the college. If he is then it's the old story of 'don't bite the hand that feeds you'

I would have thought that most managers in this position would run any changes especially name changes through whoever owns the colleges. A basic principle of communication in my view.

[Dedicated]

This story, about the Al Maktoum College of Education, previously called the Al Maktoum Institute for Arabic/Islamic studies, is creating quite a stir here in the UK, simply because it is based in Dundee, Scotland, and not the UAE.

Whilst it is funded by the Dubai royal family, it is independent, apparently research-led but has also been granted charitable status and is in partnership with Aberdeen University. A Labour peer, Lord Elder, is Chancellor of the college.

Both Prof Malory Nye and his wife have gone to employment tribunal claiming racial, religious discrimination and unfair dismissal. They were suspended in June 2011, on full pay, then dismissed in November 2011.
Prof Nye had been chair of multiculturalism at the college for 8 years, and has many publications/books in this area. He has a strong academic background....presumably he knows what he's doing.

The English Language dept at the college, which had been thriving under his wife's leadership, closed in November 2011, leaving two teachers redundant.

As VS suggested, who authorised the change of name of the college? If Nye did it back in June 2011 without the agreement of the board of directors, then it is hardly surprising he was suspended. However, the new name still stands.

This is going to be an interesting test case for the lawyers, though I expect University of Aberdeen wish it could all be swept under a (Persian ?) carpet.

[Iamherebecause]

[spiral78]

Yes, that does change the perspective.

[veiledsentiments]

I saw that from the start. Some didn't read close enough to see that it was in Scotland, but still... I don't care what country you are in, if you run afoul of owners and management, you are likely to get axed for cause. What we don't have is the full story... and likely never will.

VS