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[seeking]

I've been offered a teaching job in the UAE and am very tempted - it seems like a nice place in a lot of ways.  I do however, eventually want to return to the States and find a job in a small liberal arts school.  Would taking this job kill my chances of doing that?  Would I be better off trying to do temporary jobs in the U.S.?

Any input appreciated!

[catherinjolivet]

It all depends on the kind of position you're going for in the first place. If it's a faculty member position, as in one of the colleges at a university, then I'd say it's okay. If it's a position as instructor in a foundation program (university prep program -- ESL/EFL), then I'd say possibly.

The difference is the level at which you get your experience. If you are assistant prof and get the opportunity to publish/present some stuff at international conferences, that counts positively for your CV. If, on the other hand, the experience you get is as a lecturer/instructor teaching language classes, then the experience might turn out looking somewhat negative on a CV for potential US employers in the future.

So, not knowing more details about your situation, it is difficult to say one way or the other.

Hope this helps.

[seeking]

Thanks for your response.   The job is as an Assistant Professor; there does seem to be support for research.

[seeking]

I guess the concerns that have been raised (besides research) are:
   1.  Teaching in the UAE brands you as a weak candidate - it's indicative of your inability to get a job in the States.
   2.  The academic standards in the UAE may be low and off-putting to potential employers.
   3.  The cost of flying you in for an interview is prohibitive so people will really hesitate to consider you.

I'd be very curious to hear about the subsequent job-hunting experiences of people who have taught in the UAE.  For myself, I think I would ultimately like to find a job at a small liberal-arts school in my home state in the US. 

Thanks for any responses!

[ddrogers]

Funny I just ran into your post here. I left an assistant prof. position not too long ago at a highly regarded university in the Middle East.  From my own experience, your concerns are well warranted, particularly if your goal is to teach at a SLAC in the US. I'm not sure about the 'branding' and perceived quality issues you mention, although that concern too has crossed my mind several times.  The distance, and thus the near impossibility for an on campus interview in the US, is a very real concern too.   

I hope this post gets you a few more responses, as I too would be interested in hearing from more experienced academics who have served on SC's.  Overall, my experience was generally positive.  If you have lived abroad before, you should do well enough with life in the UAE, although some Emirates are easier to cope with than others.  You will also have some very nice travel options to India and SE Asia from the UAE.  Overall, if I had to choose again, I probably would have stayed in the US.  That's just my take on it, and again, I hope you get some more responses to help with your decision.  Good luck to you!     

[seeking]

Hi,
Thanks so much for your response.  I'm definitely not worried about my time out there - I think it would really be fun.  My concern really is what happens when I want to come back.  Would you be willing to say what your experience has been?  I assume you're trying to get a teaching job in the US at this point? 

I wonder if there's a way to work with the campus interview process somehow.  Maybe try to arrange them all in a certain week and then fly yourself back to the states for them?  It still seems like it would make a search committee think several times though...

Do you think it would be equally hard to get into government or industry from this kind of job? 

[expatinuk]

I wonder if there's a way to work with the campus interview process somehow.  Maybe try to arrange them all in a certain week and then fly yourself back to the states for them?  It still seems like it would make a search committee think several times though...
 

My suggestion would be to have a US contact address (your parents or some such) on your CV so that you look like your available for interviews without the interviewing school having to pay for your airfare from the Middle East.

[lilikoi]

I am also interested in this thread.  I have actively courted and had interviews for a couple of places in the region because I am interested in doing research in the Red Sea/Indian Ocean area.  I have also had this same concern but still have 'steamed' ahead.  If I were to take a position in the region and later return, I was going to frame it in the 'went there for research opportunities in the region.'  Maybe you could frame your work in a similar fashion as to the reason you went there.

Does anyone have any input into my point?  How will future interviewers look at this?

[hopefulbutuntenured]

I, too, want to join this thread and find out about long-term prospects for a Ph.D.-level academic career in the Middle East, more specifically in the UAE. Will keeping an active publishing/conference/service portfolio suffice to remain competitive as a future tenure-track job seeker in North America?

[ddrogers]

Hi seeking,

You are right in thinking that I am still out there looking for a new teaching job in the US.  Again, I'm not sure what role--if any--a perceived inferiority of Middle Eastern universities played in my interviews.  I do know, though, that I fielded questions which gave me a strong impression that there was concern there.   

I'm not sure what sort of disciplinary background you're coming from and thus how 'desired' you are, but for me, the luxury of lining-up on campus interviews all in one week's time is not something that seems possible.  One must also consider that the jetlag alone would make a jam-packed schedule challenging, in addition to the difficulty of reconciling the needs/schedule of a prospective employer with your own breaks during the semester.  One can't just 'hop over' from the UAE to the US on a lark. 

I think lilikoi is right in suggesting that it makes much more sense to go to the Middle East to pursue an active research agenda based in the Middle East; that is clearly something you can positively pitch in your cover letter and CV and makes a strong argument about why you went there.  I think if your aim is to add some teaching experience to your CV in order to ultimately teach at a SLAC in the US, I think this move makes much less sense and is much more difficult to spin into something attractive to US universities.  That, at least, is how I am finding it. 

I hope this is somewhat useful to you.  Oh, and as for government jobs, perhaps experience living in the Middle East would be interesting to the State department, or to an intelligence agency, but don't expect to learn much if any arabic in the UAE.  Even if you are motivated to learn it well, there will be little opportunity to use the language.       

[seeking]

Hi Ddrogers,
Thanks for your response - it is quite helpful.  One quick question - I was assuming I could have someone cover my classes for me if I need to "hop to the US" for a week or something.  In particular, I'm planning to attend conferences every once in a while so this would be important either way.  Is that something that's generally not done in the UAE?

I guess my ultimate hope is to have someplace where I can do some research and teaching, and that this might help make me more attractive.   I'm hoping to get more papers out. The market's just been particularly tough this year, and this has just seemed like a much better option than trying for temporary jobs or going the adjunct route.  Do you think that's a mistake? 

I unfortunately can't spin my research as oriented to the middle east - doesn't make sense in my field. 

Thanks so much for all your input.  I wish you the best of luck finding something back here!

[nomadescientist]

Hi seeking,
 
Based on my experience at the largest public university in the UAE, teaching load is 12 h/week at minimum, and this hardly leaves enough time for research at least for the first two semesters (that was my case anyway). Research in the UAE will depend on your field of course. If it is theoretical (just need a computer and library resources), then you should be OK if you can find time that is. But, if it's experimental, it would be much tougher as facilities are virtually nonexistent. In the latter case, you need to have a collaborator back in the US or elsewhere to conduct your research work there during the long summer vacation (typically 2 months).

Good luck!

NS

[hopefulbutuntenured]

Is the 12 hr/week teaching load the equivalent of teaching 4 courses?

[nomadescientist]

Is the 12 hr/week teaching load the equivalent of teaching 4 courses?

Not necessarily. You could have for example 2 courses (typically 3 credit hours each), taught for two different classes.

[dellaroux]

What's the economy doing there at the moment? I thought I had heard that with oil price fluctuations, things were getting a bit dicey.

That might be something to consider as well.

Also, don't sell or give away everything in the States if you do plan to come back; a friend did that, and after an unpleasant experience (in a different Middle Eastern country) this individual literally had to come back and start all over again, without having left themselves any resources for a backup plan.

It took them years (and a bankruptcy process) to recover.