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[sputnik1]

I'm planning to relocate to Lebanon. I'm a full time instructor working in Kuwait and I'd like to have an idea of instructor salaries in Lebanese universities, just to know what to expect.

Any comments welcome!

Thanks!

[ward1]

Hi Sputnik1,

I'm just wondering if you're thinking of relocating to Lebanon or planning to relocate, because the situation here is far from being compared to Kuwait (I'm talking about the money point, I don't know anything about the academic level in the universities of Kuwait, but I know that, in Lebanon it's pretty good).
Professors are not getting high salaries. A full time professor at the lebanese university earns 2000$ per month. And during all my life I have not seen any non lebanese professor except at the american university of Beirut and maybe at the usj also (which is a franco-lebanese university). Egyptian doctors are working at the arab universty of Beirut.
You can have 5000$ at the AUB, perhaps it can reach 7000$, and that's already great, you can't expect more.

I'm planning to have my PhD and go abroad. Yes, there is a research climate, but it's new and not greatly finaciated. Theses are being transferred from other countries to be made here because it's cheaper, and the government has no research plan at all.

There are visitor professors who teach some courses in the postgraduate level, but I have no idea about their salaries.

So, what to expect? If you're not working at the AUB, do not expect great things.

I know the AUB academic climate is beautiful, but they are not paying much. And for the other universities, well, you have to be a lebanese to know how to fight there :)

[inthesun]

You must be insane to even think of going there. What is there in Lebanon? Nothing.

[ward1]

Hi inthesun,
Perhaps Mr. (or Mrs.) Sputnik1 is thinking about the european ambiance of Lebanon.
Actually you can find it in Beirut, but it's only for the tourism. If you are a tourist, it will be great to go, but if you are going to live here you'll find that the civil war has destructed everything. Universities escaped by miracle.
The number of universities is big if you compare it to the population, but you can notice also that the number of PhD holders, engineers, doctors, lawyers (and graduated people) is huge, really huge.
The population of Lebanon counts 4 millions inside the country and more than 10 millions outside.
More than 50% of the last class graduted from my university travelled to France, and the gulf countries, and I know personally a great number of people who are relocating to Canada, USA, gulf, France, Germany...
I'm just giving you a detailed picture of the situation so you can think twice before coming here. And anyway, you're welcome!

[merce]

I would love to be amongst the Great Civilizations faculty at the AUB! The Curriculum fits me like a glove. Like nothing in the US.

I'd actually started a thread a few weeks ago looking for advice on getting myself over there.

I would love to teach the great works, important thinkers and philosophies and works of art and literature to students with a background different from the one my current students have.

My 3 years of forgotten arabic could have a healthy facelift.  I'd seek to take on the lilting drop of the lebanese arabic I so adore.  I'd hope to learn to read poetry well.

I'd also look for nice clothing and shoes. The weather would suit me perfectly in Beyrouth.

And I would do my best to pick up where I left off as regards my lebanese cooking skills. O, when I was young a Lebanese mother watched me cut the parsley and shape the kibbeh and said I was "bonne a marier." Nothing filled me with so much pride then. So I would like to get back in cooking shape and make myself bonne 'a marier once again. And hopefully doing that would be easier there than in this 5-horse town.

O لبناني