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[azv105]

Hello All,
(I posted this in the 'Academics in the Middle East' section. Even after 500 views, I did not get a single reply. So I am posting it here. Sorry for the inconvenience).

I am trying to get sabbatical leave some time in the next few years. I am interested in working in the gulf as I need to save some money. My questions:

1. I am a tenure track in a SLAC teaching only undergraduates. I do research with undergraduates, and publish in reasonably good journals (though not top notch). Do I stand a chance to work at a research oriented University in the gulf? (My field is physical sciences/ engineering).

2. How and Who should I approach to find a sabbatical position? I am mostly interested in Kuwait as I have some relatives there (they are not academic and they don't know anything about Universities).

3. If I apply to the general pool (without contacting any prof there), is there any probability they will consider me? When I was doing my Ph.D not so long ago in a highly reputed R1 in the US, one of the representatives from KFUPM visited our place and encouraged us to apply. I don't know if I should contact the same people now.

4. How easy or how hard is it to find a position there (with my credentials)? I need to know this so that I can plan the timeline of my finding a position + applying for sabbatical.

5. Is there anywhere I can find a range of approximate salaries for different countries/ different Universities?

Thank you.

[hegemony]

A sabbatical is usually supposed to be so you can do a research project, and you're not supposed to teach during it.  I assume your home university offers partial pay for sabbaticals?  If so, they will no doubt have a requirement that you not teach while on leave.  It sounds as if what you're looking for is a "leave without pay," if you want to teach abroad.  That would be harder to negotiate, as it doesn't have any benefit to your home university.  The way people compensate for the drop in pay during a sabbatical is to win a research grant.  Again, teaching is usually not allowed.

[azv105]

Hi Hegemony
Thank you for your reply. My home University is a teaching oriented University so I think I can justify teaching abroad to win a sabbatical. Even otherwise, there are Universities which do good research in the gulf (at least in myfield. I listened to a talk from a professor who works in a gulf University - he was earlier a postdoc at MIT, and now from gulf publishes high quality papers). I would like to know more about how to win a short term paying position in a gulf University.

[hegemony]

Before going further, I urge you to talk to the appropriate officials at your university about whether this might qualify as a sabbatical.  To be frank, I have never heard of anyone being given permission to take a paying, non-research job elsewhere on their sabbatical.

[azv105]

Thanks hegemony,
I will check.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

Before going further, I urge you to talk to the appropriate officials at your university about whether this might qualify as a sabbatical.  To be frank, I have never heard of anyone being given permission to take a paying, non-research job elsewhere on their sabbatical.

I've taught while on sabbatical, and many of the sabbatical visitors to my department teach for us.  Of course, the main point of the sabbatical is the research, but a bit of teaching makes one a more fully integrated member of a department. - DvF

[nottooinlovewacademe]

Teaching during sabbatical is not unusual at all! Fulbright, for instance, asks you to choose between teaching or research or both.

[azv105]

Thanks, professor gb. I found out that I am allowed to teach (at least in part) during a sabbatical. Now that this part is clear, how do I try to get a teaching and/or research position in the gulf? Thanks!