Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

Hi all,

I recently accepted an offer of Assistant Prof. in Engg dept at IUM. I am still waiting for my contract and visa. Wanted to know more about Uni, dept, life, etc. Is there any particular problems there?

bests,
M

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

Probably you are the only one here working at IUM, as this academia in the second holy city is reserved for Muslims only. Please be patient due to the Ramadan period. I think you cannot make it in the middle of August. It usually takes at least two months to complete the whole process, i.e. getting a medical report verified, degree attestation and work permit visa application. If you received the document by the end of this month, you would probably start your new job on 1st October at the earliest. Good luck.

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

dear wwinit,
thanks very much for reply. Indeed I find your posting very soothing and helpful. Keep it up. Yes, you are right, I too realized during interview that being a Muslim is prerequisite for the job, although, they had not mentioned it in job description.

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

Have a look at Daves ESL Café. Some threads there about Islamic University in Medina.

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

thanks scot47 for the tip.

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

Hi scot47, is there any short way to find these threads at Daves? Under international job forum / SA, there are about 100 pages of threads. Search option on the page has no shown any infomation. I guess search option do not work for threads.

regards

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

Since all the threads on that board are publicly viewable, use a comprehensive Google search string rather than the awkward internal search function.

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

thanks dear, it works now. It was so stupid on my side. There is not much from threads there to learn something, except some chit chat.
regards

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

What can possibly be wrong with a job there ?

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

i hope nothing is wrong. just wanted to learn about dept, acedamic activities, and if anything peculiar, etc

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

Hi friend

I am also in the same situation.I also got offer from IUM.Still waiting for visa and contract letter.Please inform me about your present status and inform me whenever you are getting visa.I am also little bit tensed.Please keep in touch with me

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

sure. I wonder how we manage our present jobs if we have so much uncertainity in future jobs.

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

You expect your pilgrimage to Medina to be trouble-free ?

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

:lol::lol::lol:

re: Job discussion topic for Islamic University Madinah
 

C'mon. You will be in the Land of Allah and also it is a kind of adventure, so there is nothing to be afraid of. As a Muslim academic, you will have three missions here:

1. Pray properly five times a day plus Omrah and Hajj.
It is a kind of belief in KSA that if you pray at home or in your office, it is nothing. It might be 10% merit if you could go to a masjid/mosque nearby; 100% in a masjid during Ramadan. So, there is always a masjid every 100-200 metres away. You will be woken by a loudspeaker (azdan) around 3.30 am for the 1st sala. Go to work at 8 or 8.30 am and then 12 noon get together at the University mosque for the 2nd sala. Finish your work at 2.30 pm and go home for the 3rd sala. Take a rest and prepare for the 4th sala around 5.30-6.00 pm and the 5th sala at 7.30-8.00 pm. After that, tuk tuk (juk juk), sleep and prepare for the 1st sala on the following day. That's your life in a day. Omrah and Hajj are quite cheap and easier to manage here. You can do your Omrah every time when you are free and Hajj every five years if you wish. You will see millions of people moving from Mecca (Makkah) to Medina (Madinah) during the Hajj period.

2. Do your teaching as assigned and carry out research if time permits.
For an assistant professor, you have to teach at least 12 hours per week, incl. lectures and labs. Your academic life is basically overwhelmed by your teaching and other silly activities. Expect to work with Indian or Pakistani Muslims, Egyptians and Jordanians mainly. Therefore, you will experience poor management, politics in the Department/College mostly played by Egyptians, and poor-quality male students.

3. Wait for your monthly salary (probably every 25th of Hijri month).
You will enjoy having lots of money with some allowances at first and then every month with basic plus travel allowance. In your case, it is probably SR 15K+. You could save up nearly three times more than you do in the UK. In other words, working in this kingdom one year is equivalent to three years in Britain. You will be a millionaire soon.

Good luck with your academic pilgrimage to the holy city of Medina.