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Opinion on AD salary package

Opinion on AD salary package

Old Apr 12th 2021, 12:56 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

And they do monthly membership direct debit now, which makes it much easier for people.
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Old Apr 12th 2021, 1:44 pm
  #32  
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Originally Posted by flares
Primary school kids you say - recommend you get into the British Club - lifesaver for kids that age (and adults). Loads to do plus food and drink much cheaper than elsewhere. Check it out
Sounds great! Is that The Club at Mina Sadiyat? Looks expensive or maybe because I've not had AED salary
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Old Apr 12th 2021, 1:46 pm
  #33  
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

The short term gains are real with your offer. The real question is the long term. If you are ambitious for a UK role, taking a position in the Gulf may make things harder for you.

I remember talking to an American academic working in Dubai who said that UAE universities were keen to push people out every three years, or after two 3-year contracts. You do get people leap-frogging from one university to another in the UAE.

I also became good friends with an American who spent 20 years teaching in the Gulf, three years in Al Ain and then 17 years in Doha, and decided it was time to go home and got a proper teaching position at an American state university, tenure track and all that. So it's not impossible. I'd try to keep your name active in the UK by going to as many conferences and publishing as many unreadable papers.

I also second the idea of trying to join the British Club in Abu Dhabi. AD is a quiet town compared to Dubai, which works to your benefit. The club is a bit old fashioned but not stuffy, has a beach, and you'll be surrounded by families and kids. They keep their F&B costs much lower than most family friendly restaurants/brunch venues, including alcohol.

Get a second hand Pajero from a departing expat and go camping / Oman as often as you can.


Last edited by DXBtoDOH; Apr 12th 2021 at 1:49 pm.
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Old Apr 12th 2021, 2:25 pm
  #34  
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Originally Posted by DXBtoDOH
The short term gains are real with your offer. The real question is the long term. If you are ambitious for a UK role, taking a position in the Gulf may make things harder for you.

I remember talking to an American academic working in Dubai who said that UAE universities were keen to push people out every three years, or after two 3-year contracts. You do get people leap-frogging from one university to another in the UAE.

I also became good friends with an American who spent 20 years teaching in the Gulf, three years in Al Ain and then 17 years in Doha, and decided it was time to go home and got a proper teaching position at an American state university, tenure track and all that. So it's not impossible. I'd try to keep your name active in the UK by going to as many conferences and publishing as many unreadable papers.

I also second the idea of trying to join the British Club in Abu Dhabi. AD is a quiet town compared to Dubai, which works to your benefit. The club is a bit old fashioned but not stuffy, has a beach, and you'll be surrounded by families and kids. They keep their F&B costs much lower than most family friendly restaurants/brunch venues, including alcohol.

Get a second hand Pajero from a departing expat and go camping / Oman as often as you can.
Hi DXBtoDOH, thanks for this! I have to agree with you about developing my academic career. This kept me up at night and I was really contemplating about accepting the offer. I spoke to my PhD supervisor whom I'm still in contact with and she too mentioned about being 'active' - publish papers in well-established journals, attend or present at conferences etc. Hopefully, this will somehow help me to secure a teaching position when we're back in the UK.

Thanks for suggesting The Club, will look into it. A second hand Pajero sounds good enough for us! We own a '10 vauxhall Astra here and we love her! Takes us where we need be!

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Old Apr 12th 2021, 3:29 pm
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Originally Posted by DXBtoDOH
The short term gains are real with your offer. The real question is the long term. If you are ambitious for a UK role, taking a position in the Gulf may make things harder for you.

I remember talking to an American academic working in Dubai who said that UAE universities were keen to push people out every three years, or after two 3-year contracts. You do get people leap-frogging from one university to another in the UAE.

.
Can't agree more
I know a few people who could not find any job in the UK after many years in academia in the GCC, despite being in the top notch of their fields. Working in this region will never advance your career. You need to plan the exit very carefully before you start, and don't be lured by money.
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Old Apr 12th 2021, 5:46 pm
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Originally Posted by exeter16
hi, thanks for taking time to reply to my post. Looking at things, I probably think it’s wise for us to rent an apartment so that we could cut down cost. Initially, I plan to look for a villa with a garden as we now live in a 3 bedroom house in the UK with a garden for my kids to play. Of course utility here isn’t as high in AD so I think we’ll have to go with an apartment. I think there are plenty of parks around Reem where we can bring our children to let off steam?
.

For 5 months a year they are not going to be playing outside for very long!
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Old Apr 13th 2021, 5:49 am
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Originally Posted by Millhouse
The 2015-2019 recession followed by COVID flushed a lot of them out I came on he 2008 financial services lifeboat from London.

Scamp - he must be crossing 10+ years now too. In what I can only imagine being one of the hardest industries to survive in long-term.
10 years a week ago my old man dropped me at Heathrow and I cried in a toilet, absolutely terrified.
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Old May 12th 2021, 1:14 am
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Originally Posted by exeter16
Hi DXBtoDOH, thanks for this! I have to agree with you about developing my academic career. This kept me up at night and I was really contemplating about accepting the offer. I spoke to my PhD supervisor whom I'm still in contact with and she too mentioned about being 'active' - publish papers in well-established journals, attend or present at conferences etc. Hopefully, this will somehow help me to secure a teaching position when we're back in the UK.

Thanks for suggesting The Club, will look into it. A second hand Pajero sounds good enough for us! We own a '10 vauxhall Astra here and we love her! Takes us where we need be!
All sounds exciting. I know many friends of mine who are established academics couldn't publish or attend conferences because you will be bogged down in teaching. As you seem to have recently completed your Ph.D., I doubt you are going to be able to maintain your rhythm. It's one-way traffic. Welcome to AD.
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Old Jun 4th 2021, 8:46 pm
  #39  
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Many congratulations @exeter16.
If you are in Engineering field, your salary is significantly higher to what is paid in Dubai.
I was told a similar job is much better paid in Qatar as they offer free accommodation for acadmics; may be it is the same in KSA.

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Old Aug 14th 2021, 7:32 pm
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Unrelated to query raised in this forum, but is your education allowance mentioned in the contract?
I have come across a confusing situation where my prospective employer has told me that there is a education allowance of 4000BHD per annum per kid, but not ready to put it in writing in the contract.
Their reasoning being that since it is a non cash benefit, they don't include it in contract.

Have you encountered such situation?
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Old Aug 15th 2021, 4:13 am
  #41  
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

If it's not in the contract, it might as well not exist. To be honest, even if it's in the contract it may also not exist if you work for a government company.
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Old Aug 15th 2021, 7:17 am
  #42  
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Originally Posted by csdf
If it's not in the contract, it might as well not exist. To be honest, even if it's in the contract it may also not exist if you work for a government company.
Oh, that's shady! All the negotiations and finalization of the package has been done on premise of having an education allowance but now HR is saying that I will receive some further paperwork once I join the firm, in which the education allowance will be mentioned. However, they are not ready to put it in writing in the contract shared over email conversation.

I am wondering whether I should make a move in such a situation.
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Old Aug 15th 2021, 4:50 pm
  #43  
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Default Re: Opinion on AD salary package

Originally Posted by Darvin
Oh, that's shady! All the negotiations and finalization of the package has been done on premise of having an education allowance but now HR is saying that I will receive some further paperwork once I join the firm, in which the education allowance will be mentioned. However, they are not ready to put it in writing in the contract shared over email conversation.

I am wondering whether I should make a move in such a situation.
I would echo what has been said ….. if it’s not in your contract then assume you won’t get it.
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