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University of Sharjah

University of Sharjah

Old Feb 18th 2018, 11:56 am
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Default University of Sharjah

Hello everyone

This is my first post on this forum. I have some questions on faculty positions at UAE universities.

I am a fresh PhD in mathematics (statistics) from a good university. Published two papers and I have one manuscript. I was shortlisted by UoS and recently had my 30 min interview, I 'think' for the position of assistant professor.

The issue is that I have no teaching experience on university level. However, I graduated from a world top university (70 on ranking) cum laude etc. and have written a nice thesis. One of the top statisticians in the world collaborated with me.

At the interview they asked about teaching experience, I told them how it is and that I am confident I could teach well at the university level. What are my possibilites at this university?

I am consering to apply for other UAE universities (maybe as post doc?) as well, to increase my chances.

Thank you for reading and for any comments on this.

Mathguy
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Old Feb 19th 2018, 5:54 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by Mathguy
Hello everyone

This is my first post on this forum. I have some questions on faculty positions at UAE universities.

I am a fresh PhD in mathematics (statistics) from a good university. Published two papers and I have one manuscript. I was shortlisted by UoS and recently had my 30 min interview, I 'think' for the position of assistant professor.

The issue is that I have no teaching experience on university level. However, I graduated from a world top university (70 on ranking) cum laude etc. and have written a nice thesis. One of the top statisticians in the world collaborated with me.

At the interview they asked about teaching experience, I told them how it is and that I am confident I could teach well at the university level. What are my possibilites at this university?

I am consering to apply for other UAE universities (maybe as post doc?) as well, to increase my chances.

Thank you for reading and for any comments on this.

Mathguy
Ah, wrong crowd here I think. But you make an interesting addition to the forum so welcome!
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 10:36 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by Mathguy
Hello everyone

This is my first post on this forum. I have some questions on faculty positions at UAE universities.

I am a fresh PhD in mathematics (statistics) from a good university. Published two papers and I have one manuscript. I was shortlisted by UoS and recently had my 30 min interview, I 'think' for the position of assistant professor.

The issue is that I have no teaching experience on university level. However, I graduated from a world top university (70 on ranking) cum laude etc. and have written a nice thesis. One of the top statisticians in the world collaborated with me.

At the interview they asked about teaching experience, I told them how it is and that I am confident I could teach well at the university level. What are my possibilites at this university?

I am consering to apply for other UAE universities (maybe as post doc?) as well, to increase my chances.

Thank you for reading and for any comments on this.

Mathguy
Any reason for damaging such an excellent start in your career with Sharjah University?

You will be better employing your knowledge working as Business Analyst for some top banks in UK (your skills are exactly what they need and looking for) for 6 digits salary, if money your motivation and I don't see any other motivation rather than this when joining University of Sharjah.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 11:21 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by kostik3000
Any reason for damaging such an excellent start in your career with Sharjah University?

You will be better employing your knowledge working as Business Analyst for some top banks in UK (your skills are exactly what they need and looking for) for 6 digits salary, if money your motivation and I don't see any other motivation rather than this when joining University of Sharjah.
The banking world is against my norms and values. Thank you for the advice though
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 11:24 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by Mathguy
The banking world is against my norms and values. Thank you for the advice though
But it's still must be money when you consider joining University which is not even on the list of top 1000 universities of the World list?
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 11:28 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

I'm the child of academia as my father is a university professor (emeritus these days) and grew up in a university town.

Over the years I've gathered the impression that if you start your academic career in the wrong place you will never really recover from it.

Translation: starting your academic life in the UAE, and at a lesser UAE university (I'm assuming it's not the American University of Sharjah, which is probably the "best" in the country), means you will face great difficulty in gaining a place at a respectable UK university, and even disreputable ones.

I would only come out to Sharjah or UAE universities if there were no other options. Having said that, they will treat you reasonably well, you get housing provided on top of a decent salary and other benefits. But many of their contracts are only for a set number of years and most faculty eventually get pushed out and many hopscotch among the various universities in the country or the GCC.

What's your motivation? Teaching? Writing? Research?
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 11:28 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by kostik3000
But it's still must be money when you consider joining University which is not even on top 1000 universities of the World list?
Yes. Still I believe I can write papers which will appear on top journals. Also, I have seen West-Europe now it is the time to smell other things. Not when I am 50.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 11:32 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by DXBtoDOH
I'm the child of academia as my father is a university professor (emeritus these days) and grew up in a university town.

Over the years I've gathered the impression that if you start your academic career in the wrong place you will never really recover from it.

Translation: starting your academic life in the UAE, and at a lesser UAE university (I'm assuming it's not the American University of Sharjah, which is probably the "best" in the country), means you will face great difficulty in gaining a place at a respectable UK university, and even disreputable ones.

I would only come out to Sharjah or UAE universities if there were no other options. Having said that, they will treat you reasonably well, you get housing provided on top of a decent salary and other benefits. But many of their contracts are only for a set number of years and most faculty eventually get pushed out and many hopscotch among the various universities in the country or the GCC.

What's your motivation? Teaching? Writing? Research?
Thank you for this addition. Teaching, Research, language, travel, ... I know that you cannot rely on the employer. I have no fantasies, i.e. I know what I can and cannot do after working in the gulf. Since many years I wanted to work there and to save some money.

Last edited by Mathguy; Feb 20th 2018 at 11:35 am.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 11:33 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by Mathguy
Yes. Still I believe I can write papers which will appear on top journals. Also, I have seen West-Europe now it is the time to smell other things. Not when I am 50.
Go to Japan to their top Uni's or Korea with their booming universities, or China (they now have few unis on Top 100 list). UAE is total backwaters.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 11:52 am
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

A spell at this place will not lead to advancement to other universities in the West. It is a cul-de-sac in terms of your academic career. Go there and be prepared for that to end your university career.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 12:43 pm
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by scot47
A spell at this place will not lead to advancement to other universities in the West. It is a cul-de-sac in terms of your academic career. Go there and be prepared for that to end your university career.
Thanks, not a big problem with that. There is a university career in the gulf region, and a university career here.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 12:48 pm
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by kostik3000
But it's still must be money when you consider joining University which is not even on the list of top 1000 universities of the World list?
It's easy to worry about morals and values when you're young.

One day you will wake up and realise you have no savings, no pensions, not even a property of your own. Then perhaps you'll regret being a wee bit obsessed about the "iffy" morality of working for a bank

Still, not everyone is cut out for the rat race. A lazy university career at third tier toilet universities is not half bad if you can put up with the never ending rotas of dumb and entitled local students. We all make our own ways through life.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 1:11 pm
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by DXBtoDOH
It's easy to worry about morals and values when you're young.

One day you will wake up and realise you have no savings, no pensions, not even a property of your own. Then perhaps you'll regret being a wee bit obsessed about the "iffy" morality of working for a bank

Still, not everyone is cut out for the rat race. A lazy university career at third tier toilet universities is not half bad if you can put up with the never ending rotas of dumb and entitled local students. We all make our own ways through life.
This thread caught my eye because I'm had a long academic career up until retirement in 2015. I was going to add to the posts suggesting that such a move would be severely career limiting.

However, the OP gives no indication as to his nationality or origins.

Given his aversion to e.g. a banking career perhaps he's from the Gulf in the first place? He may even be sick up to here of living in the West.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 1:42 pm
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
This thread caught my eye because I'm had a long academic career up until retirement in 2015. I was going to add to the posts suggesting that such a move would be severely career limiting.

However, the OP gives no indication as to his nationality or origins.

Given his aversion to e.g. a banking career perhaps he's from the Gulf in the first place? He may even be sick up to here of living in the West.
I had thought of that. There's something not quite native in his writing (well, he writes better than many Brits do but there's something still slightly off). South Asian? Would explain why he's keen on the Gulf.
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Old Feb 20th 2018, 1:46 pm
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Default Re: University of Sharjah

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
This thread caught my eye because I'm had a long academic career up until retirement in 2015. I was going to add to the posts suggesting that such a move would be severely career limiting.

However, the OP gives no indication as to his nationality or origins.

Given his aversion to e.g. a banking career perhaps he's from the Gulf in the first place? He may even be sick up to here of living in the West.
Why should that be the reason to be an Arab. Have you read The Merchant of Venice? I wish money lenders on interest and money creators from thin air were catapulted back to that time. Would bring much more freedom and integrity in the market and hence less suffering and less lives ( and countries) being destroyed.

Last edited by Mathguy; Feb 20th 2018 at 1:49 pm.
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