Associate Professor Physical Geography (Education) Dubai - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences - 99545

Position Details

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

University of Birmingham, Dubai campus

Salary: Competitive 

Grade 9

Full time

Location: Dubai, UAE

Closing date:  27 May 2022 

University of Birmingham Dubai

Having established ourselves in Dubai International Academic City in 2018 we have now moved to our new state-of-the-art campus which opened in Sept 2021. These posts represent an excellent opportunity to join an ambitious World Top 100 University as we continue to grow our long-term strategic mission in Dubai, the UAE and the wider region. Our campus reflects the very best of Birmingham through our presence in Dubai.

Job summary

We are looking to appoint an experienced physical scientist to lead our BSc Physical Geography programme which is to be launched on our Dubai campus in September 2022. The role will involve taking a lead in setting up and launching the programme in addition to ensuring its successful delivery and further growth and development. The programme will be international in its focus and we are looking for an academic who has experience of research and teaching in any area of Physical Geography.

The successful applicant must be able to lead and contribute to modules on Water & Landforms, Global Challenges and Study Methods. They must also have experience of dissertation supervision and be able to demonstrate teaching innovation both in classroom and field-based teaching. Given that the programme is soon to be launched, the post-holder will also be expected to lead on attracting students, with the assistance of the excellent Dubai based marketing team, building long term linkages with relevant local authorities and institutions in the UAE region.

The Physical Geography BSc programme will have significant linkages with the similar Geography, Earth Sciences and Environmental Sciences programmes that are currently delivered on our Birmingham campus. As part of this, the applicant would be expected to draw on the School’s world leading interdisciplinary research and teaching in the physical sciences in order to embed key elements within our education delivery in Dubai.

Successful candidates will demonstrate a commitment to equity and be expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate through their research, teaching, and/or public engagement multiple perspectives as the foundation of a rich learning experience; integrate diverse experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and/or provide leadership in developing pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse learning styles, populations, and intellectual interests.

The key responsibilities are to lead the development and delivery of the Dubai-based BSc in Physical Geography and contribute at a senior level to the range of associated teaching leadership and administration tasks.

Educational responsibilities will include the:

The candidate will be able to demonstrate a significant contribution to the advancement of educational delivery in the subject area (e.g. involving policy, practice, standards), and provide leadership in teaching and learning that is innovative and cognizant of relevant national and international debates.

Management and administration will initially involve managing activity on the Dubai campus, although activity will also involve extensive collaboration with colleagues based at our Edgbaston Campus.

You will have:
•    Normally, a higher Degree relevant to the discipline area (usually PhD) or equivalent qualifications.
•    Demonstrated excellence in Learning and Teaching, and Management and administration.

Learning and teaching requirements

An excellent teaching profile and performance in terms of both impact and quality.  Teaching quality demonstrated to be informed by an appropriate level of scholarship.  

Evidence of success under the following headings.

•    High reputation for the development of teaching and learning excellence within the discipline
•    Successful and sustained use of a range of appropriate teaching methods, and assessment strategies that promote high quality learning, including learning that is flexible, distinctive and current and stimulates learners’ natural curiosity 
•    Significant and sustained contribution to one or more of the following: strategic development of new programmes, approaches to learning, the development of learning resources
•    High quality and sustained contributions to fostering excellence in teaching activities more widely, i.e. in the School or College and/or externally
•    Mentoring and expert advice which develops the skills of colleagues in teaching and in fostering learning
•    Sustained high value impact knowledge transfer and enterprise that is of manifest benefit to the College and University.

Management and administration-related requirements

Demonstrated significant achievement in management and administration-related activities, which may include leadership of activities/initiatives. Evidence of success under the following headings:

•    Successful and sustained performance in significant administrative/managerial role (s) (e.g. exams officer).
•    Significant and sustained high quality innovative contributions to the management/administration of the School/College or University.
•    Successful and sustained contribution to the corporate life of the School/College/University, displaying willingness to contribute actively to committees, collaborative teaching and administrative tasks.
•    Actively promotes equality and diversity to internal and external stakeholders.
•    Able to use data to identify equality and diversity issues. 
•    Experience of developing interventions to address equality and diversity issues.

In return, you will receive a competitive package and be a key part of an expanding and ambitious University as we develop our international reputation and global footprint.

This is a full-time post, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The University of Birmingham is an Athena Swan Silver award holder and committed to providing a supportive work environment for our staff and providing equal opportunities in our recruitment process.

The University of Birmingham is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and will take flexible working option into consideration during the process.

Further details relating to this position as well as our developing Dubai Campus can be found at http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/dubai/work-with-us/index.aspx

Please register and submit your application through our careers website, we do not accept unsolicited resumes by email.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr John Round, Head of Education, [email protected] or Dr Chris Bradley, Senior PGT Tutor; [email protected] , School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment 

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working. 

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