Hello, I'm just finishing up my PhD, have the viva in January and (all going well) will be on the job market in February. I've been looking at lecturing jobs and post docs in the UK and they do not seem to pay very well. I have accumulated some debt over the course of the PhD and would like to pay it off as quickly as possible, so I was wondering about lecturing jobs in Dubai or other UAE countries. Would these be very well paid? I wouldn't like to move there permanently but a couple of years to clear my debts would be ok. I've looked at a few jobs online but they do not include salaries, I was wondering does anyone have an idea of how much they would be? Has anyone worked there or know anyone that has? I'd appreciate any information about working in academia in the UAE that I could get.

Thanks

Try the 'Academics in the Middle East' forum at www.chronicle.com for information on the UAE and on individual universities. In brief, apparently working conditions, student quality and pay are very variable, and it might not be the 'get rich quick' destination for academics that it is for other professionals. Obviously you've also got to be prepared to conform to local norms - not just religious ones but also societal ones but you'll know that. I only know one person who went to work as an academic, and he's never been able to get a UK academic job. The teaching load he had was very high and his research ground to a halt making him unemployable elsewhere. He also loathed the management style there, and so chose to leave academia to return to the UK. I'm sure others have had better experiences but it's certainly not paradise.

All countries have their pro's and con's - I have lived here for 7 years and still love it. Salaries here tend to vary and can depend on initial negotiations. You may find it hard to leave here once you are settled in, as life tends to be quite easy and stress free. Vacations are really good in academics too. Quite a few of my friends returned to the UK only to come straight back here after less than a year. Don't believe too many stories you here, take it all with a pinch of salt

I guess (never been to Dubai myself but know people who have) that if you are willing to put up with the very conservative culture there and the very hot weather then everything else is good: no taxes, high salaries, and everything is cheaper. That being said, I'd never go there because of the two issues I raised in the first part of the first sentence. Why don't you visit the place to get an idea prior to deciding?

Some western universities are setting up campuses in the middle east/Asia. For example:

Depends on your subject area though.