In the last two decades the Chinese government has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at building world class universities. These include the 211 project and the 985 project which were targeted at developing the research capacity of the Chinese higher education system. In addition, the government introduced the Changjiang…>
Career Development
Understanding your role as a Lecturer
There was a time, not so long ago, when academic contracts contained no formal job descriptions, other than a vague injunction to ‘perform the wishes of the Head of Department’. This may no longer be the case, but reading a job description, or ticking a few boxes at annual performance…>
A Senior British Academic in China
Martin Stannard. Senior British academic and Coordinator of Overseas Staff in the School of Foreign Languages English & American Literature and American Culture Lecturer Beijing Normal University, China You may have been in academia for four or five years now and considering overseas opportunities to enhance your career or…>
Using Research Skills Outside Academia
So you enjoy research. But you are unsure if an academic career is right for you. How else can you use your research skills? You may find a research post outside academia that uses the full range of your skills – perhaps in a biotech start-up or social policy ‘think…>
Teacher of English as a Foreign Language
Teaching English as a Foreign Language involves teaching in non-English speaking countries or teaching English to foreign students in an English speaking country. TEFL employment can be found in language schools, universities and colleges, private institutions and state schools. The key areas for teaching jobs are Asia (Korea, China and…>
Developing Cross-Cultural Skills
As academic jobs become highly competitive in Western Europe and North America, many entering the job market may not have a choice but to move overseas if they want to work in academia. Experts say one of the most important skills for academics moving abroad because of work is cross-cultural…>
Student Support Roles
With the advent of much higher fees, there has been an increased interest in UK universities in the issue of student satisfaction, with many faculties and departments hiring specialists to perform student-facing support roles to supplement the pastoral work of academics and administrators. Why might this interest you? In many…>
Academic Writing: How To Write A Textbook
This article explores an often neglected aspect of academic publishing: the student textbook. Many scholars regularly publish their research in journal articles or academic monographs but never consider writing a textbook. Why write a textbook? Many lecturers become frustrated because a course that they want to teach has no obvious…>
Work and Education in Singapore
Singapore is a country that values business and industry, and the culture of success means that education is viewed as being very important. Jobs for international academics can be found in various fields. Engineering is a key field for academia and industry alike on the small island of Singapore. On…>
Improve Your Employability With A Professional Qualification
Professional qualifications are offered by professional associations or bodies; organisations that support their members by providing training, qualifications and career development appropriate to a specific career sector.