Assistant Professor (Education) in Digital Media and Communication (Dubai) - School of English, Drama and Creative Studies - 105561 - Grade 8

Position Details

School of English, Drama and Creative Studies

Discipline: Department of Linguistics and Communication

University of Birmingham, Dubai campus

Salary: Competitive 

Grade: 8

No. of positions: 1

Full time

Location: Dubai, UAE

Closing date: 27th April 2025

UK and International travel will be required for this post

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.

Background

The Department of Linguistics and Communication

The Department of Linguistics and Communication is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research with students based in Birmingham as well as in over thirty different countries. It forms a central part of the School of English, Drama, Creative Studies, within the College of Arts and Law. The Department has an excellent track record in teaching and an active research culture with productive collaboration within and beyond the University, and wide-ranging public engagement. Staff in the department research and teach across the full range of English Language and Applied Linguistics, including Corpus Linguistics, Cognitive Linguistics, Stylistics, Discourse Analysis, New Media and English Language Teaching. The Department is home to the Centre for Corpus Research (CCR) which highlights the strong cross-disciplinary reach of corpus linguistics at Birmingham with particular focus on the links between cognitive linguistics, psycholinguistics and stylistics. CCR provides access to a range of corpora and has a dedicated computer suite with specialist resources as well as an eye-tracking laboratory.

The School of English, Drama and Creative Studies (EDACS)

The School of English, Drama and Creative Studies is a vibrant and thriving school situated within the College of Arts and Law. It hosts a community of academics and students researching and learning together in areas including Linguistics, Media and Communication, Film Studies, English Literature, Creative Writing and Drama and Theatre Arts. Many of our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes combine academic scholarship with creative practice and offer students opportunities to learn from industry experts and partners in the Creative Industries. One of the School’s strengths includes the study of Shakespeare both on the Edgbaston Campus and at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon. EDACS encourages inter-disciplinarity and intellectual collaboration both in teaching and research. 

Equal Opportunities

The University of Birmingham is an equal opportunities employer. The School of English, Drama and Creative Studies recognises that strength and success comes from diversity and strives to maintain a flexible and supportive environment that enables all staff and students to flourish. The School holds a Silver Athena SWAN award.

Interview format/requirements

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed and deliver a presentation. Further information will be given to shortlisted candidates.

Role Summary

We seek to recruit a programme lead for our BA Digital Media and Communications (BA DMC) programme which will launch on the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus in September 2025. The BA DMC launch in Dubai follows the programme’s successful launch on the University’s Edgbaston campus in 2023. 

The post holder will have demonstrable expertise in one or more of the following subject specialisms, which will be assessed through the CV:

• Business Discourse 
• Marketing Communications
• Linguistics and Communication Studies
• New Media

The post holder will lead and deliver teaching, and hold organisation and management responsibilities. The post holder will be expected to contribute to academic citizenship demonstrated through engagement with a range of activities which establish the smooth running of the programme and the growth of Digital Media and Communications on the Dubai campus. Although the post holder will be based in Dubai, they will be a valued colleague in the Department of Linguistics and Communication based on the University’s Birmingham campus in the United Kingdom. Strong and supportive links will be developed, enriched by regular visits to the University’s Edgbaston campus to undertake in-person scholarly activities with colleagues. The post holder will develop generous, mutually-respectful and supportive working relationships with all University staff and students.

Teaching will include a substantial contribution to: (a) the management, development and delivery of teaching and assessment; and (b) enhancement of the student experience and employability. The role will typically also involve developing and advising others, including: (a) providing expert advice to staff and students, and (b) developing and advising others on learning and teaching tasks and methods. 

You will be expected to advance teaching and learning practice and take a role in leading curriculum development, and play an important role in student academic and pastoral support. You will deliver excellent teaching that inspires students, and is informed by discipline-based research. 

The post holder will manage a Technical Teaching Tutor who will provide substantial input to the programme too. 

The post holder will also demonstrate ability to establish strong and productive links with industry partners in the UAE which will benefit students on the programme and establish the presence of Digital Media and Communications more broadly on the University’s Dubai campus. The programme will be sector leading in the UAE, and we seek the right individual to realise that vision.

Academic Development Programme - new Assistant Professors will undertake a 5-year development programme, at the end of which they are expected to be promoted to Associate Professor. The programme consists of a variety of development opportunities and the time to reflect and develop.

You will receive a competitive package and play a key role in our ambitious University’s expansion as we enhance our international reputation and global footprint.

Main Duties

Education

You will contribute across the range of teaching and learning activities: 

• contribute to leading curriculum development and/or renewal; 
• develop and manage approaches to teaching and learning that are best practice in the subject area or institution; 
• advise others on aspects of learning, teaching and assessment; 
• deliver (where appropriate to the discipline) specific professional programmes; 
• advance the practice of teaching in their modules and within the school, and play an important role in student academic support; 
• inform your teaching practice by discipline based research; 
• frequently update your subject expertise, and undertake personal professional development in teaching, including self-reflection on own teaching, using student and peer review feedback, to enhance own teaching and learning processes;
• you may play an important role in the recruitment and admission of students; and co-supervise doctoral students to completion.

Using a variety of methods in teaching and advising individuals and groups of students:

• teaching and examining courses at a range of levels;
• planning and reviewing your own teaching approaches and encouraging others to do the same;
• designing contemporary, inclusive, engaging and academically challenging curriculum content;
• working collaboratively with colleagues to design and deliver teaching, learning and assessment;
• using digital resources/environments effectively to support learning and assessment;
• developing programme proposals and making substantial contributions to the design of teaching programmes more widely;
• where appropriate, undertaking and developing the full range of responsibilities in relation to supervision, marking and examining;
• developing and advising others on learning and teaching tasks and methods;
• developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement activities or similar on own specialism that enhances the student experience or employability and which benefits the College and University;
• devising and supervising projects, student dissertations and practical work. 

Management/Administration

To contribute to Departmental /School administration. This may include:

• contributing to the administration/management of teaching across the Department/School; 
• where appropriate, leading and managing a team to devise and implement a new and/or revised process (e.g. new programme or a recruitment drive);
• advising on personal development of colleagues and students;
• making a contribution to administrative activities within the University (e.g. appeals panels, working groups);
• managing enterprise, business development, and public engagement activities;
• developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, public engagement, widening participation, schools outreach;
• promoting equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.

Citizenship

Contributing to an inclusive working environment:

• pursuing your activities in a way that helps others to pursue their activities effectively and efficiently;
• demonstrating a willingness to be involved in a variety of activities supporting University life (e.g., participation in graduation, Departmental/School committees);
• demonstrating support for colleagues, such as sharing resources, providing advice; 
• willingness to volunteer for one-off duties (such as supporting School, Institute, and Departmental projects);
• positively engaging in School strategic initiatives;
• proactive support and involvement in activities specifically contributing to a positive and inclusive community spirit across the School/College/University.

Person Specification

• A higher degree relevant to the discipline (usually PhD);
• Extensive teaching and scholarship experience at HE level within subject specialism;
• Proven ability to devise, advise on and manage learning;
• Skills in managing, motivating and mentoring others successfully at all levels;
• Ability to play an active role in the development of new modules and programmes. 

Teaching

• Ability to design, deliver, assess and revise teaching programmes. 
• Extensive experience and demonstrated success in developing appropriate approaches to learning and teaching and advising colleagues. 
• Experience and achievement in knowledge transfer, enterprise and similar activity that enhances the student experience or employability.

Management Administration

• Ability to lead the development of the DMC programme on the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus.
• Ability to assess and organise resources effectively.
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes.
• Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied. 
• Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.
• Ability to engage with industry partners in the UAE.
• Whilst based in Dubai, the post holder will be expected to undertake travel, including travel to the University’s Edgbaston campus to participate in scholarly activities with colleagues.

For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Nikolay Mehandjiev, Vice Provost at University of Birmingham Dubai, email: n.d.mehandjiev@bham.ac.uk or Dr Joe Spencer-Bennett, Head of Department in Linguistics and Communication, email: j.a.bennett.1@bham.ac.uk.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.