Assistant Professor in Sustainability Education Dubai - School of Geography Earth and Environme[...]

Position Details

School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences

Discipline: College of Life and Environmental Sciences

University of Birmingham Dubai campus

Salary: Competitive

Grade: 8

No. of positions: 1

Full time

Location: Dubai, UAE

Closing date: 12th May 2025

UK and International travel may be required for this role.

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.

Background

We are recruiting an Assistant Professor in Sustainability (Education) who will join the highly interdisciplinary School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES). The position offers an exciting opportunity to support the launch and teaching of our new BSc Sustainability programme on our Dubai campus.

We are keen to attract candidates whose work engages with contemporary sustainability issues from interdisciplinary perspectives across a range of Sustainable Development Goals. Our BSc Sustainability is the first such programme in the United Arab Emirates, and the post holders will work on the creation of new content, programme development, as well as enabling the launch and running of the new programme. We also wish for post holders to work closely with sustainability practitioners and relevant government officials in the greater MENA region to ensure that our teaching engages with living projects and that in-demand green skills are embedded throughout our modules.

As well as contributing to BSc Sustainability, the post holders may also provide wider support for the teaching delivery and administration of GEES Dubai and Edgbaston based programmes. As part of the broader School, the post holder will also be expected to contribute to our ongoing innovation of teaching and assessment.

Role Summary

You will contribute to a range of education-related activities, primarily in support of our BSc Sustainability programme. In addition, you will be expected to demonstrate academic citizenship, developing and maintaining mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with all staff and students, and ensuring the way you carry out your role impacts positively on how others carry out theirs.

Teaching is likely to 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 with a particular focus on approaches suitable to distance/online learning.

You will be expected to advance teaching and learning practice in your modules within the School and play an important role in student academic and pastoral support, delivering excellent teaching that inspires students and is informed by discipline-based research or professional experience in the field of sustainability.

Management and administration activities will focus on the development and leadership of our BSc Sustainability programme.

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;
• Advise others on aspects of learning, teaching, and assessment;
• Play an important role in student academic support;
• Inform your teaching practice by discipline-based research and/or professional practice in the field of sustainability;
• 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.

Using a variety of methods in teaching and advising individuals and groups of undergraduates and postgraduates (contact and online settings) including (as appropriate):

• Teaching and examining modules at a range of levels with teaching activities also taking place during weekends and evenings;
• 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 (e.g., GIS) / 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;
• Devising and supervising projects, student dissertations, and practical work.

Management/Administration

To contribute to School administration. This may include:

• Contributing to the administration/management of teaching within the 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);
• Making a contribution to administrative activities within the University (e.g., appeals panels, working groups);
• Developing and making substantial contributions to knowledge transfer, enterprise, 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 graduations, School committees);
• Demonstrating support for colleagues such as sharing resources and providing advice;
• Willingness to volunteer for one-off duties (such as supporting School projects);
• Proactively supporting and engaging in activities specifically contributing to a positive and inclusive community spirit across the School/College/University.

Person Specification

• Normally a higher Degree relevant to the discipline area (usually PhD) or equivalent qualifications and/or professional experience in Geography, Environmental Science, or Sustainability. The post holders must be able to create and contribute to/lead on modules including Global Environmental Issues, Climate Justice, Sustainability Theory, Sustainability Assessment Methods, Research Methods, and GIS.
• Teaching experience and scholarship and/or training within subject specialism.
• Proven ability to devise, advise on, and manage learning.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a team environment, collaborate with colleagues, and communicate ideas clearly to others.

Teaching

• Experience of delivering sustainability education.
• Experience and demonstrated success in developing appropriate approaches to learning and teaching and advising colleagues.
• Experience using innovative teaching methods.
• Experience or understanding of teaching diverse student cohorts.

Management/Administration

• Ability to contribute to School management processes.
• 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 identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.

For informal enquiries please contact Mohammad Radfar (Dubai Campus) and John Round (Edgbaston Campus).

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.