Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Institution web site: http://www.aus.edu/
Location: Sharjah, UAE
Posted date: January 18, 2013
The American University of Sharjah (AUS), one of the premier institutions of higher education in the Middle East, seeks an accomplished academic leader for its College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).
Reporting to the Provost, the Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer and leads a College of 154 highly qualified faculty members. The largest academic unit within AUS, the College of Arts and Sciences offers the Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature, International Studies, and Mass Communication; and the Bachelor of Science in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, and Mathematics. Graduate degrees include the Master of Arts in Translation and Interpreting (Arabic/English) and in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages as well as the Master of Science in Mathematics. The College of Arts and Sciences provides core liberal arts courses for all AUS baccalaureate students, offers a rapidly developing program in the performing arts, and houses the new and recently launched Middle Eastern Studies Center. The College is poised to develop additional graduate professional and research programs in key areas, a process in which the new Dean will play a central and critical leadership role.
The College seeks an engaged, dynamic and forward-looking individual with a deep and demonstrated commitment to liberal learning to serve as Dean. The successful candidate will possess an earned doctorate and an outstanding record as an accomplished teacher and scholar, with successful experience as an innovative and inspiring academic leader at a complex and diverse institution of higher learning. The Dean will articulate a strong vision for the advantages of liberal learning and excellence in education and will serve as the chief advocate for the College and its aspirations among its supporters, both new and old. The Dean will have the capacity to envision and build new programs across disciplines, to promote relationships and exchanges with partner universities in the region and globally, and to win new friends for the College’s distinctive programs in the humanities and in the natural and social sciences. Cross-cultural competency will be an essential trait in the new Dean, as is an inclusive and transparent interpersonal style that encourages communication and collaboration within the College and across the University.
Founded in 1997 by the Ruler of Sharjah, the American University of Sharjah is a comprehensive, independent, non-profit coeducational university based on American models of higher education. AUS provides broad access to highly motivated students from all countries, while maintaining academic standards appropriate to and consistent with U.S. universities. The University has achieved remarkable growth and academic distinction during its short history. The campus is a spectacular setting of imposing architecture and beautiful landscaping, and is located approximately 30 minutes from Dubai International Airport. Sharjah is known as a city of learning and culture, and the United Arab Emirates is a thriving and rapidly changing country of approximately eight million inhabitants from throughout the world.
The American University of Sharjah offers 21 undergraduate and 13 graduate degree programs through four academic units: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Architecture, Art and Design, and the School of Business and Management. The University enrolls more than 5,500 students and employs 354 full-time faculty members and 500 staff. Classes are taught in English, and although most faculty members are educated in the West, the atmosphere on campus is vibrantly international with over 80 nationalities represented in the student body. A fundamental goal in all programs is the integration of liberal learning with focused professional studies and, from its founding, academic excellence has been a hallmark of the University.
AUS is accredited in the United States by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. All undergraduate engineering programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The School of Business and Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and The College of Architecture, Art and Design is the only architecture school outside North America accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). AUS is also licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the UAE. Further information about the University can be accessed at www.aus.edu.
Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. Recruitment is underway and will continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, applications should be received by March 1, 2013. Ideally, the new Dean will start in Fall 2013. A full leadership statement is available at www.wittkieffer.com. Candidates should provide a curriculum vitae, a letter of application, and the names and contact information of five references (who will not be contacted without prior approval). These materials should be sent, in confidence, electronically via e-mail to the University’s consultants Jane E. Courson and Elizabeth K. Bohan at: AUSharjahCAS@wittkieffer.com. Materials that cannot be emailed may be sent to the consultants at: Witt/Kieffer, 25 Burlington Mall Road, Suite 605, Burlington, MA 01803. They can be reached by phone at (617) 834-8246.
The American University of Sharjah is an equal opportunity employer. We adhere to a policy of making employment decisions without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status. We assure you that your opportunity for employment with us depends solely upon your qualifications.
