Head, Division of Language Education

Job Posting Details

Formally established in June 2022, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST(GZ)) is a cooperatively-run higher education institution between the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. HKUST(GZ) has obtained approval from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and become the first legally-independent educational institution co-established by the Mainland and Hong Kong since the announcement and implementation of the “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” and the “Overall Plan for Deepening Globally Oriented Comprehensive Co-operation amongst Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in Nansha of Guangzhou”.

HKUST(GZ) is located at No.1 Duxue Road, Qingsheng Hub Cluster, Nansha District, Guangzhou. The campus covers an area of about 1,669 mu (111.3 hectares) and is divided into two construction phases. The first phase covers an area of about 716 mu (47.7 hectares) with a floorage of about 636,000 square meters (63.6 hectares), which has been officially put into use in September 2022.

The intended areas of focus in the GZ Campus will be thematic and cross-disciplinary in nature, synergistic with HKUST without overlapping academic degrees or structures. HKUST(GZ) comprises four Hubs, namely Function Hub, Information Hub, Systems Hub, Society Hub and offers 15 postgraduate degrees. At steady state, the number of undergraduate and postgraduate students will reach a total of 10,000.

College of Education Sciences (CES), under Vice-President for Teaching and Learning, is the academic unit responsible for first- and second-year undergraduate education, offering humanities, social sciences, language and STEM courses. CES will conduct research in the fields of cognitive sciences and innovative pedagogy. CES also serves as the home unit for UG students before their program major determined, providing students with academic-related services. The College is composed of five divisions:

• Division of General Education (DGE)
• Division of STEM Education (STEM)
• Division of Cognitive Sciences (DCS)
• Division of Language Education (DLE)
• Division of UG Teaching Labs (UGTL)

Division of Language Education (DLE) is the academic unit implementing the language policy of the University to build a multi-lingual and multi-cultural community of learning and practice among faculty, staff and students – both undergraduate and postgraduate. To achieve this, it offers language-related credit and non-credit bearing courses, events and activities.

DLE is inviting applications or nominations for a Head to lead the Division. We welcome exceptional candidates who are enthusiastic about language education in the context of an English medium of instruction (EMI) science and technology-focused institution in Chinese mainland.

Qualification of Candidates

The Head of Division of Language Education will receive support from the University to ensure the success of students in the English medium of instruction (EMI) environment, the development of communication skills in Chinese for mainland students, access to Chinese language training for international staff and students, and the provision of other languages as necessary in the future.

Reporting to the Dean of CES, the Head of DLE should be a visionary, energetic, and open-minded language education practitioner or academic who can provide leadership and manage the Division's diverse functions.

The successful candidate is expected to possess some or all of the following skills and experience:

• Strong academic background in language education or related fields;
• Experience in leading and managing academic divisions or departments;
• Excellent interpersonal skills to manage the team, build consensus, and act as advocate to relevant stakeholders;
• Knowledge and understanding of the language policy and goals of the University;
• A deep understanding of the interdisciplinary academic organization and pedagogical features of HKUST(GZ);
• Familiarity with the context of English medium of instruction (EMI) science and technology-focused institutions in Chinese mainland;
• Ability to develop and implement language-related credit and non-credit bearing courses, events, and activities;
• Experience in conducting research in the fields of language education or related areas;
• The ability to develop and lead innovative teaching practices in the context of interdisciplinary integration;
• The ability to lead a team of faculty to conduct pedagogical research in language teaching and learning;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds;
• Familiarity with the characteristics of language learning and learning development of Chinese university students;
• Commitment to promoting a multi-lingual and multi-cultural community of learning and practice among faculty, staff, and students.

Remuneration and Conditions of Service

Salary is highly competitive of international standard and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Fringe benefits include annual leave, medical insurance and housing will be provided where applicable. The initial appointment will be made on a fixed term contract of up to three years, and re-appointment thereafter will be subject to performance and mutual agreement.

Application Procedure

Applications should be submitted via the HKUST(GZ) Faculty Recruitment System (https://facrecruit.hkust-gz.edu.cn). You should first sign up to create your personal account. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. We thank applicants for their interest. Please be advised that only shortlisted candidates will be notified of the result of their application.

For questions regarding the recruitment system or general inquiries, please reach us at [email protected]. For College/Division specific questions, please address to [email protected] with subject title of “Application to Head of DLE”.