Call for Applications
Academic Full-Time Post in Arabic
Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures - Faculty of Arts
Applications are invited for a Resident Academic full-time post in Arabic in the Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures within the Faculty of Arts of the University of Malta.
The appointment will be on initial definite four-year contract of employment. Following the successful completion of the one-year probationary period, the Resident Academic will commence a two-year Tenure Track process. At the conclusion of this two-year period of service, the Resident Academic will be subject to a Tenure Review.
The appointee will be required to contribute to the teaching, research, administration, outreach, and other activities of the Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures within the Faculty of Arts, and as may be required by the University.
Candidates must be in possession of a PhD in Arabic or equivalent research-based doctorate from a reputable university and have a demonstrable commitment to research with a firmly established or highly promising publications profile. Knowledge of Maltese and/or other Semitic languages will be considered an asset. The appointee will be required to teach Arabic as a foreign language and will be expected to concentrate on the teaching of Modern Standard and dialectal Arabic, Arabic literature, as well as select topics of Arab and Islamic culture. The appointee will also be expected to supervise research students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and to participate actively in the academic life of the Department and carry out administrative duties as required.
The Resident Academic Stream is composed of four grades, namely Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer and Lecturer. Entry into the grade of Lecturer or above shall only be open to persons in possession of a Ph.D. or an equivalent research-based doctorate within strict guidelines established by the University.
The annual salary for 2023 attached to the respective grades in the Resident Academic Stream is as follows:
*Professor €48,151 plus an Academic Supplement of €33,119 and a Professorial Allowance of €2,330
*Associate Professor €44,197 plus Academic Supplement of €25,377 and a Professorial Allowance of €1,423
Senior Lecturer €40,010 plus an Academic Supplement of €18,358
Lecturer €33,341 with an annual increment of €641 to €35,264 and an Academic Supplement of €14,932
*The University will only consider appointing an applicant at the grade of Professor or Associate Professor, when the applicant already holds an equivalent appointment at a University or Research Institute of repute.
The University of Malta will provide academic staff with financial resources through the Academic Resources Fund to support continuous professional development and to provide the tools and resources required by an academic to adequately fulfil the teaching and academic research commitments within the University.
The University may also appoint promising candidates as Assistant Lecturers provided that these are committed to obtain a Ph.D. An applicant for the post of Assistant Lecturer must already be registered for a Ph.D. and have shown progress to the satisfaction of the selection board that completion will be within the four-year period.
Assistant Lecturer with Masters €31,097 with an annual increment of €596 to €32,885 and an Academic Supplement of €5,294
Assistant Lecturer €28,922 with an annual increment of €531 to €30,515 and an Academic Supplement of €5,037.
Candidates are required to upload their curriculum vitae, certificates (certificates should be submitted preferably in English) and names and emails of three referees through this form: https://www.um.edu.mt/hrmd/workatum-general
Applications should be received by Monday, 30 October 2023
Late applications will not be considered.
Further Information
General Working Obligations:
The conditions of work for a Resident Academic of the University of Malta, are set out in the ‘Collective Agreement for Academic Staff of the University of Malta’
Full-time Resident Academic staff are required to give a commitment based on a 40-hour per week with flexible times throughout the year, that is not only during semester time, depending on agreed timetables and distributed reasonably between teaching, academic research and academic administration.
Full-time Resident Academic staff are normally expected to be available for four and a half days per week to deliver their academic duties, meet with students and to participate actively in the academic life of the Department, Institute, Centre or School.
The official lecturing times of the University will be between 08:00 and 20:00 hours. The University may specify that the lecturing load will be conducted predominantly in any specific periods of the day between 08:00 and 20:00 hours.
In accordance with their conditions of employment and in order to meet the requirements of their role, Resident Academic staff are required to work on campus throughout the academic year, except for periods of authorised absence. Consequently, Resident Academic staff are required to reside no more than forty (40) kms from Campus.
The appointment will be subject to a probationary period of one year and to the provisions of the Statutes, Regulations and Bye-Laws of the University of Malta which are now or which may hereafter be in force.
The Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures
The Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures, formerly known as the Department of Oriental Studies and before then as the Department of Arabic and Near Eastern Studies, was established in 1999. It is responsible for all undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and diplomas in Arabic, Hebrew, Near Eastern Studies, and Chinese. The department promotes an interdisciplinary approach, and different members of staff are expert linguists, philologists, literary and cultural critics, historians, and archaeologists. All degree programmes balance these various specialities, and thus they offer students the opportunity to learn the language of their choice from scratch, to become conversant with a number of diverse subjects and disciplines, as well as to acquire critical skills for data analysis and interpretation. The department maintains a highly respectable international profile and scholars of repute often participate in the department’s programmes. Its academic members are involved in various research projects, regularly participate in international conferences, and publish their research in prestigious academic journals and books.
The duties which the appointee may be expected to perform are:
- Teaching, including tutorials and seminars, supervision of practical work and placements, monitoring on projects and other personally undertaken student enterprises;
- Preparing course materials;
- Researching and publishing both individual and collaborative, in priority areas established by the University;
- Continuous assessment of students, setting and marking of examination papers including dissertations within established time-frames;
- Participating in the administration of academic affairs at academic and university levels;
- Contributing to national and regional development particularly in the area of specialization and through cooperation with governmental, intergovernmental, regional and non-governmental institutions and services;
- Any other relevant duties as may be required by the University.
The Selection Procedures
The evaluation of qualifications and experience claimed and supported by testimonials and/or certificates (copies to be included with the application), as well as the materials requested as per above.
Short-listing of candidates.
An invitation to short-listed candidates to a Selection Board interview.
A short presentation on a subject allotted to short-listed candidates.
The Selection Process
The selection process will follow the document “Guidelines for Members of Selection Boards in the Recruitment of Resident Academic Staff”
(https://www.um.edu.mt/hrmd/policiesprocedures).
In accordance with the guidelines, members of the Selection Board will establish the following selection criteria for the selection process:
- Relevant academic qualifications
- Relevant Academic / Work experience
- Aptitude and suitability
- Performance in interview
The University of Malta is an Equal Opportunity employer.
Office of the University
Msida, 3 October 2023
082_ Arabic _2023
