Assistant Professor of International Studies

Job Title:                     Assistant Professor of International Studies

College:                       College of Arts and Sciences

Institution:                 The American University of Kurdistan

Location:                    Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Job Type:                    Full-Time

Posting Date:             21/02/2023

Closing Date:              Open until filled

Salary:                        Competitive and Commensurate with experience

 

 

 

Our Mission:

Founded in 2014 as a non-profit institution of higher learning by Masrour Barzani, the American University of Kurdistan is dedicated to preparing future generations of leaders through curricular and co-curricular excellence in an American-style education focusing on transformative knowledge, innovative research, ethical community service, respect for inclusion and diversity, global connectedness, and life-long learning, all aiming to ensure economic, environmental, social and political advancement- regionally, nationally and globally.

 

Our Vision:

The American University of Kurdistan will be recognized as a premier institution in the Middle East and beyond by cultivating academic excellence, fostering creativity, and engaging in highest caliber of applied research.

 

About the Department of International Studies

The Department of International Studies (IS) includes three tracks/specializations in International Relations, Strategic Security Studies and Public Policy. We are now making a series of strategic appointments to enhance further the Department’s work across research/policy/practice and our learning & teaching in all three tracks. We are seeking applicants with strong research track potential, as well as experience of innovative learning, teaching and assessment methods, who care about the student experience, and who can contribute to the development of modern curricula for diverse student groups.

 

Position Summary:

The American University of Kurdistan (AUK) is a not-for-profit special status institution committed to advancing academic excellence, expanding liberal arts, professional, and scientific knowledge and preparing the next generation of leaders for the community. AUK envisions becoming the leading academic institution in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and beyond through implementing pedagogical approaches that impact critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and the lifelong learning skills required for success in contemporary society and workplaces.

 

AUK invites applicants for a full-time faculty position at the Department of International Studies within the College of Arts & Science. We are cognizant that the subject of International Studies can be approached from a range of geographical, theoretical, and methodological perspectives, and are open to candidates all related fields who employ qualitative, quantitative, or critical methods in their research.  Although we are keen to accept excellent accept excellent applications from all three majors of International Studies, Security Studies and Public Policy the preference is given to candidates in Public Policy and Security Studies who can related their knowledge, experience and research to the Kurdistan and the Middle Eastern contexts. The candidate must have the experience of teaching minimum three of the following courses: Introduction to Public Policy & Administration; Comparative Public Policy; Policy Design and Evaluation; Critical Security Studies; International Political Economy; Public Budgeting and Finance; and Energy Security Politics.

The post requires academic experience and the potential to achieve an established national and/or international reputation or its equivalent in terms of reach, significance, and impact. Your contribution will help the university to deliver excellence in research, teaching, learning, and the wider student experience, and contribute to its mission of “path to excellence.” The department welcomes candidates who can develop links with scholars, research institutes and universities overseas.

This position reports directly to the Chair of the Department of International Studies.

 

Key Responsibilities:

The successful applicant will join a vibrant team and help shape the development of our educational and professional course provision in this exciting area. The following are the main responsibilities:

 

• Teaching undergraduate courses in International Relations, Security Studies and Public Policy.
• Facilitate student learning, provide effective instruction, and perform evaluations of student learning for all assigned classes, using each course’s standard course outline as a guide.
• Create, post, and articulate course syllabus, course learning outcomes or objectives in order to ensure student understanding of course learning objectives and expectations.
• Create course curriculum, course handouts, lectures, workshops, presentations, and other course materials required to deliver course content in an understandable and interesting manner to ensure students are engaged with the course material in order to achieve the course learning outcomes.
• Participate in program level learning assessment. Participation includes helping articulate learning outcomes, choosing and administering measures, evaluating student performance, and suggesting changes to improve student learning.
• Schedule, supervise, debrief, and evaluate students in internship, observation, field experience, and similar settings as appropriate for the course or program.
• Responsible for delivering in a student receptive manner the knowledge, skills, and experiences each student needs to successfully achieve course learning outcomes as outlined in the course syllabus.
• Create course rubrics in order to assess each student’s performance related to the course’s learning objective and to identify areas for student improvement.
• Be available to students via email, phone, or personal conferences. The method of contact and hours of availability should be clearly communicated to supervisors and to students through the course syllabus each semester.
• Serve on standing and ad hoc committees, advisory boards, hiring committees, faculty senate, or as a student organization advisor.
• Take on caretaker administrative duties if required by the Provost and mentor and/or assist in orienting new faculty either formally or informally.
• Attend local, regional, state, or national meetings where required or necessary for the discipline as well as departmental, divisional, and college-wide meetings.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with the community, professionals, foundations and companies that support institutional growth.
• Perform other appropriate and reasonable required duties as assigned by the supervisor.

 

The post holder is expected to collaborate with the faculty members and the Centre for Peace and Human Security (CPHS) on a number of interdisciplinary research projects. They should expand their own research activities and be capable of linking with existing research areas and research teams in the IS department and the Center for Peace & Human Security (CPHS). They are also expected to sustain and develop their own portfolio of funded projects.

 

Qualifications and Experience:

• A PhD Degree in Public Policy, Security Studies, International Relations, or related fields from a reputable accredited university (essential).
• Relevant experience in academic, practitioner and/or consultant duties (essential).
• Experience or potential ability to teach relevant courses (essential).
• Strong record or potential for research and publication in scholarly journals within the discipline (essential).
• Experience or ability to write grant proposals (desired).
• Outstanding knowledge of English and strong communication skills required to transfer the knowledge to the student body (essential).

• Knowledge of working environment in Kurdistan or the Middle East (desired).

 

 

It is the policy of the American University of Kurdistan to provide an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, and any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. The University promotes diversity and inclusion in the workplace and makes recruiting decisions exclusively on the basis of qualifications, merit, and current work needs. This policy applies to all hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, remuneration, benefits, and training procedures within our Institution.