Associate Professor and Director of the Middlebury C.V. Starr School in Taiwan

Job content

Primary Purpose –Administers, implements, and develops Middlebury’s study abroad program in Taiwan at National Sun Yat-sen University—(NSYSU). In conjunction with the Dean of International Programs, makes and implements short and long-range programmatic, financial, and staffing plans for the School in Taiwan.Core Responsibilities –Compensation is commensurate with experience .

• Leads efforts to ensure that all parts of the study abroad program and partner university relationship are in place and working effectively by building trust and working collaboratively with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community partners to balance the multiple, varying interests of diverse stakeholders. Develops and manages key relationships in a cooperative, strategic manner.
• Oversees and directs academic program, including administering/developing courses, managing on-site course selection and registration, and maintaining academic records. Works closely with NSYSU faculty to monitor teaching effectives, grading standards, student progress, assessment, and placement.
• Oversees and is ultimately responsible for: student discipline; student advising/counseling (academic, personal, medical, career etc.); facilitating student housing arrangements (apartments, home stays, dorms); designing and implementing on-site student orientations that cover all academic, social, safety, and health issues; student excursions; encouraging individual extra-curricular activities; advising on and keeping itineraries and contact information for independent, overnight, student travel; and all security, safety, health, discrimination, and harassment issues.
• Designs and implements, in cooperation with NSYSU colleagues, co-curricular activities to support academic goals, and is responsible for development and oversight of credit and non-credit internship opportunities.
• Works with marketing staff at Middlebury to recruit students to the program. This may include visits (remote or in person) to other U.S. colleges and universities to meet with faculty and study abroad administrators.
• Depending on the qualifications of the director and the needs of NSYSU and/or the Middlebury School of Chinese, the director may be asked to teach.
• Serves as Middlebury’s primary liaison with academic institutions, ministries of education, U.S. embassies, NGOs, local visa/residence permit issuing agencies and similar bodies, local police and all other institutions/agencies. This includes assuring that the School Abroad is in full compliance with all local legal, banking, insurance and other requirements incumbent on a representative office of a foreign, non-profit institution.
• Manages the business operations of the School in Taiwan, including but not limited to overseeing annual budget and managing expenses, administering and updating agreements with partner universities and organizations, hiring and managing Middlebury-hired on-site staff (when additional staffing is approved).

Requirements

• Ph.D. in a relevant field, with demonstrated teaching excellence.
• In-depth knowledge of U.S. and Taiwanese system of higher education, with a preference for those with experience studying, teaching, and/or administering in both the U.S. and Taiwan
• Teacher-training experience
• Crisis management skills
• Ability to effectively advise and collaborate with all levels of faculty and staff, in both U.S. and Taiwanese settings
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment
• Excellent communication skills in Chinese and English
• Candidates must have work authorization in Taiwan.