Academic Director – Tanzania, Summer

 

The Academic Director is responsible for:

• the planning, delivery, and supervision of the academic program offered by SIT Study Abroad at its assigned program location;
• ensuring program academic excellence and facilitating student learning experience in a safe environment;
• managing the program site and supervision of local staff, budget planning and oversight, and financial reporting;
• representing SIT Study Abroad in the program location and developing and maintaining positive relationships with local partners.

The Academic Director must remain current in their areas of expertise and familiar with in-country issues and practices in higher education. When required by local law, the Academic Director will have a local employment contract. The position is full time for the entire contract period.

Key Responsibilities

1. Academic Management

• General management, implementation, and delivery of the study abroad program;
• Curriculum development and academic oversight;
• Advising in matters regarding academic program delivery and scheduling;
• Organizing and delivering the students’ initial cross-cultural orientation and components of the thematic and research methods courses, in their areas of expertise, as appropriate;
• Where appropriate and in consultation with the supervising Dean, teach one or more of the academic components;
• Designing and coordinating a fully integrated educational experience to facilitate student learning through classroom sessions, language instruction, field-based activities, and homestays. Facilitating the linkages between and among each of these various components;
• Where applicable, working with the language coordinator and language instructors to ensure highest quality, field-based language instruction;
• Generally guiding and advising students in both their cross-cultural learning processes and academic experiences – thus serving as an educator/teacher in the broadest sense by assisting students to draw substantive connections from among different aspects of the experience;
• Conducting the program review and academic evaluation at the end of the program and, in programs with an independent study project or internship experience, submitting a narrative evaluation of the student’s work / experience.

2. Program Management

• Managing program administration and operations in compliance with local laws and regulations;
• Negotiating cost-effective program services and managing the program budget;
• Making recruitment and termination decisions for local program staff in collaboration with the Provost & Dean of Faculty and World Learning Vermont Human Resources office;
• Supervising local program staff, including mentoring, training, and regular performance evaluations;
• Maintaining regular communication with the headquarters of SIT Study Abroad in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA and submitting detailed, timely reports, as required;
• Facilitating a constructive relationship between SIT students and host country nationals and program partners;
• Negotiating and maintaining updated agreements with local partner organizations;
• Participating, when requested, in the writing and editing of program materials, advertising materials, catalog copy, country information.

3. Student Health and Safety

• Providing student support for medical, personal and security issues in collaboration with Student Affairs division, the supervising Dean, and local staff.
• Maintaining up-to-date program contingency plans, based on current and reliable information concerning health and safety risks of the local environment.
• Communicating emergency procedures and protocols to student participants, program staff, home stay families.
• Providing culturally appropriate strategies and advice to maximize safety and well-being.

4. Other duties as assigned.

The nature of the AD position is such that ADs may be called upon during irregular hours to deal with emergencies.

Requirements

• Terminal degree (PhD) in environmental sciences, biology, wildlife conservation, sustainability, or related disciplines.
• Academic and practical knowledge of mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
• Advanced proficiency in English and Kiswahili..
• College teaching and experience with U.S. undergraduates.
• Academic Directors must be attuned to the educational philosophy and expectations of SIT and possess both commitment to academic excellence and the personal leadership qualities required by the program. Among the latter are cultural sensitivity and adaptability; intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for challenge; tact and diplomacy in working with host nationals and American students; organizational ability; budget management skills; and computer literacy.
• Effective communication skills.
• Proven ability to be flexible, collaborative and patient plus a sense of humor.
• Proven ability to create an inclusive learning space for students and staff.
• Excellent intercultural skills to communicate effectively with students, host communities, and program partners.

Vaccination is required for all employees in our U.S. offices except for those receiving medical or religious exemptions. If boosters are subsequently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) then employees and faculty will be required to receive the booster within thirty (30) days of their eligibility.

To apply:  

Click on Apply above to submit your application by uploading your letter of interest, as well as a CV (including the contact information of three academic references as an additional attachment).

The World Learning Inc. Family

For more than 90 years, World Learning Inc. is a thriving global organization made up of The Experiment in International Living, the nation’s most experienced provider of international education through exchanges for high school students; School for International Training, offering accredited undergraduate study abroad programs through SIT Study Abroad and internationally focused master’s degrees through SIT Graduate Institute; and World Learning, a global development and exchange nonprofit organization.

World Learning  |  worldlearning.org

World Learning has worked to create a more sustainable, peaceful, and just world. World Learning’s education, development, and exchange programs help people find their voices, connect with their communities, strengthen the institutions that form the backbone of a democratic society, and build relationships across cultures. With World Learning’s support, these emerging leaders tackle critical global issues like poverty, conflict, and inequality.

The Experiment in International Living  |  experiment.org

The Experiment in International Living is the nation’s most experienced provider of international education through exchanges for high school students. For more than 90 years, The Experiment has empowered young people to step off the beaten path, experience the world as a classroom, immerse themselves fully in another culture, and build the knowledge and skills needed to confront critical global issues.

SIT  |  sit.edu

School for International Training (SIT) was founded in the early 1960s as a training center for the first Peace Corps volunteers. For nearly 60 years, SIT has prepared students to be effective changemakers and global citizens through experiential education focused on the world’s most critical global issues. SIT Study Abroad offers accredited summer and semester undergraduate programs in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs on multiple continents. SIT Graduate Institute offers global and hybrid certificates, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

An organizational commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.

We are a globally diverse community of staff, faculty, board members, alumni, students, and participants who believe that inclusive and equitable practices are at the heart of a peaceful and just world. Each of us strives to honor diverse voices and lived experiences, examine our own biases and privileges, actively work to address inequities in our structures, and foster a community of open dialogue. We are committed to acting with accountability, transparency, reciprocity, authenticity, and empathy.

World Learning is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action/veterans/ADA employer, committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce.