Britain's former Prime Minister, David Cameron is reuniting with his public life after a long by securing a new teaching position at a university in Abu Dhabi.
As per reports, he will be lecturing students on “practicing politics and government in the age of disruption”. It is a three-week program starting in January and will be conducted at New York University, Abu Dhabi. The course involves topics such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the Europe migration crisis. However, if Brexit will be discussed and covered in the sessions is not clear yet.
New York University Abu Dhabi is known to offer limited-time premium courses in many places around the world.
The Ex-Conservative Party Leader To Teach In Abu Dhabi
Cameron, 56 was the Prime Minister of the UK from 2010-2016. Overseeing the Brexit referendum where he unsuccessfully campaigned for Britain to stay in the European Union, eventually backfired and the final result came out to be a 52% to 48% defeat.
The results not only triggered his dramatic resignation but also upended British politics and led to a political and economic upheaval that the country is still coming to terms with. Ever since he left the job, he has been involved in numerous initiatives including signing up for the UK-China investment fund and also working for Greenshill Capital, a supply chain finance firm that collapsed in 2021.
He kept a low profile since then after which was widely criticized as he tried to gain group access toprivately a Bank of England loan scheme and contacted government officials privately. This ended up being the biggest lobbying scandal in Britain.
After all the trial and error with jobs, he is finally back with a teaching position. A friend of Cameron said that his teaching position was a logical extension of the talks that he had given all these years ever since he quit politics. However, it is still unclear how much the former prime minister is expected to make from his recent teaching position.
Academic Freedom In The UAE
The United Arab Emirates is an authoritarian state and academic freedom here is strongly suppressed. It has strongly cracked down on open expression since the democratic uprisings of 2011. It was during this time that Islamists challenged leadership in the UAE. Moreover, in 2012, a cybercrime law has been used to threaten and prosecute government critics by essentially outlawing freedom of expression.
The university where David Cameron will be teaching is known to be built with abused and captive labor. Thus, some academicians have questioned if the New York University campus in Abu Dhabi will follow the same level of academic freedom as practiced in the home country.
Cases like censoring course books, barring the entry of NYU staff within the country, and the sensitive nature of religious confession and research have triggered the issue and garnered direct criticism. Academicians say that the university needs to balance the issue of academic freedom against the potential lucrative salaries that the UAE offers. But others say that they are managing to conduct research and classes with absolutely zero interference from the authorities.
Reasons To Teach In The UAE
If you are thinking about why UAE is a great teaching destination, here are a few things to consider.
1. Tax-Free Salaries
The average salary of a teacher in the UAE is around AED 10,000 to AED 12,000/month and it's tax-free which means more savings for you. Moreover, UAE schools are rapidly hiring qualified teachers with the best packages to fill the teacher shortages.
2. Free Accommodation And Medical Insurance
If you have landed a gig as a teacher in the UAE, you will never have to worry about health expenses or rent. This is because most of the schools cover them for you. Some schools also offer round trip fares for a visit home annually and also propose to claim the educational expenses of your children.
3. Accelerated Career Growth
Teachers in the UAE have access to professional development workshops and teacher networks that cover pedagogical skills and subject matter material. With the abundance of funds, the country is always seeking to accomplish training for highly qualified teachers for both pre-service and in-service positions.
4. Job Security
Apart from a fantastic holiday calendar and numerous benefits, UAE schools usually offer teaching positions with a two to three years contract for expat teachers. This is to ensure that they feel secure about the position. Most schools also offer contract extensions for another 2-3 years depending on performance and skills.
The Bottom Line
The UAE remains to be one of the most attractive teaching destinations for qualified teachers, all thanks to the rising disposable income, government initiatives, favorable demographics, and parents willing to spend on education. Thus, if you are willing to teach in UAE, consider pursuing teacher training courses in the UAE to gain an opportunity to learn explore and grow.
