THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

The University of Hong Kong is at the international forefront of higher learning and research, with more than 100 teaching departments and sub-divisions of studies, and more than 60 research institutes and centres.  It has over 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from 48 countries.  English is the medium of instruction.  The University is committed to international standards for excellence in scholarship and research.

Post-doctoral Fellow in Language in Higher Education
in the Faculty of Education
(Ref.: RF-2006/2007-141)

Applications are invited for appointment as Post-doctoral Fellow (PDF) in Language in Higher Education in the Faculty of Education, tenable on or before July 31, 2007.  The appointment will be made for a period of 2 years, with the possibility of renewal.

Languages, Media and Communication has been designated one of the University's constituent themes for strategic research.  To align with the University's strategic direction, the Faculty, in conjunction with the Faculty of Arts and the English Centre, has established a large-scale interdisciplinary research project of the language attitudes, policies and practices of the university as a whole, which aims to use questionnaires, interviews and case studies to develop a rich and contextualized picture of some of the issues and challenges of English-medium tertiary education in Hong Kong.  In addition, a team of university researchers and research post-graduate students are actively engaged in researching specific aspects of language and learning at the University of Hong Kong, including the language and literacy demands of specific disciplines and years of study; the language policies, programs and practices of the specific Faculties; the language proficiency, motivation and mother tongue and second (or third) language learning behaviors of specific cohorts of students; the formal and informal language and learning environment of the university community, and the language attitudes and practices of the multilingual and multicultural staff and student body, including its English-speaking international students, its Putonghua-speaking students from the mainland and its local Cantonese-speaking students learning in and through English as an additional language.

The successful applicant should be a recent PhD graduate with the potential for rapid advancement.  They would be expected to develop their own research proposal in a specific area of language in higher education policy, programming or practice, plus make a substantial contribution to the existing interdisciplinary research project.  They will work closely with existing researchers in the area, and be involved in research design, data collection, analysis, and publication as well as grant applications. In addition, they will help to co-ordinate and liaise with local and international collaborators.

A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered.  Annual leave and medical/dental benefits will be provided.

Applicants should submit a completed application form, together with a curriculum vitae, providing details of research experience, publications, and research proposals, etc.  Further particulars and application forms (272/302 amended) can be obtained at https://extranet.hku.hk/apptunit/; by fax (2540 6735 or 2559 2058); e-mail (apptunit@hkucc.hku.hk); directly from the Appointments Unit, Room 1001, Knowles Building; or by writing to the Appointments Unit (Senior), Human Resource Section, Registry, The University of Hong Kong, enclosing a $1.40 stamped self-addressed envelope.  Interested applicants are recommended to contact Dr. Chris Davison (email:

cdavison@hku.hk) in the first instance and prior to making an application to obtain further information.  Closes November 30, 2006. Candidates who are not contacted within 3 months of the closing date may consider their applications unsuccessful.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and
is committed to a No-Smoking Policy