Shanghai Open University is pleased to announce that applications for its 2018 Specially Invited International Visiting Scholar Program (1-3 months for each term) are now being accepted.
Shanghai Open University (SOU) as approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education is a higher education institute which is providing distance open education to adults with the support of modern information and communication technologies. We have provided degree education for more than 350,000 graduates since our establishment in 1960 along with numerous training certificate programs in collaboration with Shanghai’s public and private sectors as a key contribution towards Shanghai’s goal of developing as a Learning Society.
Program Objectives:
In order to promote global cooperation between universities, other institutions and interested scholars through academic exchange, and to enhance the quality of teaching and research in the field of open and distance learning, SOU has successfully conducted the two-week International Visiting Scholar Program since 2013, with participation by the member universities and institutes of the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE), and the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), as well as other universities and institutes that currently provide or are developing open and distance education all over the world. Based on the two-week International Visiting Scholar Program, in order to promote curriculum development, teaching reform, academic research and international collaboration, SOU would like to invite excellent scholars to visit for one to three months.
Program Domains
Collaborative Research
Program & Course Development
International Projects
Quality Assurance Systems
Teacher Training
Other
Notes：
Topics for collaborative research may include but are not restricted to:
Quality assurance of open and distance learning (ODL)
Teachers professional development for open and distance learning
Research on open learning analytics
Research on blended learning
Examples of appropriate enquiries would be:
The effect of taking benchmarks from quality assurance standards from other territories and using them to assess the quality of ODL provision in China.
Comparing professional development (PD) requirements from different territories in order to develop a PD approach appropriate to ODL teachers in China.
Different ways of thinking about and using student study time as a core element in the design of courses.
Exploring the different impacts individual elements of your course have on student learning and how you measure learning gain.
Program development areas include but are not restricted to: Pre-school education, Nursing for The Elderly, Public Safety & Emergency Management, Art & Design, International Chinese Education & Chinese Culture Communication.
The scholar should be highly capable of participating in one or more of the above domains of work and will take on a key role.
Requirements for Candidates
The candidates for the program
Must hold a foreign passport, have related experience and outstanding achievements in teaching, and/or research, and/or administration in a foreign university or higher education institution.
Must possess a post-graduate degree and have held the position as an instructor or above in home institutions.
Must have fluent written and oral English ability (the working language for all official activities is English).
Besides the above requirements, applicants who have administrative management experience, or who have been engaged with the collaborative research with SOU, will be given priority in consideration.
Financial Information
SOU will provide the following for the fellowship:
Free accommodation with bathroom and kitchen. (A rental contract may be required according to university policy. SOU will pay the rent; other daily expenses are the fellow’s responsibility.)
Living expenses & transportation allowance within Shanghai, which is 500RMB per day (before tax) during the visit, and the allowance will be given monthly (30 days each month).
Workspace with wifi, telephone and internet access.
For those scholars who are visiting for longer than 3 months (covering two terms), SOU will pay a round-trip air ticket if needed.
Program Size
SOU is offering 2 or 3 fellowships for the 2018 Specially Invited International Visiting Scholar Program. Divided into two sessions for each year, 1 or 2 international scholars will be invited in each session, and the length of each visit will be 1-3 months based on negotiation.
Important Dates
Required Materials for Application (Written in English)
Curriculum Vitae (candidates should have advanced English skills, hold a masters-level degree or above, and hold the academic title of associate professor or above, or their equivalents)
A visiting proposal for the fellowship program: this should include details of the objectives and plan for the visit, as well as contributions to SOU during the visit.
A professional letter of recommendation from the president/chancellor of the home institution.is English).
A copy of the passport and a recent photo of the applicant.
Required Health Insurance
All fellows are required to show proof of health insurance for the entire length of their stay that meets specified minimum levels of coverage (Please send us the copy via email or by person at arrival). Fellows who bring health insurance from their home country must bring a copy of the complete policy in English. If these conditions are not met, they must purchase insurance in China.
Fellows’ Activities and Responsibilities
Submitting a detailed work plan at the beginning of the program, and strictly following the plan of work. If any assistance or adjustments are needed, please inform the relevant staff in the Institute of International Exchange in advance.
Making a monthly report about the work and progress to the Insitute of International Exchange during the visit, and making a detailed plan or adjustment for the next month.
Submitting a final report (according to the required format and length) on the outcome of the visit to SOU within 15 days of the conclusion of the program.
Completing a feedback form on the quality of the Fellowship program.
We very much look forward to hearing from you and would also appreciate your sharing this invitation with others in your professional networks who might be interested in applying. Everyone will be assured of a warm welcome in Shanghai and the SOU!
Contact details:
Ms. Dorothy Tang
Email: tanghf@sou.edu.cn, or 2383467916@qq.com
Telephone: +86 21 2565 3412
Fax: +86 21 25653267
