Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Role Overview

Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Kalba. This is a senior leadership position based at the University of Kalba.

Role Purpose

The Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative leader of the College, providing visionary, strategic, and ethical leadership across teaching, research, accreditation, and community engagement. The Dean will guide the College in shaping innovative curricula, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, advancing impactful research and creative scholarship, and ensuring continuous accreditation compliance at both national and international levels. As a member of the University's senior leadership team, the Dean contributes to institutional strategy, governance, and growth, ensuring that the arts, humanities, and social sciences remain vital to the University's mission and to societal well-being.

Key Responsibilities

Academic Leadership and Governance

• Provide visionary and strategic leadership to advance the College's mission in teaching, research, and community engagement.
• Serve as the chief academic and administrative officer of the College, ensuring effective governance, transparency, and accountability.
• Lead curriculum development, program innovation, and periodic academic reviews in line with emerging trends and institutional goals.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across arts, humanities, and social sciences disciplines, as well as with STEM, business, and law, to generate innovative teaching and research addressing societal and global challenges.

Accreditation and Quality Assurance

• Ensure compliance with national accreditation standards such as UAE CAA.
• Lead the preparation, submission, and successful completion of accreditation reviews and reports.
• Benchmark programs against leading international accreditation and quality frameworks including QAA, WASC, and ESG, ensuring global competitiveness and alignment with evolving standards in arts, humanities, and social sciences education.
• Oversee continuous improvement processes, including learning outcomes assessment and curriculum mapping.

Faculty and Staff Development

• Recruit, mentor, and retain highly qualified faculty and staff.
• Promote professional development, scholarly excellence, and pedagogical innovation.
• Build an inclusive, collegial, and collaborative academic culture that values diversity, equity, and integrity.

Research and Scholarly Excellence

• Promote a culture of research, creative scholarship, and innovation across all disciplines.
• Secure external funding to support research initiatives and institutional development.
• Establish and strengthen research clusters, centers, and partnerships addressing local, regional, and global challenges.

Student Experience and Success

• Strengthen student employability and professional readiness by building pathways into creative industries, cultural institutions, NGOs, education, and public service sectors.
• Enhance student support services, employability programs, and co-curricular activities.
• Foster a culture of inclusion, academic freedom, and intellectual curiosity.

Resource Stewardship and Institutional Development

• Develop and manage the College's budget, resources, and infrastructure sustainably.
• Ensure transparent and effective allocation of financial and human resources.
• Promote long-term planning to ensure academic and institutional resilience.

Community and Global Engagement

• Build partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, cultural institutions, and the private sector to enhance societal impact.
• Advance the College's leadership in cultural preservation, heritage, sociological inquiry, and creative scholarship, thereby strengthening the UAE's cultural diplomacy and enhancing the region's role in global dialogues on the humanities and social development.
• Expand international collaborations, exchange programs, and academic networks to elevate the College's global profile.

Ethical and Cultural Stewardship

• Uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, ethical scholarship, and cultural responsibility.
• Ensure that arts, humanities, and social sciences meaningfully contribute to societal well-being.
• Inspire and unite faculty, staff, and students toward shared goals grounded in diversity, inclusion, and academic excellence.

Qualifications & Experience

• Doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in a discipline within the arts, humanities, or social sciences.
• Academic credentials and scholarly record suitable for appointment at the rank of Full Professor.
• Distinguished record of teaching, research, and service with evidence of national and international impact.
• Significant senior leadership experience in higher education, including Dean, Associate Dean, Department Chair, or equivalent roles.
• Proven expertise in strategic planning, governance, budget management, and faculty development.

Skills & Competencies

• Demonstrate success in curriculum development, program review, and innovative pedagogy.
• Possess in-depth knowledge of national accreditation standards such as UAE CAA and proven experience leading successful accreditation and quality assurance processes.
• Demonstrate familiarity with international quality frameworks including QAA, WASC, ESG, or equivalent, and benchmarking against global standards.
• Maintain a demonstrated record of building external partnerships, securing research funding, and fostering community and cultural engagement.
• Evidence of advancing student-centered initiatives that enhance learning outcomes, employability, and holistic development.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration and drive innovation across diverse academic programs.
• Exhibit strong leadership, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, with a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and integrity.
• Demonstrate experience in international education, cross-cultural engagement, and global academic collaborations.
• Possess familiarity with the higher education landscape in the UAE, GCC, or MENA region (preferred).
• Position the College as a regional and global leader in the humanities and social sciences, with demonstrated ability to enhance international visibility through strategic cultural partnerships, academic networks, and global rankings.

Additional Information

• The successful candidate must demonstrate a strong record of academic distinction, proven leadership experience, and the ability to inspire faculty, staff, and students toward shared goals that align with the UAE's higher education vision and global best practices.