Chiang Mai University

[mrdc]

Anyone know what the working environment is like at Chiang Mai University?

thanks !

[chiang mai]

Send a personal message to Tywais, the forum moderator, he works there.

[Oscar2]

Send a personal message to Tywais, the forum moderator, he works there.

wonder if he's O.K. haven't seen him moderating recently. appears off-line for some time. always very fair in dealing with the forum.

[Bill97]

CMU is large, working environment varies a lot between departments/faculties.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

A highly rated school and a good place to work are often entirely different matters. CMU is the top school, outside of BKK, in Thailand. As far as foreign teachers, they seem to operate with a revolving door of part-timers, often placed by the TEFL Program at CMULI. I won't say it is a pay to work scam, but there is a large pool of people, who paid good money for TEFL Certificates. Most who stay on after paying to practice teach with students, get 300 thb per class, and while that's not terrible; add commuting/prep time from even the edge of campus, and ypu are looking at 650 USD per month. Personally, I think you would make more and have a better experience in many other parts of Thailand. CM's popularity clearly is working against those seeking education jobs.

[chiang mai]

A highly rated school and a good place to work are often entirely different matters. CMU is the top school, outside of BKK, in Thailand. As far as foreign teachers, they seem to operate with a revolving door of part-timers, often placed by the TEFL Program at CMULI. I won't say it is a pay to work scam, but there is a large pool of people, who paid good money for TEFL Certificates. Most who stay on after paying to practice teach with students, get 300 thb per class, and while that's not terrible; add commuting/prep time from even the edge of campus, and ypu are looking at 650 USD per month. Personally, I think you would make more and have a better experience in many other parts of Thailand. CM's popularity clearly is working against those seeking education jobs.

I don't know if you understand or not but the subject is Chiang Mai University, not a school and not the language institute. Exactly how the CMULI could have any bearing on the CMU school of medicine for example or on the faculty of science escapes me. If you trying to suggest that both harvest students from CULI as tutors/lecturers, I suggest you know nothing about CMU whatsoever.

[Dante99]

There are a lot of teaching jobs at CMU that pay much better than 300 Baht per class or $650 per month for foreign teachers. The "part time" jobs in the English Department are not all there is for qualified people.

[Johpa]

As at any university, your mileage will vary depending upon department head.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Your mileage may vary, indeed depending on the specific faculty and people you work with, but CMU is the best university in Thailand, all things considered.

[NancyL]

A highly rated school and a good place to work are often entirely different matters. CMU is the top school, outside of BKK, in Thailand. As far as foreign teachers, they seem to operate with a revolving door of part-timers, often placed by the TEFL Program at CMULI. I won't say it is a pay to work scam, but there is a large pool of people, who paid good money for TEFL Certificates. Most who stay on after paying to practice teach with students, get 300 thb per class, and while that's not terrible; add commuting/prep time from even the edge of campus, and ypu are looking at 650 USD per month. Personally, I think you would make more and have a better experience in many other parts of Thailand. CM's popularity clearly is working against those seeking education jobs.

I don't know if you understand or not but the subject is Chiang Mai University, not a school and not the language institute. Exactly how the CMULI could have any bearing on the CMU school of medicine for example or on the faculty of science escapes me. If you trying to suggest that both harvest students from CULI as tutors/lecturers, I suggest you know nothing about CMU whatsoever.

Actually the OP's question was so vague that s/he could be considering a job post at CMULI or the dept of veterinarian medicine or whatever. Until we learn more details, it is appropriate to bring up past problems that they they've failed to address and have dealt with in the 'Thai way' that left many expats without a visa and with a substantial loss of funds.

If anyone wants to learn more about this situation they can send me a PM.

[mrdc]

CMU is large, working environment varies a lot between departments/faculties.

okay...sounds like you know from experience...so...please share what you know.

[Bill97]

CMU is large, working environment varies a lot between departments/faculties.

okay...sounds like you know from experience...so...please share what you know.

How about you tell us what department you are interested in so you can get useful responses instead of asking us to provide all the information about all the departments which would be 90% irrelevant?

Unless of course you are writing a book, are you?

[zeichen]

A highly rated school and a good place to work are often entirely different matters. CMU is the top school, outside of BKK, in Thailand. As far as foreign teachers, they seem to operate with a revolving door of part-timers, often placed by the TEFL Program at CMULI. I won't say it is a pay to work scam, but there is a large pool of people, who paid good money for TEFL Certificates. Most who stay on after paying to practice teach with students, get 300 thb per class, and while that's not terrible; add commuting/prep time from even the edge of campus, and ypu are looking at 650 USD per month. Personally, I think you would make more and have a better experience in many other parts of Thailand. CM's popularity clearly is working against those seeking education jobs.

First of all, you seem very misinformed. The English department does have a lot of part time teachers and most work at least 1-2 years. However very few have come from the LICMU TEFL program. There are some who have been there for a decade or more. The English department has over 40 part time foreign teachers but only 3-4 full time. Also LICMU usually pays 400 baht an hour for their private classes off campus. Some rare classes pay as much as 700-800 an hour. So it isn't a bad place for part time work. Another fact that you don't seem to know is that you can get work there also even if you don't take their course.

The Language Institute has no affiliation with the actual University. it is a separate organization. Their private classes are not related to actual departments.

As to the question. As others have said, each department has a different vibe. I have worked in a few different departments and most are pretty good. When there are many foreign staff in a department, there tends to be a division between the Thai teachers and Foreign staff. That is pretty common throughout the country at most jobs. The smaller departments tend to be more hands on and integrated.

There also can be some hidden politics that you might not be aware of so making friends with the "wrong" teacher could put you on the list.

My favorite departments were the Dentistry faculty, and Art faculty. Both were very friendly and warm environments. Masscom was good years ago but they had some issues and I don't know if they have straightened them out.

The English department is pretty crappy for part time teachers and the 3 or 4 full time foreign staff are usually spread thin.

The Psychology and Sociology departments were pretty good. There were some egos but nothing too difficult.

Typically, if you are polite and don't complain, criticize or take sides in other people's political turmoil, you will like it there. The students are pretty good overall and in my experience more diligent than Payap or Rajahabat students.

Edited July 25, 2016 by zeichen

[Bill97]

Then you Already have your answer repeatedly to your naive inquiry.

You received a lot of good answers but rave on and complain about others.

Wheaties, <deleted>?

[NancyL]

With the defamation laws being what they are in this country, you're unlikely to receive negative responses in a public forum for your fishing expedition. If you'd simply name the department, then maybe someone would be so bold as to send you a PM.

[mrdc]

Then you Already have your answer repeatedly to your naive inquiry.

You received a lot of good answers but rave on and complain about others.

Wheaties, <deleted>?

naive inquiry? actually it turns how to have revealed quite a bit, not only about the university but also the quality of morons on this forum

[seedy]

OP asks a question, gets some replies, does not like them for whatever reason, and flames people who responded.

Enuf

CLOSED