Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor in English for Academic Purposes

School: School of Arts and Sciences
Reports to: Associate Dean of School of Arts and Sciences
Duty Station: Naryn Campus, Kyrgyz Republic
Application Deadline: 23 June 2025

Position Summary

The University of Central Asia is seeking an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Faculty Member to teach at the undergraduate level at its campus in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan. The faculty member will teach small groups of students from Central Asia in a preparatory programme. The English curriculum of the Preparatory Programme and the teaching approach are based on integrated skills with the topics connected to core literacies and embedded in the Central Asian context as well as aligned with the Mathematics, Science and Liberal Arts curriculum. In the liberal arts and pre-requisite years, the EAP faculty will be also engaged in supporting students during academic writing labs. EAP Faculty member ought to be actively involved in the development, planning, preparation and undertaking of all academic upgrading initiatives related to EAP instruction.

Key Responsibilities

The EAP Faculty Member will teach a series of English courses and will be responsible for fostering the learning outcomes such as oral and written comprehension, oral and written expression, discussion and presentations skills, research skills and other skills applicable to academic use of English.

Teaching experience requirements:

• Experience (5+ years) in teaching EAP to high school and/or university students 
• EAP curriculum development experience that includes both design (syllabus planning, materials creation, outcomes mapping) and implementation (piloting materials, assessing effectiveness, revising based on feedback).
• Candidates who have worked in a liberal-arts environment or at internationally-focused institutions (or both) are particularly encouraged to highlight this context.
• Experience in developing and delivering training modules to other teachers, tutors, mentors, etc. 
• Professional familiarity with Central Asian secondary and post-secondary education landscape would be an asset 
• Experience teaching intercultural communication, academic writing labs would be an advantage

• Intercultural communication:
  • As a teaching area – ability to design and deliver at least one course or module specifically on intercultural communication theory and practice.
  • As a general competency – evidence of embedding intercultural-awareness activities across the EAP curriculum (e.g. culturally responsive pedagogy, cross-cultural group work, reflective journals).

Research experience requirements:

• Demonstrated record of scholarly activity in English language pedagogy, Applied Linguistics, EAP, or a related field, including peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations.
• Experience conducting classroom-based or action research, preferably with at least one completed project involving needs analysis, data collection, and reporting of findings.
• Evidence of grant-writing or participation in funded research projects (internal or external).
• Experience supervising or mentoring undergraduate or graduate student research (e.g. supervising capstone projects, theses, or research assistantships).

About UCA’s Academic Programmes

UCA’s School of Arts and Sciences combines the best of a student-centred liberal arts environment with the intellectual rigor of a research university. The faculty is committed to offering an inclusive, engaging, and dynamic academic experience, delivered in English, to ensure that students are prepared to contribute meaningfully to both regional and global challenges. UCA encourages collaborative teaching, especially across disciplines such as Economics, Media and Communications, Computer Sciences and Earth and Environmental Sciences, which provides opportunities for faculty to engage in a wide range of cross-disciplinary research.

UCA Background:

The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 as a private, not for profit, secular university through an International Treaty signed by the Presidents of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and His Highness the Aga Khan; ratified by their respective parliaments, and registered with the United Nations. The Presidents are the Patrons of the University and His Highness is the Chancellor. UCA’s mission is to promote the social and economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain communities, by offering an internationally recognised standard of higher education and becoming a leading research university in the region and internationally. UCA brings with it the broader commitment and partnership of the Aga Khan Development Network. For more information: www.ucentralasia.org

Minimum Qualifications

Language 

• Native or near-native proficiency in English is required
• Advanced Russian and some knowledge of Kyrgyz, Tajik or Kazakh would be an asset 

Education 

• A Master’s Degree from an internationally recognized university in English as a Foreign Language, or Applied Linguistics 
• TESOL, TEFL, or other teaching English as a Second Language certification (minimum 300 hours including a practicum) 
• A Ph.D. from an internationally recognized university would be an asset  
• Rank will be based on the candidate’s prior experience and record.

Candidates from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan are encouraged to apply.

Why Join UCA?

• Impactful Teaching and Research: Contribute to an academic institution that is dedicated to fostering innovation and development in Central Asia and beyond.
• Collaboration and Growth: Be part of a diverse, interdisciplinary academic environment, with opportunities for collaboration and research across multiple fields of societal relevance.
• Regional Leadership: Lead the development of innovative solutions to regional challenges in technology, data science, and digital policy.
• Support for Female Scholars: UCA is deeply committed to supporting female scholars in STEM fields, providing opportunities to further advance gender equity in academia.

How to Apply

Ready to join our team? We kindly invite you to submit your application for this position by clicking the Apply button on this page. To facilitate a smooth application process, please create an account on our website. Be assured that the account setup and application steps are straightforward.

At the application stage, you should submit the following documents:

• Cover letter
• Up-to-date resume

• List of published work and link to the google scholar profile
• List of at least three references who may comment on your teaching/research experience
• Teaching evaluations (if applicable)

Candidates from the founding countries of UCA: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan are encouraged to apply for the position.

Applications will be reviewed when received. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Review other job vacancies at: https://ucentralasia.org/career-opportunities.