Call for Applications: Senior Lecturer Position for MA Programme in Politics and Security (full-time)

The OSCE Academy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, invites applications from highly qualified scholars for its Senior Lecturer position (full time).

The OSCE Academy in Bishkek is a public foundation, created in 2002 between the Kyrgyz Government and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The OSCE Academy promotes the principles and values of the OSCE through education, advanced research, professional trainings and intellectual exchange. Its highly demanding MA programmes in the fields of “Economic Governance and Development” and “Politics and Security (Central Asia)” enrol a total of up to 60 young professionals per year from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan on a competitive basis.

The Senior Lecturer position is full-time, based in Bishkek and allows no secondary occupation without expressive approval of the Academy’s management.

Under the direct supervision of the Academy’s Management and in co-ordination with the Head of Department of Education of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, the Senior Lecturer contributes to the OSCE Academy’s MA Programme and other activities such as research and academic exchange as member of the faculty.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Teaching and other related duties:

Teaching a selection of graduate level courses throughout the whole academic year, including developing course syllabi, grading and advising students on academic aspects of the courses. Total teaching load is up to 12 credits, possible courses are:

• Research Methods, 4 credits;
• MA Thesis Seminar, 4 credits;
• Elective courses on specialisation, 2-4 credits

Related Duties:

• Supervising minimum of two MA Theses per academic year;
• Participating in Thesis Colloquia, Thesis Defence and State Examinations
• Participating in the student admission process
• Participating in the selection of lecturers for teaching positions in the MA programmes
• Supervising and coordinating the review of MA programme related rules and regulations (in cooperation with the Head of the Department of Education)
• Participating in the further development of MA programme related quality control mechanism and corresponding evaluation tools (in cooperation with the Head of the Department of Education)

Contributing to Research and Academic Exchange at the OSCE Academy:

• Publishing one article in a peer-reviewed journal
• Publishing one article in an OSCE Academy publication series (e.g. Policy Briefs; Academic Yearbook; Special Collection; Springer OAP)
• Mentoring students, alumni, and young scholars at the Academy and advising on career development as well as assisting in research project implementation
• Conducting her/his own research and involving students and other faculty members
• Initiating and organizing faculty and student exchange programmes with partner institutions (e.g. via Erasmus+ exchange mobilities)
• Initiating and establishing partnerships with universities/institutions in the region of Central Asia and / or further abroad to facilitate academic exchange
• Supporting academic events and activities as moderator, discussant, reviewer, selector

Candidates for this position should meet the following requirements:

• PhD degree in Political Science / International Relations / Social Science or a related field
• Record of teaching excellence and service
• Record of peer-reviewed publications
• Excellent knowledge of English
• Experience in teaching in online format; familiarity with LMS Canvas, Zoom, an advantage
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills
• Willingness to travel abroad to support the admission process and to further exchange activities

The OSCE Academy will provide/cover:
• Monthly honorarium is 2000 EUR as gross salary paid in national currency. Exact amount of honoraria depending on qualification of the candidate and requirements for tax and social fee deduction
• Visa and work permit support (fees for visa and work permit application to be borne by applicant)
• Office space and a computer, as well as access to all of the OSCE Academy’s facilities

NOTE: The Academy will not cover health insurance and expenses of the Senior Lecturer and his/her family members and does not reimburse travel expenses except when travelling on official duty.

The application package should be sent by the end of February 2024 as one single file in one merged PDF format file to teachingvacancies@osce-academy.net with the subject line “PS Senior Lecturer”:

- Cover letter, indicating the preferred choice of courses to be taught; presenting ideas for MA programme development, for initiating research projects and / or advancing academic exchange
- CV, including publication list, with two references (2021-2022)
- Results of past student evaluations (if available)
- Draft syllabi for at least two of the courses mentioned above

Only successfully selected candidates will be notified of further selection procedures. Interviews by the selection commission are expected to be held online.

The OSCE Academy in Bishkek is an equal-opportunity institution. It operates on the principle of non-discrimination. All recruitment decisions are taken on the basis of best qualification of the candidates, with consideration of regional and gender balance.