Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
Director of the Center for Language Education
🇭🇰Kowloon, Hong Kong1 month ago
ExecutiveFull TimeEN
HKUST
Founded in 1991, HKUST is a publicly-funded international university dedicated to undergraduate and postgraduate education and research in science, engineering, business & management, and humanities & social science. We seek to nurture students with entrepreneurial spirit, innovative thinking, and global outlook and strive to work together to make a strong societal impact.
The University is one of the most international universities in Asia comprising four Schools and an Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies and multiple research institutes/central research facilities; and the Hong Kong government has recently endorsed our competitive bid to develop a new Medical School. While actively growing, at present there are around 970 faculty members, and an enrollment of about 11,000 undergraduate and 8,700 postgraduate students. English is the language used in all teaching, research, and administration.
HKUST is celebrating its 35th Anniversary this year with a strong presence in global higher education. It has received a number of international recognitions, including many citations and rankings; for example, No. 6 in the QS Asia University Rankings and No. 44 in the QS World University Rankings in 2026; No. 19 in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings in 2025; and No. 25 worldwide and No. 3 in Greater China in the Global Employability University Ranking in 2026.
At the heart of the University’s pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, and societal impact lies uncompromising efforts to recruit and retain the best talents globally and locally. We seek to diversify HKUST’s critical mass of world-class academics, researchers, staff and students in order to drive cutting-edge education and research initiatives and deliver academic and administrative excellence. The University promotes a diverse learning environment that enhances student development of their creativity, innovative thinking and global outlook, especially in today’s rapidly changing society, and technological and AI development. Proactive faculty recruitment is undertaken from around the world in all disciplines of the University. HKUST upholds the values of diversity and an inclusive and collaborative community.
Center for Language Education
The Center for Language Education (CLE) is an academic teaching unit within the School of Humanities and Social Science (SHSS). The primary mission of the CLE is to deliver the University’s UGC-funded language enhancement programs for English and Chinese to UG and PG students from all Schools in the University. The CLE has 72 full-time teaching staff (16 Senior Lecturers, 50 Lecturer I, and 6 Lecturer II), 8 teaching/project support staff and 17 non-academic support staff including its own full-time Instructional Designer.
The CLE has a dynamic and progressive outlook with a mindset of continuous adaptation in response to changing needs. In 2024-25, the CLE delivered a completely revamped Chinese curriculum with two streams: i) Chinese as a foreign language for non-Chinese background students and ii) Chinese for specific purposes for students with Chinese proficiency from HKDSE Level 3 through to native Mandarin speakers. A new English curriculum with two pathways has also been introduced for the first time this year.
The CLE’s newly introduced curriculum has been designed to provide a rich set of elective choices including Communication courses as well as elective Broadening courses within the University’s Common Core. Additionally, the Center makes a strong contribution to a Master of Arts degree in International Language Education with separate concentrations in English and Chinese teaching. It also has a small but growing third languages program, including Japanese, Spanish, and French, and an active program of extra-curricular activities to promote language and culture. The Center also has an active scholarly orientation. Together with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, it recently secured HKD 30 million for a bid from the QEF to develop an AI-assisted VR English speaking programme in secondary schools.
The Center has a robust, well-functioning internal management structure and enjoys solid support from the University senior management. This has allowed it to become a leader among language centers especially in terms of pedagogical innovation with use of technology for language learning, using approaches based on the latest scholarship in language education. Its proactive approach to Human-AI orchestration is a particular strength.
Job Functions
The Director provides leadership and vision to achieve excellence in language education at HKUST. With responsibility for a Center at the cutting edge, there is great opportunity to shape language education especially in terms of human-AI interaction for language learning at scale. Reporting to the Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science, a strong applicant will
Additionally, the CLE Director also holds the title of Associate Dean, working closely with the Associate Provost Teaching & Learning to ensure delivery of the mission of the University with regard to language education. The CLE Director may also hold a concurrent appointment as Associate Professor/Professor in the Division of Humanities as appropriate depending on qualifications of the candidate.
Terms & Applications/Nominations
Terms of appointment and remuneration are highly competitive. Starting salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Fringe benefits including housing, annual leave, medical and dental benefits will be provided as applicable to contract type. Fixed term contract holders will receive gratuity payable upon completion of contract.
Appointment to the position will be offered a three-year fixed-term contract, renewable subject to mutual agreement. If appropriate, research active applicants with a substantial publication record may be considered for a substantiation track appointment.
Additional information about the University and the Center for Language Education is available on the websites https://hkust.edu.hk/and https://cle.hkust.edu.hk/respectively.
Applicants should have
Applications should be submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Science via Interfolio with (i) a cover letter and (ii) a full CV.
Review of applications will start from 1 May 2026 and will continue until the position is filled.
HKUST is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to our core values of inclusiveness, diversity, and respect.
