Dean, School of Architecture & Design

About the role

The American International University in Kuwait is seeking a Dean for its School of Architecture and Design, which covers Architecture, Interior Design and Graphic Design. The Dean acts as chief academic officer, reporting to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and provides strategic vision and operational leadership for the school.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the school, including faculty, academic programs, budgets and administration.
• Lead faculty recruitment, evaluation, mentoring and professional development, and foster a culture of research, scholarship and creative activity.
• Maintain engagement with the Industry Advisory Committee and strengthen partnerships with industry, professional organisations and community stakeholders to support internships, experiential learning and graduate employability.
• Support studio-based learning, student exhibitions, competitions, portfolios and professional practice opportunities.
• Represent the school in university leadership activities and manage public communications about programmes, achievements and student opportunities.
• Lead accreditation, quality assurance, assessment and continuous improvement, with knowledge of American higher education accreditation standards.
• Manage strategic planning, resource allocation and budget oversight.
• Oversee the three programmes, including curriculum development, assessment, scheduling and accreditation.

Required profile

• Ph.D. or equivalent from a recognised university, with rank of Professor in Architecture, Interior Design, Graphic Design or a related discipline.
• Distinguished record of teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity and/or professional practice, with ongoing contributions through publications, exhibitions, conferences and symposia.
• Proven academic leadership experience, preferably at Dean level or equivalent.
• Experience with accreditation, assessment, quality assurance and continuous improvement in architecture, design or related fields.
• Experience in professional and academic positions, with strong teaching and international academic achievements.
• English proficiency required; Arabic is an advantage.

Required skills

• Familiarity with credit-hour and semester-based academic systems.
• Knowledge of higher education administration, including budgeting, human resources and operations.
• Ability to lead creative, design-oriented disciplines and build partnerships with stakeholders.
• Preferred: managerial experience, multi-cultural skills, knowledge of evaluation methods, understanding of modern teaching methods including technology, and experience in American or internationally accredited systems.

Applications are submitted online via the university's careers page with a resume and cover letter; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and the successful candidate is expected to start immediately.