37.2439, Jobs: General Linguistics: Director of the Center for Language Education, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-37-2439. Wed Jul 22 2026. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 37.2439, Jobs: General Linguistics: Director of the Center for Language Education, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Moderator: Steven Moran (linguist at linguistlist.org)
Managing Editor: Valeriia Vyshnevetska
Team: Helen Aristar-Dry, Mara Baccaro, Daniel Swanson
Jobs: jobs at linguistlist.org | Conferences: callconf at linguistlist.org | Pubs: pubs at linguistlist.org

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org

Editor for this issue: Valeriia Vyshnevetska <valeriia at linguistlist.org>

================================================================


Date: 22-Jul-2026
From: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology [hroffice at ust.hk]
Subject: General Linguistics: Director of the Center for Language Education, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology


Job Location: Hong Kong
Job Title: Director of the Center for Language Education
Job Rank: Other

Specialty Areas: General Linguistics

Description:
Director of the Center for Language Education
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: School of Humanities
and Social Science
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, this role offers a great opportunity to shape the future
of language education particularly in Human-AI interaction for
language learning at scale. Reporting to the Dean of the School of
Humanities and Social Science, a strong applicant will:
 - be a leader in language education research with an international
profile, providing a visible external face which brings recognition to
current innovation in language education, while also building on
strengths of the Center for positive impact in the language education
sector;
 - provide strategic leadership and vision for CLE, and the Center’s
goals and initiatives for language teaching, learning and assessment;
 - maximise technological innovation for teaching in a way that
strictly adheres to pedagogic principles and ethical use;
 - ensure teaching of the highest standard of quality assurance which
challenges all students to work to their potential;
 - work collaboratively with departments and units in the University
to ensure an approach to language education that aligns with
university practices and priorities;
 - be transparent in decision-making, with effective communication
within and beyond the CLE;
 - effectively deploy human, financial, and other resources.
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 hold a concurrent appointment
as Associate Professor/Professor as appropriate depending on the
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 the 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.
Qualifications:
Applicants should have
 - a doctoral degree in an area relevant to language education;
 - a distinguished record of academic research/scholarship in the
areas of AI in language studies, applied linguistics or language
learning, or related disciplines;
 - demonstrated commitment to excellence and leadership in curriculum
development and pedagogy;
 - a track record of driving innovation in AI and language education
with an understanding of the place of language education in a
prestigious EMI university in Hong Kong;
 - substantial experience leveraging digital technologies for language
teaching and learning, with a depth of understanding of the potential
for AI in communication that is both effective and ethical;
 - administrative capability to lead a large academic teaching unit,
including resource management and team-building abilities;
 - excellent communication skills for use in a multilingual and
multicultural academic environment, and with stakeholders external to
the CLE, both within the university and beyond.
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 66 full-time teaching
staff (16 Senior Lecturers, 44 Lecturer I, and 6 Lecturer II), 9
teaching/project support staff and 16 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 to meet evolving needs. In 2024-26, it delivered
a fully revamped English and Chinese curriculum: a new English
curriculum with two pathways and a new 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.
The CLE’s newly introduced curriculum also offers a rich set of
elective choices including Communication courses and 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 runs a small but growing
third-languages program, including Japanese, Spanish, French and
Korean and an active program of experiential engagement activities to
promote language and AI, and culture. The Center also has a strong
scholarly orientation including securing teaching and learning grants.
Together with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, it
recently secured HKD 30 million in QEF funding to develop an
AI-assisted VR English speaking programme for secondary schools.
The Center has a robust, internal management structure and enjoys
strong support from the University senior management. This has made it
a leader among language centers especially in pedagogical innovation —
combining AI and other technologies with a humanistic commitment to
the learner, grounded in the latest scholarship and research in
language education. A particular strength is its Human-AI
orchestration approach, positioning educators and students not as
users of AI but as active orchestrators of it, keeping human judgment
and connection at its centre.
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 ranked as 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 many
international recognitions including citations and rankings; for
example, HKUST ranks 6th in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, 3rd
in the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024, and 19th
globally (1st in Hong Kong) in the Times Higher Education Impact
Rankings 2025. A total of 11 subjects offered by HKUST are ranked
among the world’s top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by
Subject 2026. Moreover, it has consistently been ranked within the
world’s top 30 in the Global Employability University Ranking,
reflecting the strong competitiveness of its graduates.
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.
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.
Application Instructions:
Applications should be submitted to the School of Humanities and
Social Science via Interfolio https://apply.interfolio.com/189742 with
(i) a cover letter and (ii) a full CV.
Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.
(Information provided by applicants will be used for recruitment and
other employment-related purposes.  Applicants should read the
Personal Information Collection Statement before submission of
application.)
HKUST is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to our core
values of inclusiveness, diversity, and respect.

Application Deadline: (Open until filled)
Web Address for Applications: https://apply.interfolio.com/189742
Contact Information:
        Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
        Email: hroffice at ust.hk



------------------------------------------------------------------------------

********************** LINGUIST List Support ***********************
Please consider donating to the Linguist List, a U.S. 501(c)(3) not for profit organization:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=87C2AXTVC4PP8

LINGUIST List is supported by the following publishers:

Australian Linguistics Society https://als.asn.au/Home

Bloomsbury Publishing http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/

Cambridge University Press http://www.cambridge.org/linguistics

Cascadilla Press http://www.cascadilla.com/

De Gruyter Brill https://www.degruyterbrill.com/?changeLang=en

Edinburgh University Press http://www.edinburghuniversitypress.com

John Benjamins http://www.benjamins.com/

Language Science Press http://langsci-press.org

Lincom GmbH https://lincom-shop.eu/

MIT Press http://mitpress.mit.edu/

Multilingual Matters http://www.multilingual-matters.com/

Narr Francke Attempto Verlag GmbH + Co. KG http://www.narr.de/

Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics / Landelijke (LOT) http://www.lotpublications.nl/

Peter Lang AG http://www.peterlang.com

SIL International Publications http://www.sil.org/resources/publications


----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-37-2439
----------------------------------------------------------