TEACHING FELLOWS
**foreign passport holders**
Asian University for Women (AUW) is dedicated to the education, empowerment, and leadership development of highly talented women from across Asia and the Middle East. Preferential selection is given to underserved populations; our students include garment factory workers, daughters of microfinance borrowers, young women from the tea plantations, Rohingya refugees, women from Madrasa schools, among others. AUW is delighted to announce that 1,600 students are enrolled for the 2024-25 academic year, almost 500 of whom are from Afghanistan.
To support this mission, AUW invites recent liberal arts graduates to join as Teaching Fellows. These fellows play a crucial role across various academic programs and take on diverse teaching responsibilities throughout the university. The year-long fellowship, which starts in mid-July, is essential for advancing AUW’s goal of cultivating future leaders.
EXPECTATIONS
Teaching Fellows will work as instructors in various academic departments in AUW’s Pre-Undergraduate and Undergraduate Programs. In addition to teaching responsibilities, each Fellow will be asked to introduce an extracurricular passion of their own on campus.
Teaching Fellows will report to Program Directors. Fellows will have a 6-week Orientation prior to the beginning of the academic year, where Fellows will be introduced to the curriculum and teaching materials, and practice teaching. There is a Teaching Fellow Site Coordinator, who will coordinate orientation sessions and support for Fellows throughout the year. Should any fellows wish to extend their position for another year as a senior fellow, they will have the opportunity to do so on a case-by-case basis.
ONE YEAR ABROAD
Teaching Fellows will spend one year on campus at AUW in Chittagong, Bangladesh, starting in mid-July 2025 and ending in mid-August 2026. AUW’s current campuses are located in the heart of the port city of Chittagong, Bangladesh, within walking distance of restaurants, cafes, worship spaces, and retail shops.
Teaching Fellows will receive a stipend of US$1,000 per month. AUW will provide Teaching Fellows accommodation in one of the furnished faculty apartments located around the corner from the Undergraduate academic building.
Scheduled free transportation is provided to and from these apartments and the AUW campuses. In general, three Fellows will share an apartment, but each will have a private bedroom and bath; there is a laundry facility in both buildings. In addition, Fellows have free access to campus dining halls.
Fellows will be able to immerse themselves in Bangladesh and surrounding regions. There may be opportunities to visit the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh; visit garments factories where AUW recruits students; see natural habitats of wildlife unique to the region; and learn about industry issues in Bangladesh. Chittagong is Bangladesh’s second largest city with considerable income inequity; Fellows can expect an intense but deeply rewarding experiences living and working in Chittagong, which is also referred to as Chattogram. We seek Fellows who are eager to adapt and learn through the new experiences they have at AUW.
In addition, we are exploring the possibility, for those Fellows who are interested, in offering 3-week Internships between the Fall and Spring terms at a variety of governmental and non-profit organizations. The AUW Board of Directors, the AUW Patrons, and other supporters of the University, past and present, are prominent leaders across the region and can open opportunities for the AUW Fellows. We will explore options with interested Fellows who have been accepted into the program.
Timeline
Overview
Core Responsibilities
- Teach one year, beginning in mid-July 2025
- Teach roughly 9-15 contact hours per week as assigned by the Program Directors
- Oversee one extracurricular activity each term
- Other duties as assigned by the Program Directors
Compensation and Benefits
These funded Fellowships include most of the expenses Fellows will incur during their year as an AUW Teaching Fellow. They include round-trip airfare from their home to Chittagong. Fees for Fellows’ visas will also be reimbursed. Fellows will receive a stipend of $1,000 per month, payable at the first of each month. Health services will be covered. Fellows will share fully furnished faculty apartments a short distance from the AUW campus. These apartments are attractive, clean, and safe. Those Fellows who wish to eat at the AUW dining hall are welcome to do so; Fellows who wish to cook for themselves can do so in the kitchens of their apartments.
- Round trip airfare to and from Chittagong
- Visa fees
- Stipend of $1,000, paid monthly
- Health insurance/services
- A shared furnished faculty apartment
- Free access to dining halls
- Orientation prior to the start of AUW
In addition, AUW is exploring the option for a 3-week Internship between fall and spring terms with a governmental or prominent non-profit organization.
Teaching Fellows Housing
Bedroom
Bedroom
Dining Area of the Faculty Housing
Study Desk
Faculty Lounge
Health and Safety
Health
AUW prioritizes the health and safety of its staff and students. The campus features a free Health & Wellness Center that addresses both medical and mental health needs. Additionally, there are hospitals located nearby. All Fellows are covered by a health insurance plan provided by NOW Health International, which applies not just in Bangladesh but also in other countries outside the United States.
Evercare Hospital in Chittagong. Evercare Hospital and AUW has a MOU for medical support for AUW community.
Safety
The AUW campus is safe, featuring two main academic buildings. One building houses undergraduate classes, while the original campus, located on MM Ali Road, is used for the Pre-UG Program. This campus is a gated community, with security guards and established protocols. Faculty apartments also have guards for added safety. While it’s always wise to stay aware of your surroundings, most people find Chittagong enjoyable and feel safe exploring the city, especially when in groups.
Foreign faculty and staff generally report feeling safe and secure at AUW. During periods of unrest in the country, AUW has an established emergency action plan and protocol in place to ensure the safety of all of its members. The AUW Safety and Security team provides methods for maintaining personal safety throughout the year.
AUW campus is gated with 24 hours security guards
Transportation and Visas
AUW will purchase all airline tickets. Fellows should work with AUW to identify appropriate flights to and from their homes. Fellows should arrive in Chittagong by July 15, 2025. Fellows will obtain their own employment visas, working with AUW to provide the needed documentation. For visas Fellows will need a letter from Bangladesh authorities, and an invitation letter from the university. Fellows will be reimbursed the cost of the visa when they arrive in Chittagong.
ELIGIBILITY
AUW welcomes all recent college graduates with strong academic and extracurricular records who share an unmitigated passion for women’s education to apply to this program.
The candidates must be native-like English speakers.
Candidates must complete the Fellowship Application and participate in an informational interview. Acceptance is on a rolling basis.
For further information contact Hannah Taylor at Hannah.Taylor@asian-university.org
Ashira Shirali
Being a Teaching Fellow at AUW has been a truly rewarding experience. I am constantly inspired by my students, who are enthusiastic, hardworking and resilient. I am grateful for the chance to contribute to their journeys. Living in Bangladesh has made me grow in many ways, and I will always cherish the friends I made here. – 12/28/2023
Preeti Chemiti
When I applied to become a Teaching Fellow, I sought an opportunity to grow personally, undertake a socially impactful career, and become a part of something bigger than myself. All three of these wishes went beyond my wildest expectations.
The AUW website highlights how unique our student body is, with 1400 women from 17 different countries. However, to see and celebrate this diversity at the front of the classroom is unparalleled. In the length of one class, I’ve learned and talked about international relations, cultural upbringings, philosophy, and human rights. The students here are some of the most remarkable, talented, and dedicated people I have ever known, and they are, by far, the highlight of my job.
Navigating the challenge of teaching in a foreign country is not easy, but it’s a challenge well worth embracing. Becoming an academic leader teaches you flexibility, adaptability, cultural awareness, and even an emotional understanding of the people around you. These skills aren’t limited to a classroom’s parameters; they’re qualities I hope to carry with me for the rest of my life. – 1/10/2024
Dominic De Santes
The most rewarding aspect of this fellowship is teaching our incredible students. Our students come from remarkable backgrounds and teachers have a lot of freedom to create a personalized learning environment to uplift our students. While other teaching abroad opportunities may offer chances for travel or immersion, this fellowship is centered around the classroom and your role as an educator for an international student body. I have developed close relationships with my students, and I am dedicated to their success. This also means our classroom is a place of cultural exchange and dialogue that you cannot find elsewhere. – 1/2/2024
Richard Bennet Morales
As a TF at AUW I have not only learnt about teaching and education more broadly, but I have also grown considerably as a person. I knew I was interested in education during college, and I wanted to get some teaching experience prior to looking into a master’s program so the TF opportunity made sense to me. In order to make the most of the program, one should be open minded and flexible due to the linguistic, cultural and systemic differences of Bangladesh relative to the US. On my end, I have found it to be an extremely rewarding experience where I can immerse myself in different aspects of the educational experience. This naturally includes the act of teaching directly in the classroom but also getting involved in extra-curricular activities and engaging with students, staff and other faculty outside of class time.
Regarding the teaching specifically, I greatly appreciate the educational freedom to find myself as a teacher and try various strategies to adapt to my student’s needs. The month of training prior to the start of the trimester also gave me the theoretical tools I needed to teach and boosted my confidence, so I didn’t feel out of my depth. The support of my peers and colleagues at AUW has also made me feel less overwhelmed at times, reassuring me that not everything can always go as planned and that’s okay, especially as long as you learn from your mistakes and others around you. This brings me to my point about personal growth. The learning curve might seem steep at first, but I have gotten to a comfortable rhythm that, although intense at times, is incredibly rewarding. This is mostly due to the amazing students that are so eager to learn both in and beyond the classroom. Being able to share with them has helped broaden my understanding of the world and my position in it, as well as what I can contribute to have a direct impact.
Finally, I want to add a brief note about being a male teacher at AUW. It took me some adjustment to position myself as a support resource and an authority figure for my students, but also to position myself within the institution. I can’t have the same interactions with my students in the same way other teachers might, but I have eventually found a way to be distant yet caring and provide students with the support they need. In fact, it was also very rewarding to hear students open up to me and trusting me enough to talk about their problems, making them feel that there are men that can believe in them and help them. So, don’t be discouraged as a guy because there is a place for you too! – 1/10/2024