Professor, School of Cultural Technology

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University – School of Cultural Technology

School: School of Cultural Technology (Part of the Academy of Film and Creative Technology).

Academic Discipline: Immersive and Interactive Media

Location: Taicang, Greater Suzhou, China 

ABOUT XJTLU 

In 2006 Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) was created by the University of Liverpool and Xi’an Jiaotong University – a top ten university in China. Offering a unique international education experience, XJTLU brings together excellent research practice and expertise from both institutions and gives students the skills and knowledge they need to secure careers in a global marketplace. XJTLU now has over 25,000 enrolled students in both Suzhou and Liverpool in the UK, with plans to grow to about 28,000 students by 2025. There are currently about 2,000 staff, among which about 1,000 academic staff, with an almost even split between citizens of the People’s Republic of China and international passport holders. XJTLU offers our undergraduates and postgraduates over 100 programmes with a diverse spectrum of courses.

With a focus on innovative learning and teaching, and research, XJTLU draws on the strengths of its parent universities, and plays a pivotal role in facilitating access to China for UK and other institutional partners. At same time, XJTLU is exploring future education by blending the educational theory, best practice and culture from west and east.

For detailed information about the university, please visit www.xjtlu.edu.cn. 

ABOUT THE ACADEMY OF FILM AND CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY

The School of Cultural Technology is part of the newly created Academy of Film and Creative Technology (AFCT), launched on 22^nd May 2021. The Academy brings together both the School of Cultural Technology, based within the Entrepreneur College (Taicang), and School of Film and TV Arts, based within the Suzhou Industrial park campus, under one academic roof. Uniquely within XJTLU, the Academy is multi-locational, providing cross-site opportunities for students, staff, industry and society. There are also ambitious plans to develop further educational, research and creative technology facilities in both Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, and the Great Bay Area. 

Building on the core values of the university, the Academy brings together the areas of media, creativity and technology within the context of society to establish an international cultural ecosystem, driven by knowledge generation to advance industry and shape future society. 

The aim of the AFCT is to be a community academy serving the alliance of industry and society through:

• Establishing cultural creativity programmes designed to engage, motivate and inspire societies participation. 
• Equipping AFCT staff with the tools required to enable them to work with people of all backgrounds, talents and potential. 
• Empowering a social, cultural and creative impact model that provides a win win situation for industry, communities and society as a whole. 

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF CULTURAL TECHNOLOGY

The School of Cultural Technology is one of 7 industry-themed Schools based in the XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang) campus, and there is the capacity to grow further within the college to a total of 10 schools. Each School consists of an Education, Research and Development Institute (“ERDI”) for teaching and university-business research collaboration, a professional services centre supporting daily activities of students, staff, and business partners, and a School Affiliated Company jointly established by XJTLU and the School’s industry partner for practical on-the-job learning and teaching.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The candidate will be a senior member of staff in the School and Academy, and will be responsible to the Dean for the effective management and administration of the School’s activities. Through their leadership, the candidate will ensure that the School and Academy meets its ambitious targets by creating an intellectually stimulating and vibrant environment in which its students and staff can flourish.

The broad dimensions of the post are to:

• Lead and grow the research, business and academic profile of the Cultural Technology subject area in collaboration with the School’s industrial partners.
• Provide leadership and vision for the future direction and development of School and Academy research, practice, business engagement and teaching.
• Shape the School’s research strategy, deliver high-quality industry-focused research, and support entrepreneurial-focused teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Take on leadership, management, and external engagement activities to support the School.
• Be a strong advocate for the School, Academy, and XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang) nationally and internationally.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

The School of Cultural Technology is adopting a new higher education model based on the concept of Syntegrative Education (SE). SE is a new model that has been developed by the University to address future challenges from the 4th Industrial Revolution and is a core part of the University’s strategy for the next ten-year development that stresses innovation and entrepreneurship. SE aims at training syntegrative leaders with Management skills, International perspective, Discipline-specific knowledge, and adaptability in Industry (MIDI).

The position seeks individuals who will echo these values and are passionate about undergraduate and graduate student engagement. The School seeks members who can model the excitement of engagement, discovery, and creativity and who are committed to education as an integrated and transformational process.

RESPONSIBILITIES

We are looking for future colleagues from candidates in all the fields of immersive media, interactive storytelling, game design and development, extended reality, digital media arts, sound studies, audiovisual production techniques, post-production, AI and GANs, Networked Art, innovative entrepreneurship, events and project management who can:

• Conduct high-quality cutting-edge industry-oriented research on the discipline, as shown by a number of outputs, including, but not exclusively, publications in leading journals;
• Contribute to teaching and research development through mentoring and supporting early career academics;
• Contribute to the development of an industry-enhanced research environment;
• Contribute to leadership in the School’s business engagement initiatives through building adequate enterprise and innovation resources within campus;
• Build extensive industry and cultural networks and partnerships;
• Contribute significantly to establishing the School as a centre of Cultural Technology research excellence;
• Work collaboratively across campus and wider university, especially within the Academy of Film and Cultural Technology, to ensure an inclusive, enriching and enabling entrepreneurial learning experience within the field;
• Engage actively with new educational models and embrace innovative, interactive, technology-enhanced learning, teaching, and assessment approaches;
• Understand and have an entrepreneur and innovative spirit, in line with the ethos of the campus and college; 
• Deliver high-quality teaching to undergraduate and graduate students, as evidenced for example by peers, students, external examiners and industry advisors;
• Advise and supervise undergraduate students and postgraduate students;
• Provide professional service to the School, the College, the University and its stakeholders. 

QUALIFICATION/EXPERIENCES

The successful applicant to the position of Professor is expected to have:

• A PhD degree in digital arts, innovative entrepreneurship, interactive media or game design, animation, immersive media and sound, AR/VR/XR, media production, or be able to demonstrate an equivalent level of professional practice and engagement;
• A track record of academic and/or industry achievement in a relevant context;
• An understanding and delivery of innovative learning, teaching and assessment/measurement practice in an innovative environment;
• A rich experience in teaching, research, academic leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship, strategic planning and financial management in a university and/or business environment.
• A national/international reputation and demonstrate impacts in any research/practice and innovation fields relevant to the School;
• A good sense of the technology trends and relevant research experience on industrial projects;
• Demonstrable experience of building strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders;
• Capacity for delivering high quality, effective teaching in English;
• Strong team-work spirit;
• First-class networking skills and an ability to build and nurture external contacts and partnerships, working with business other organisations in the area of innovation and business support to the benefit of the School.
• For practice-based candidates, expertise in at least one of the fields of immersive media, interactive storytelling, game design and development, extended reality, digital media arts, sound studies, audiovisual production techniques, post-production, AI and GANs, networked art, innovative entrepreneurship, events and project management, as used in an educational setting.
• Experience with professional knowledge and skills of technology related hardware and software in the fields of immersive & interactive media, game design, and/or audio and video postproduction would be desirable;
• Evidence of being an institutional builder, who can work with the wider disciplines across the Taicang campus;
• The ability to motivate and inspire a range of colleagues and stakeholders to understand and be involved in the work of the School of Cultural Technology, the Academy of Film and Creative Technology, the Entrepreneur College (Taicang) and wider university;
• Evidence of seeking innovative solutions with the imagination and creativity to inspire the next generation of entre/intra preneurs; 

CITIZENSHIP AND VISA REGULATIONS

Employment at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is regulated by Chinese Labour Laws, and must comply with the regulations of the provincial government. These regulations stipulate who is eligible for legal employment with regard to obtaining work permits and visas. Please be advised candidates over 65 may be not eligible for a work visa in the P.R. China.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

1. Clear career development path with annual review.
2. Professional development trainings are provided.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

SALARY: Competitive salary in the market

BENEFITS

1. Allowance: XJTLU provide various month/annual/one-off allowances as

• Housing allowance
• Travel allowance
• Education allowance
• Relocation allowance 

2. Commercial insurance: International insurance plans customized for XJTLU staff and family members. (details refer to the University Policy) 

3. Paid holidays:

• Statutory Holidays (11 days)
• Annual Leave (36 days)
• Family Matters Leave
• Paid Sick Leave
• Marriage Leave
• Paternity Leave
• Parental Leave 

4. Working visa and residence permit in China: XJTLU sponsors working visa and residence permit in China for the staff. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application on our university website, by clicking the 'Apply' button.

Applications must be submitted in a single pdf file that includes 3 parts in the order of:

• A cover letter
• A current CV, including country of citizenship, and highest degree level
• Contact Details for Three References

For specific enquiries relating to the position, please contact Professor Alvaro Collar, Dean of School by email on Alvaro.Collar@xjtlu.edu.cn, or the HRBP Mingyu Yuan on Mingyu.Yuan@xjtlu.edu.cn.