Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Environmental Design at University for the Creative Arts
Job Description
Location: Xiamen University, Zhangzhou Campus, China
Hours: 36.25
The Institute of Creativity and Innovation (ICI) is a dual-degree institute established by the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in the UK and Xiamen University in China. Based on Xiamen University’s Zhangzhou campus, around 40 minutes from the city of Xiamen, ICI sits within a region that is both a cultural hub and an emerging centre for design and innovation in South-East China.
Our department brings together architecture, interior architecture, landscape and urban design as distinct yet interconnected disciplines. We emphasise an interdisciplinary, studio-based approach, combining analogue and digital methods within a project-led framework. Our work is grounded in creativity, critical thinking and collaboration, with a strong focus on linking local engagement to wider global design discourses.
We’re seeking colleagues to teach on the BA (Hons) Environmental Design course who have:
- Experience of delivering design-based studios in a subject-related area at Bachelor and/or Masters level, and
- A minimum of two years’ full-time, teaching-focused experience in higher education.
The role will suit early-career academics who have already built at least two years of solid studio teaching experience, as well as more experienced educators looking to develop their practice in a dynamic, cross-cultural context.
You’ll contribute to studio-based teaching, curriculum development and student support, and you will enhance the department’s profile through academic scholarship, professional practice and/or creative education. You will bring a thoughtful and well-informed approach to teaching, with a clear commitment to design as both an intellectual and practice-based endeavour.
The role requires initiative, strong organisational skills and the ability to work effectively within a diverse, cross-cultural academic environment. Priority will be given to candidates with experience of teaching in UK higher education or in other English-medium universities. Active research in the field or ongoing professional practice are considered strong assets. A PGCert in HE or Advance HE fellowship is desirable. Fluency in English is essential.
UCA offers a competitive compensation package that includes:
- 35 days of personal holiday
- Enrolment in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme
- Medical insurance coverage in China for self and family
- Visa application expenses for self and family
- Flight cost
- Settling-in allowance
- Annual repatriation (home visit) allowance
- Free accommodation in China for self and family
- School or nursery / pre-school allowance
- Tax advice
If you would like an informal discussion about the role before applying, please contact Samuel Penn via email: samuel.penn@uca.ac.uk
How to apply
Please apply via the link below. You will need to upload:
- Your updated CV
- A cover letter addressing your suitability for the role
- Your portfolio and/or other supporting documents you believe are relevant
We encourage you to submit a portfolio that evidences your own creative work and your teaching practice (for example: studio briefs, student work, or project outcomes). Academic publications are welcome where they relate to spatial design, creativity or innovation, but will not be considered sufficient without evidence of teaching and practice.
Candidates must be able to meet Chinese visa requirements; UCA will assist with obtaining a visa. Interviews will be held on a rolling basis, and the role will remain open until filled.
At UCA, creativity and innovation are at the heart of what we do. Our legacy of educating artists, makers and thinkers spans almost 160 years, and today we are helping shape a global future that supports and nurtures creative talent worldwide.
