Dean of the College of Law - Kalba, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates - UKB University

Description

Description

The College of Law Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative leader of the College, providing visionary, strategic, and ethical leadership across teaching, research, accreditation, and community engagement.

The Dean will guide the College in shaping innovative curricula, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, advancing impactful research and creative scholarship, and ensuring continuous accreditation compliance at both national and international levels. The role requires a distinguished scholar and proven academic leader who can strengthen the College's regional and global profile while cultivating a culture of inclusivity, integrity, and excellence.

As a member of the University's senior leadership team, the Dean contributes to institutional strategy, governance, and growth, ensuring that the College of Law remains vital to the University's mission and to societal well-being. 

The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong record of academic distinction, proven leadership experience, and the ability to inspire faculty, staff, and students toward shared goals that align with the UAE's higher education vision and global best practices.

 

Responsibilities

1. Academic Leadership and Governance 

•    Provide visionary and strategic leadership to advance the College's mission in teaching, research, and community engagement. 

•    Serve as the chief academic and administrative officer of the College, ensuring effective governance, transparency, and accountability. 

•    Lead curriculum development, program innovation, and periodic academic reviews in line with emerging trends and institutional goals. 

•    Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across law disciplines. 
2. Accreditation and Quality Assurance 

•    Ensure compliance with national accreditation standards (e.g., UAE CAA).

•     Lead the preparation, submission, and successful completion of accreditation reviews and reports. 

•    Ensure benchmarking against leading global legal education frameworks (ABA, ESG, QAA, WASC, or equivalent) to position the College as a regional leader in legal accreditation and practice-readiness. 

•    Oversee continuous improvement processes, including learning outcomes assessment and curriculum mapping.

3. Faculty and Staff Development 

•    Recruit, mentor, and retain highly qualified faculty and staff.

•    Promote professional development, scholarly excellence, and pedagogical innovation.

•    Build an inclusive, collegial, and collaborative academic culture that values diversity, equity, and integrity. 
4. Research and Scholarly Excellence 

•    Promote a culture of research, creative scholarship, and innovation across all disciplines. 

•    Secure external funding to support research initiatives and institutional development. 

•    Establish and strengthen research clusters, centers, and partnerships addressing local, regional, and global challenges. 
5. Student Experience and Success 

•    Enhance experiential learning opportunities - including legal clinics, moot courts, and internships - that build practical skills and strengthen graduate employability in legal practice, judiciary, public service, and corporate law.

•    Enhance student support services, employability programs, and co-curricular activities.

•    Foster a culture of inclusion, academic freedom, and intellectual curiosity. 
6. Resource Stewardship and Institutional Development 

•    Develop and manage the College's budget, resources, and infrastructure sustainably. 

•    Ensure transparent and effective allocation of financial and human resources. 

•     Promote long-term planning to ensure academic and institutional resilience. 
7. Community and Global Engagement 

•    Build partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, legal institutions, and the private sector to enhance societal impact. 

•    Promote the College's contribution to justice, the rule of law, legal reform, public service, human rights, and sustainable development, in alignment with the UAE's national vision and international legal standards. 

•    Expand global collaborations with universities, legal associations, and international organizations to strengthen the College's international profile and cross-border engagement in justice and governance. 
8. Ethical and Cultural Stewardship 

•    Uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, ethical scholarship, and cultural responsibility. 

•    Ensure that legal education, research, and practice meaningfully contribute to justice, good governance, and societal well-being. 

•     Inspire and unite faculty, staff, and students toward shared goals grounded in diversity, inclusion, and academic excellence. 

 

Qualifications

Educational Level/ Required Certificates:

Doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in Law or a closely related legal discipline. 

Experience:

•    Academic credentials and scholarly record suitable for appointment at the rank of Full Professor in law. 

•    Distinguished record of teaching, research, and service in law with evidence of national and international impact. 

•    Significant senior leadership experience in higher education (Dean, Associate Dean, Department Chair, or equivalent) within a law school or related context.

•    Proven expertise in strategic planning, governance, budget management, and faculty development in legal education.

•    Demonstrated success in curriculum development, program review, and innovative pedagogy in legal studies. 
Required Competencies:

•    In-depth knowledge of national accreditation standards (e.g., UAE CAA) and proven experience leading successful accreditation and quality assurance processes for law programs. 

•    Familiarity with international quality frameworks and legal education standards (QAA, WASC, ESG, ABA, or equivalent) and benchmarking against global best practices. 

•    Demonstrated record of building external partnerships with legal institutions, government agencies, professional bodies, and securing research funding, while fostering community and legal engagement. 

•    Experience in advancing student-centered initiatives that enhance learning outcomes, employability, and holistic development in legal education. 

•    Ability to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and drive innovation across legal fields and with other academic disciplines. 

•    Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, with a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and integrity. 

•    Experience in international education, cross-cultural engagement, and global academic collaborations in the legal domain. 

•    Familiarity with the higher education landscape in the UAE, GCC, or MENA region (preferred).

•    Capacity to position the College as a regional and global leader in legal education, research, and practice, with proven ability to foster partnerships with international legal bodies and network.