Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University – Department of Accounting
Position Overview
School: International Business School Suzhou (IBSS)
Contract Type: Fixed-term, renewable. 3rd contract is open-ended
ABOUT XJTLU
In 2006, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) was founded by a partnership between the University of Liverpool, UK, and Xi’an Jiaotong University, 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 studying in both Suzhou and Liverpool in the UK. There are currently about 2,500 staff, including more than 1,300 academic staff from over 60 countries. XJTLU offers our undergraduates and postgraduates over 120 programmes with a diverse spectrum of courses.
With a focus on innovative education 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 the same time, XJTLU is exploring future education by blending the educational theory, best practice and culture from the West and the East.
The current year marks the 20th anniversary of XJTLU. As part of its strategic priorities for the coming decade, the university is entering a new and exciting phase of development. XJTLU continues to innovate in education models, and is now transitioning from a collection of distinct approaches toward a unified, integrated Academy model – a syntegrative ecosystem designed to break down silos, enhance agility, and solidify XJTLU’s position at the forefront of global education and research.
For detailed information about the university, please visit here.
LOCATION
XJTLU is located in the Higher Education Town of Suzhou’s Industrial Park (SIP). Suzhou is a 2-hour drive west of Shanghai. The city is well-connected via nearby airports (Shanghai, Wuxi, and Hangzhou) to cities such as Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, and Taipei, and via high-speed rail to most major cities in China.
Suzhou has a long history of being an educational center of China. And the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), with its abundance of research and development opportunities, is a regional hub of innovative change and home to over 120 of the Fortune 500 Companies. Greater Suzhou represents the fourth largest concentration of economic activity in China in terms of GDP, with a GDP per capita exceeding that of the UK.
Suzhou encompasses the spirit of both old and new in China, with the historic old town’s canals, UNESCO World Heritage Site gardens, and many museums attracting millions of tourists annually. SIP offers an excellent quality of life with high environmental standards. The nearby Jinji Lake provides attractive views, by day and by night, and there is a variety of shopping facilities, international and local restaurants, entertainment hubs and nightlife. Suzhou is also home to several international schools. Suzhou has been ranked as one of Asia’s Top 50 Most Livable Cities (2024 – 2025).
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL SUZHOU (IBSS)
International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is growing in size and influence in pursuit of its vision to be a leading international business school. The school is based on strong principles of internationalism, innovation, inspiration and integrity, which together ensure a positive impact on society through our teaching, research and business engagement. In that pursuit, IBSS became the youngest “triple crown” business school, accredited by AACSB (2016), EQUIS (2018), and AMBA/BGA (2020).
The five departments of IBSS are Accounting, Economics, Finance, Intelligent Operations and Marketing, and Strategic Management and Organizations with over 180 faculty members and more than 6,000 students from over 60 different countries. IBSS delivers a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, IMBA, PhD and Executive Education programmes across all major business disciplines.
The Department of Accounting becomes an independent academic unit with the beginning of the 2020/21 academic year, as a result of splitting the original Department of Accounting and Finance. At present, the Accounting Department has a team of 30 academic staff, publishing in high-quality international accounting journals and also maintaining a balance of academic research and professional engagement. More than 90% of our accounting faculty members are affiliated with at least one of the professional accounting bodies as follows: AICPA, UK CIMA/ICAEW/ACCA, CA/CPA Australia, CICPA/HKICPA. Members of the department mainly teach BA Accounting programme and MSc Professional Accounting programme, and also support widely many other business-related programmes. Our MSc Professional Accounting programme has received professional accreditation from ICAEW. BA Accounting programme has received professional accreditations from the ACCA, CIMA, CPA Australia and ICAEW. In addition, our BA Accounting students have been performing well in national/international competitions organized by professional accounting bodies: for example, our students won 2nd place and 4th place (2020) in China’s ICAEW BC competition, and championship (2020) in CIMA GBC competition in North Asia region.
RESPONSIBILITIES
XJTLU is a research-led university. In this context, even though the workload of faculty in IBSS is generally shared between teaching, research, and service, early-career faculty members are expected to spend the majority of their time on research, followed by teaching, then service. Research activities include the publication of research articles, attendance of international conferences, and applications for research funding. Research performance in the School is benchmarked on internationally recognized lists of journal quality such as the Academic Journal Guide (UK) – a.k.a. the ABS list – and the ABDC list (Australia). The target levels on those lists are ABS-3/ABDC-A or above.
QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCES
Essential Qualifications/Experience:
The successful applicant is expected to have:
- A PhD degree in Accounting or a related field,
- Teaching experience in higher education,
- A well‑rounded research profile, with the experience in publishing work in top-tier academic journals (ABS-4/ABDC-A*),
- The ability to conduct applied research relevant to the School’s industry partnerships and networks,
- A strong commitment and passion for education, with a willingness to contribute to the ongoing advancement of our educational model in the AI era
The successful applicant to more senior professorial ranks is expected to also show:
- A well-rounded research profile that balances top-tier academic research with applied, industry-relevant research aligned with the School’s industrial networks,
- A number of external research grants awards,
- Experience in PhD supervision,
- A motivation to mentor junior faculty,
- A solid wide range of academic leadership skills.
Desirable Qualifications/Experience:
- Professional qualifications (ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, CPA, CFA or equivalent),
- Curriculum design and programme development experience,
- Engagement with business community,
- Adaptability in working in a collegial environment
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 60 may be not eligible for a work visa in the P.R. China.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
- Clear career development path with annual review.
- 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
- Kids’ education allowance
- Relocation allowance
- Etc.
2. Commercial insurance: international insurance plans customized for XJTLU staff and family members. (details refer to the University Policy)
3. Paid holidays:
- Statutory Holidays (13 days)
- Annual Leave (34 days)
- Family Matters Leave
- Paid Sick Leave
- Marriage Leave
- Paternity Leave
- Parental leave
- Etc.
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 email the head of Accounting Department Prof. Peng Cheng at Peng.Cheng@xjtlu.edu.cn
Informal enquiries may be addressed to HRBP of IBSS Ms. Ye Lan at Ye.Lan@xjtlu.edu.cn
Please quote the position and job ID in your enquiry.
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