Dean of Academic Affairs

https://www.fus.edu/about-franklin/job-opportunities

About Franklin Switzerland

Founded in 1969, Franklin Switzerland is among the first institutions to bring the U.S. liberal arts model to Europe. Located in Sorengo, overlooking Lugano and its lake in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, Franklin combines a residential learning community, small classes, close faculty-student engagement, interdisciplinary study, and a global outlook. Franklin is accredited in the United States by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and operates as an accredited university institute within the Swiss higher education system.

A defining feature of Franklin's curriculum is Academic Travel: faculty-designed and faculty-led study trips that connect classroom learning with international, place-based experiences. Integrated into course objectives and assessment, Academic Travel engages students directly with the historical, cultural, political, environmental, and social contexts they study. Franklin offers undergraduate and graduate programs and promotes a strong culture of teaching, scholarship, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

As a university institute in Switzerland, Franklin is committed to research standards, external grant activity, and academic quality assurance. Its graduate offerings include the Master of Arts in Sustainability and Transformation and the Swiss-accredited PhD in Political Science. Franklin engages with quality frameworks administered by MSCHE, the Swiss Accreditation Council (SAC), and the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ).

The Opportunity

Franklin Switzerland invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of Academic Affairs (Chief Academic Officer), with an anticipated start in July 2027 for the 2027-28 academic year. Reporting to the President and working closely with the President's Cabinet, the Dean leads the academic programs, operations, and support functions of the institution and contributes to its strategic direction.

Franklin seeks a collaborative, forward-thinking academic leader who can advance its U.S. residential liberal arts model while supporting the research, quality, and institutional expectations of Swiss and European higher education. The Dean works closely with faculty governance bodies, Associate Deans, academic program leadership, and support units to promote teaching excellence, academic innovation, faculty scholarship, and student success. The role combines strategic leadership with substantial day-to-day academic administrative responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

Academic Leadership and Curriculum Development

• Lead the development, periodic review, and enhancement of undergraduate and graduate academic programs, ensuring academic quality and alignment with Franklin's mission.
• Strengthen the residential liberal arts curriculum, its interdisciplinary character, and its emphasis on active, student-centered, and experiential education.
• Support the continued development and full academic integration of Franklin's signature Academic Travel program, including its connections to course learning outcomes.
• Guide proposals for new academic programs and curricular initiatives in response to institutional priorities and emerging educational needs.

Faculty Development and Pedagogy

• Promote teaching excellence through faculty development in active liberal arts learning, effective curriculum design, and student-centered pedagogy.
• Encourage innovative teaching approaches suited to a diverse, international, residential learning community.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty exchange, and a collegial and intellectually engaged academic culture.

Faculty Leadership and Shared Governance

• Collaborate with faculty governance bodies and committees on academic policies and shared-governance processes.
• Oversee faculty evaluation, promotion, and professional development processes in partnership with the appropriate faculty committees.
• Provide academic leadership and support for faculty work, while encouraging productive relationships across academic divisions and programs.

Student Success and Academic Support

• Partner with the Associate Dean for Student Success and colleagues across the institution to strengthen advising, learning support, and academic policies that promote student success.
• Ensure effective academic support systems, including academic advising, learning assistance, and appropriate academic accommodations, consistent with a U.S.-style residential liberal arts environment.
• Work with academic support units and student services to address student academic concerns and maintain a responsive, supportive learning environment.

Research and Scholarly Engagement

• Support a vibrant culture of faculty research and scholarship across disciplines, consistent with the expectations of a Swiss university institute and the broader international academic community.
• Encourage applications for competitive research funding, major external grants, and research partnerships.
• Provide academic leadership for research-related programs, including Franklin's Swiss-accredited PhD in Political Science.
• Promote interdisciplinary research addressing global challenges, including sustainability and social impact.

Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation

• Lead academic assessment, institutional effectiveness, and evidence-informed continuous improvement in partnership with the Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness.
• Ensure that academic programs and processes meet applicable U.S. and Swiss accreditation and quality-assurance requirements, including MSCHE, SAC, and AAQ frameworks.
• Play a central role in preparing institutional self-studies, accreditation reports, academic documentation, and other academic reporting.

Academic Operations and Resource Stewardship

• Work with the Associate Deans to oversee academic operations, including the Registrar's Office, course scheduling, academic calendar planning, catalog and policy administration, and academic records.
• Provide leadership for academic support functions, including the Library, Writing and Learning Center, digital pedagogy initiatives, and institutional research.
• Coordinate the Academic Affairs budget and collaborate with the President's Cabinet on institutional planning and responsible allocation of academic resources.
• Support coordination among faculty committees, academic programs, administrative units, and student services in day-to-day academic matters.

Continuing Education

• Support the development and management of continuing education initiatives that make Franklin's educational mission accessible to additional audiences.
• Provide leadership for the continuation and orderly transition of existing executive education activities through their current program cycle.

Academic Affairs Portfolio

The Dean's current portfolio includes the Associate Dean for Student Success, Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness, Registrar, Library Director, Academic Affairs Coordinator, Director of the Green Office, Coordinator of Digital Pedagogy Initiatives and the Writing and Learning Center, and academic Program Directors. Reporting relationships and responsibilities may be adjusted in consultation with the President to respond to institutional priorities and operational needs.

Experience and Qualifications

• A terminal degree from an accredited institution in an appropriate discipline; academic accomplishments sufficient for appointment at the rank of full professor are preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in academic leadership within higher education, including collaborative decision-making and a commitment to shared governance.
• Deep familiarity with the U.S. residential liberal arts model, its pedagogical foundations, faculty roles, and student support expectations; experience as a faculty member or academic leader within a residential liberal arts institution is highly desirable.
• Experience with institutional accreditation, academic assessment, or higher education quality-assurance frameworks.
• Familiarity with, or a willingness to develop a strong understanding of, Swiss and European higher education, including expectations for research productivity, research funding, and institutional quality assurance.
• An ability to work constructively across disciplines and academic cultures and to balance academic vision with operational responsibilities.
• Knowledge of Italian, or willingness to learn the language, is an asset; knowledge of another Swiss national language is advantageous.

How to Apply

Please submit a curriculum vitae, a letter of interest addressing the responsibilities and qualifications described above, and contact information for three professional references. Applications and nominations are welcome.

Send application materials to DAAsearch@fus.edu

Review of applications will begin December 1, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is July 2027.