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Can a college professor teach courses for an institution or a company that is independent of the university where he holds a faculty position?

An example: Say a professor teaches English courses at a university. Is that professor allowed to teach those same English courses at an independent institution or company? Is there a conflict of interest? Would such a situation need to be approved by the university?

Ewe
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  • As the existing answers have made clear, this is going to depend on your jurisdiction, since it's essentially a question of employment law. The question might be improved by stating where this is. – origimbo Nov 22 '18 at 21:10
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    @origimbo more a matter of the terms of the specific contract, actually. Even in the same location and same university, the contract for tenure track faculty might not allow it while the contract for non-TT does, etc. – ff524 Nov 22 '18 at 21:13

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That would vary by country and by institution. In some situations you are explicitly prohibited from "competing" with your home institution. I've known people that were fired for serious violation.

But for some things, such as developing online courses, you might, on the contrary, even be encouraged to do so. But that assumes that your institution isn't part of that activity.

Somewhere your institution has a legal office that will let you know the parameters that you can work within. Or you may have a copy of your specific contract that spells it out.

Buffy
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Yes, it would need approval, if it is permitted. In some institutions it would not be permitted.

Solar Mike
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The answer might depend on your country, but at least in Germany this would be fully legal, as long as

  • it is declared to your university in advance
  • you are investing not more then 8h/week.

I would assume that those rules are different in other countries.

OBu
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