Position Profile: Executive Vice Chancellor, Duke Kunshan University

Institution: Duke Kunshan University (DKU)
Location: Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
Type: Executive, Full-time

About Duke Kunshan University

Duke Kunshan University (DKU) is a world-class liberal arts university based in Kunshan, China, that offers a range of high quality, innovative academic programs for a diverse student body from around the world. It was established in September 2013 as a US-China partnership between Duke University and Wuhan University.

DKU welcomed its first students in August 2014. The university began by offering Duke graduate degrees as well as a Global Learning Semester program for undergraduate students from Duke and top-tier Chinese and international universities. In August 2018, the university welcomed its first undergraduate degree students and graduated that first class in May 2022. The four-year bachelor’s degree program is within the liberal arts and sciences tradition, with emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, interdisciplinarity, collaboration and self-exploration, but also showcases curricular and pedagogical innovation in its robustly interdisciplinary undergraduate program.

The DKU campus, located outside of Shanghai, provides over 400 acres of high-tech classroom and lab space, a research institute, conference facilities, library, student and employee housing, a community center, and sports complex. Completed in multiple phases, the campus is scheduled to be fully utilized by Summer 2023.

The city of Kunshan, in Jiangsu Province, is one of China’s fastest-growing economies and is a hub for high-tech research and manufacturing. The city is surrounded by picturesque forests and water towns, and is connected by high-speed rail to Shanghai and Suzhou, two of China’s most dynamic cities.

View videos of DKU students’ signature work projects.

Data on Duke Kunshan University alumni (as of December 2022)

• Total DKU alumni: 1,363
• Undergraduate program alumni: 234
• Graduate program alumni: 629
• Global Learning Semester (GLS) alumni: 500

DKU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The university provides excellent compensation, benefits and start-up packages, which are comparable to those of US institutions.

For more information, visit the DKU web site: https://dukekunshan.edu.cn/.

Position Summary

The Executive Vice Chancellor (EVC) for DKU serves as the chief operating officer responsible for all operational and administrative functions and the academic programs at this comprehensive, world-class university prioritizing undergraduate liberal arts education with selected cutting-edge graduate programs and research foci, and for representing DKU programs in China, the US and internationally. The EVC reports to the DKU Chancellor, the university’s formal legal representative, and takes guidance from the Chair of the DKU Board of Trustees, who is the Provost of Duke University. In this position, the EVC is responsible for strategic planning and overseeing, through accountable personnel, the academic, administrative, operational, and fiscal operations of DKU. The EVC works closely with the DKU Chancellor, consulting regularly on strategic planning, policy, personnel, operational and financial matters as well as other issues as requested by the Chancellor. The EVC keeps the President and Provost of Duke University apprised of general trends and emerging policy issues in China that might affect DKU and regularly stays in touch with DKU trustees and senior leaders in Kunshan and Wuhan. The position is based in Kunshan, China.

Essential Duties

Specific responsibilities, include, but are not limited to the following:

Leading the DKU Campus: The EVC is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the administration and operations of the DKU campus. This includes recruiting and overseeing the academic and operational staff of DKU, including but not limited to, vice chancellors, deans and senior administrators, academic affairs, executive education, enrollment management, student life, construction and operations, research support, finance, human resources, and information technology.

Strategic Planning: The EVC is responsible for ongoing strategic planning for DKU. Through this planning, and working closely with Duke University, the Municipality of Kunshan and Wuhan University, the EVC develops a long-range vision, specific strategies and detailed administrative, operational and fiscal provisions to ensure the excellence of the DKU faculty and students, its teaching and research programs, the diversity of its faculty and staff, the vibrancy of its student life, and its engagements with external constituencies. The EVC will leverage DKU’s experience as a young university that continued to achieve success during the pandemic and committed to innovative and high-quality teaching, learning, and research. In exercising this planning leadership, the EVC coordinates closely with the DKU Board of Trustees.

Faculty Development and Governance: The EVC oversees and works closely with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA), who is responsible for developing the DKU faculty and nurturing a robust faculty governance culture. Working with the EVC, the VCAA is responsible for establishing faculty hiring priorities, recruiting outstanding faculty in close collaboration with DKU and Duke University colleagues, conducting annual and term reviews, setting faculty compensation levels and overseeing faculty governance.

Ongoing Program Assessment: The EVC is responsible for developing and maintaining a robust assessment program at course, program and institutional levels to guide quality improvement throughout the institution. This responsibility includes reporting and collaboration both with appropriate Chinese educational authorities and with Duke University and its accrediting agency. This will ensure that DKU educational and research programs are operating at world class levels in terms of student learning, faculty scholarship and development of a cohesive intellectual community.

Public Relations, Partner Relations, Government Relations and Development: With the Chancellor, the EVC serves as a chief spokesperson for DKU and regularly represents the university at educational conferences and other occasions, in China and internationally, to further public awareness of DKU. The EVC maintains regular communications with the most senior representatives of DKU’s partners as well as with the heads of appropriate government agencies and departments. The EVC plays an active role in DKU development activities, helping to secure gifts in support of DKU and maintaining excellent donor relations.

The EVC provides day-to-day leadership and oversight for the following university offices and functions: