Senior Lecturer in Fashion Design (XPU)

Senior Lecturer for BA Fashion Design/ BA Apparel Design Dual Award at Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an, China. (This post is UK based and involves blocks of time spent in Xi’an China).

De Montfort University (DMU) is an ambitious, globally-minded institution with a relentless focus on delivering quality teaching and learning, and a campus-wide focus on providing a sector-leading student experience. A culturally rich university with a palpable commitment to the public good, it strives to maintain a stimulating and inclusive environment where staff and students are able to thrive.

The School of Fashion and Textiles at De Montfort University (DMU) is seeking to recruit a Senior Lecturer for its dual award BA Fashion Design/ BA Apparel Design with Xi’an Polytechnic University (XPU). XPU is based in Xi’an, once known as Chang’an (Eternal Peace), a large city and capital of Shaanxi Province and the departure point of the Silk Road. The post holder will be part of a team of DMU academics responsible for the delivery of the DMU Fashion Design content at XPU. The post holder will be based at both institutions for extended periods of time each year.

Fashion and Textiles at DMU is well established with a recognised profile within the UK fashion education sector. Based in Leicester, it brings together Fashion Design, Textile Design, Fashion Buying, Fashion Management, Fashion Communication along with niche disciplines of Contour Fashion and Footwear Design. Housed in a dedicated Arts & Design building, the School incorporates undergraduate and postgraduate study with excellence in teaching, research and design consultancy with a commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The Fashion Design dual award with XPU is a 4 year programme taught in Xi’an. It has a broad first year (level 3) which includes English language learning. This is followed by fashion focussed content delivered in years 2, 3 and 4 (levels 4, 5 and 6) through a series of modules. In each year the content includes modules designed and delivered by XPU colleagues which are complemented by modules with content designed by DMU and delivered by DMU colleagues in Xi’an. Through this arrangement, the programme provides students with the opportunity to study Fashion in a broad context. This starts in year 2 with design concept development, and an introduction to textiles disciplines and is followed in years 3 and 4 with content that progresses the fashion design content and introduces DMU’s specialist subject areas of contour fashion, footwear and fashion buying. The programme is currently in its second year of delivery. This post is fixed term for 3 years, part time (0.5 FTE).

Our search is for a creative individual who has a broad fashion and textile knowledge. An individual with a multi-disciplinary approach who can contribute to the DMU aspect of the programme at XPU and deliver the DMU fashion and textile content initially at levels 4 and 5. We are looking for someone who specialises in the design research, concept development as part of the design process, with an understanding of 2D to 3D to support sample development. An understanding of working with stretch fabrics for products that contour the body would be desirable.

Our ideal candidate will have a degree and appropriate industry experience, an excellent understanding of the subject area and a thorough knowledge of the fashion and textile design processes. They will have undergraduate teaching experience, with in-country teaching experience as an advantage and good experience of delivering content in an engaging way to students. While it is intended that all teaching is undertaken in English, a working knowledge of Mandarin (or willingness to learn) will also be advantageous. Most importantly we are looking for someone who will embrace this opportunity to live and work overseas for parts of the academic year.

The post holder will be based at XPU for a minimum of two blocks of up to 10-12 weeks per year. One block in the Autumn semester and one block in the Spring semester. The post holder will benefit from free accommodation on campus whenever based at XPU. These will be the minimum requirements and further visits may be required.

You will be joining a successful School with the opportunity to contribute to our growing reputation as we embrace contemporary global challenges and will be expected to make a substantial contribution to the academic and reputational development of the subject area and to engage in scholarly research.

Interviews will provisionally take place w/c: 28th July 2025.