But professors themselves apply different criteria.

"The old meaning was someone who gives tough exams," said Sa'ad Asfour, professor of marketing and management at the American University in Dubai.

"I feel those who are emotionally intelligent, positive, unbiased, creative and passionate about teaching and stimulate intellect can't be labelled as difficult. Difficult professors may be considered intimidating, boring, opinionated and hard to learn from."

What students think

"A difficult professor is someone who doesn't do his or her job properly. If they don't like you, then to them your work is
not efficient. Some factors like ethnicity influence this," said Samar Saleh, a mass communication student at the American University of Sharjah.

Amina Zia, a business student at the American University in Dubai, labelled a difficult professor as "someone who is too
precise about the layout of a subjective answer, or who overloads students with too much unnecessary work, who is stubborn about participation and attendance."

"I think I am a good student," continued Zia. "I study when I have to; I usually get the grades I deserve, and I help friends
in need. I also establish good relations with my professors."

Dealing with them

Zia said that if she comes across a difficult professor, she "just takes it easy and does what they expect".

However if the professor is too difficult to handle, she "drops the class and takes it with another professor".

Reem Mohammad, an architecture student at the American University of Sharjah, deals with them in a similar way.

"If I don't like the professor and think that his method of teaching is very difficult, I will take the same course with
another professor in the next semester. Otherwise, I would stay in the course and take notes from a friend who took the same course previously with a different professor."

"I try not to give professors anything to complain about. I do my work on time. My main aim is to pass and mainly I achieve that, no matter how difficult the professor is," said Saleh.

In conclusion, Professor Asfour said: "Teaching is about delivering a service and service quality outcome depends on the service provider, recipient and the environment. Any distraction in any of the three elements might enhance or ruin the service level; therefore, I believe professors, students and the universities shoulder the responsibility in making this
happen."

Atia Rabbani, Gulf News Report

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