Hospitality is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic sectors of global business. In this issue, Dr Catherine Cheung, Associate Dean of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM), shared how PolyU responded to this increasing demand for highly-qualified talents in hospitality management and introduced a tripartite master degree programme.
What qualities should future leaders in hospitality management have?
In this highly-connected world, it is vital for future leaders in the field of hospitality management to have strong international perspectives and in-depth understanding of local markets. Hence, cultural immersion is a key to a holistic approach to the global hospitality business.
How does the School of Hotel and Tourism Management respond to such demand?
Our School has anticipated this demand and therefore partnered with Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) and Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, University of Houston (UH), to offer a world-class tripartite Master of Science in Global Hospitality Business programme. Students will gain first-hand insights to the specificities of global hotel and tourism markets, as well as strong professional exposure.
This September, the first cohort of students had begun the classes at the EHL in Switzerland and will move to our School in Hong Kong for their second semester and finally complete their third semester at the UH, USA. Spending three months on each campus, they will benefit from the valuable exposure and knowledge to be gained across three continents.
What are the features of the programme?
Fully endorsed by top hospitality companies, this intensive 16-month programme includes practical, real-life professional experience with industry partners. Taught by “glocal” expertise, the programme covers 4-5 days of workshops for students to gain insights from hospitality professionals and complete a report with live industry data. During each semester, students will participate in field trips to hospitality and tourism centres in Paris, Macau and New York. This allows them to experience behind-the-scenes view of chief hospitality and tourism destinations with an exclusive chance to meet with local major players. In addition, students will have a real-life consultancy Capstone project to complete with three months’ work at collaborating companies.
What experiences will the programme bring to students?
The students will not only learn from faculty with international background, be immersed in the culture and business practices of each continent, and attend many professional seminars, but also exchange with a talented cohort from across the globe while enjoying an exceptional proximity to buoyant markets.
They will also experience three world-class campuses with research centres and have access to three outstanding alumni networks. While gaining exposure to the latest trends in the hospitality and service industries, they can refine their career plans and shape their global perspectives.