From Hong Kong to Saudi Arabia: Developing academic programmes in tourism and hospitality management
A symbol of excellence in the field and ranked among the top hotel and tourism schools in the world, PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) offers high-level consultancy and professional advisory services to both private and public organisations worldwide. Recently, the SHTM secured a consultancy project to develop academic programmes in tourism and hospitality management for the University of Tabuk (UT) in Saudi Arabia.
A country with a rich historical and cultural heritage, Saudi Arabia has enormous potential for tourism development and large tourism projects are underway to develop luxury destinations in its northwestern region. Located in the same region, the UT is establishing a new College of Tourism and Hospitality to complement the university's development and meet the talent needs of the industry.
The SHTM will work with the UT to develop a bachelor's programme; three vocationally oriented programmes in hospitality, food and beverage, and tourism; and a bridging programme for graduates of the vocationally oriented programmes to complete the bachelor's programme by articulation.
This project follows a previous one with the King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia five years ago, in which the SHTM developed a diploma programme and a bachelor’s programme in travel and tourism management, and a master’s programme in event and tourism management.
“Our consultancy projects in Saudi Arabia fully demonstrate our School’s knowledge transfer competence in designing tourism and hospitality programmes for countries that recognise the importance and potential of tourism and hospitality development and higher education,” said Professor Kaye Chon, Dean of the SHTM, Chair Professor and Walter and Wendy Kwok Family Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management. “We are very proud to share our experience and knowledge in nurturing talents for the sustainable development of the industry with peer institutions.”
Over the years, the School’s expert consultants have worked on many successful consultancy projects with clients from around the globe. In 2018, the SHTM further stepped up its service to the hospitality and tourism sector by collaborating with its teaching and research hotel, Hotel ICON, to launch the SHTM+ICON Consultancy. Combining a unique educational model, cutting-edge research and an award-winning hospitality experience, the Consultancy is committed to engineering knowledge transfer to the industry and other education institutes.
