With a vision to inspire, innovate, and transform, Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences Hospitality Management Program instills these traits in its curriculum model and attains the standards set by its professional accreditation body.

The Future of Hospitality Education

Exciting times are here for Auburn University’s Hospitality Management Program as a first-of-its-kind educational and commercial facility is set to open in August of 2022. The Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center will house the College of Human Sciences’ esteemed Hospitality Management Program and bring unique dining and lodging experiences to visitors.

“The Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center will elevate educational and engagement opportunities for our students as we move forward, in a way that will have the industry and those working in academia take notice,” College of Human Sciences Dean Susan Hubbard said.

This center focuses on preparing graduates for different careers in the vast hospitality sector with many hands-on learning opportunities. It will also provide elevated experiences to visitors through the 1856 teaching restaurant, a microbrewery, a coffee roastery and cafe, a luxury-level hotel and spa, a food hall, a rooftop venue with a sustainable garden, and more.

The Rane Culinary Science Center will take education to the next level by incorporating innovative teaching spaces and partnering with industry professionals through Ithaka Hospitality Partners (IHP), the managing operator of the center. Students will gain a real-world hospitality education as they train in every area of the facility.

Distinctive Study Options

Auburn University has been offering the Hospitality Management Program since 1987 and was initially offered as a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Since 2019, it evolved into a B.S. in Hospitality Management that offers three study options—Hotel and Restaurant Management, Event Management, and Culinary Science. Over the years, the program has evolved from being purely theory-driven, to a blended educational model where students are required to take a mix of combined lecture and laboratory-style classes. In these classes, they are guided, prepared, and exposed to real-world commercial projects and problems, rather than focusing on purely simulated learning environments.

The external operator Ithaka Hospitality Partners manages the on-site Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center and The Rane Culinary Science Center. It works with the faculty to ensure that all students are exposed to numerous practical operations as part of their curriculum. The IHP executive team serves as an affiliate faculty of the program and assists in helping students meet a 400-hour internship requirement and at least 600 hours of relevant on-program work experience.

Reputation and Recognition

The Hospitality Management Program (HOSP) at Auburn University aims to develop a future leadership team for the global hospitality management industry. The program not only values hard work and real-world experiences but also encourages social and ethical responsibility and diversity in a practically oriented and intellectually challenging learning environment. Credentialed faculty, real-time experience options, direct hands-on industry partnerships, and a state-of-the-art learning environment set the hospitality program apart from other programs. Graduate-level degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels are available in Hospitality Management.

It proudly boasts a 91 percent retention rate for the 2020-21 academic year and 90 percent of students found employment within 90 days following graduation. Being one of just 46 nationally accredited four-year programs worldwide by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA), the Auburn Hospitality Management Program has established a reputation for producing high-quality graduates that are highly sought-after.

The Culinary Science option within the Hospitality Management Program is currently one of only six education programs in the nation certified by the World Association of Chefs Societies. The Worldchefs Recognition is the only certification program offered internationally that evaluates culinary programs. 

Supporting Diversity

The Hospitality Management program at Auburn University emphasizes diversity and inclusion and integrates both as a core learning value in its curriculum. It believes that hiring faculty from various backgrounds is critical when it comes to educating students about an industry as globally focused and diverse as hospitality management.

To ensure diversity, it has appointed faculty from different parts of the world such as Australia, the Kingdom of Jordan, Ireland, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Jamaica, and the U.S. Additionally, in a campus-wide fundraising program, donors fully funded a proposed Hospitality Management Graduate School Workshop. This special project called “Creating a Pathway for Underrepresented Graduate Students” will provide crucial information, mentorship, and advice aimed at increasing diversity in the program.

Creating Future Hospitality Leaders

The AU hospitality management program hosts an annual Career and Internship Fair for students as numerous regional, national, and international recruiters from corporate offices participate in this event.

The program welcomes recruiters from many companies that wish to visit campus to engage students in internships and career opportunities. It consistently works with companies offering students many high-impact learning experiences that improve the competitive skills needed for employment after graduation. For example, 70 students had the opportunity to work at the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Ga. in the Spring of 2022.

The capstone project of the events management track is the annual Hospitality Gala. This student-led event allows students to design and execute a formal dinner and a fundraiser that includes an impressive guest list. Each year, the Gala welcomes many renowned chefs, winemakers, and honorees from across the U.S. and the world who have showcased excellence in their respective fields. The program also arranges study tours such as the Epicurean Wine Tour and study abroad opportunities with the support of the Gala.

International Expansion

The Hospitality Management program focuses on global exposure, both in terms of the curriculum and the encouragement of studying abroad. It has a specialized Global Hospitality course that focuses on the nuances of doing business internationally. It provides students with excellent experiences in how local culture influences global business. Additionally, it strongly supports study abroad and encourages all students to complete a “for-credit” study abroad opportunity before graduation.

Learn more about Auburn University’s Hospitality Management Program at http://humsci.auburn.edu/hosp/ugrad/

Note to the Students:

READ MORE: The 10 Best Hospitality Institutes to Look out for in 2022

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Pacific Link College (PLC) provides high-quality, innovative and practical hospitality education. Established in 2011, the college is creating innovative programs to help students achieve their dream careers in the hospitality industry. 

Distinguished Beginning

Previously, Pacific Link college was established as a language school. In 2017, it introduced career-focused programs specialized in IT, business, and hospitality fields and expanded from its first cohort batch of 100 students to 1000 students per year presently. Its first career-centered campus is at Guildford, Surrey, British Columbia, while the second campus is located in Burnaby.

PLC has grown significantly due to its strong focus on student services and assistance as well as quality teaching techniques. Its hospitality-related programs focus heavily on skills such as management and business development, both in terms of course content and co-op. The college provides paid internships where students are offered opportunities to practice those skills they acquire during the courses. One of the most popular programs offered by PLC is its 2-year Business Hospitality Management Advanced Diploma.

Versatile Programs

PLC has expanded internationally and strives to provide global exposure and professional experience to students. The college affirms that hospitality is a global work sector— one that PLC is familiar with, with its partners across the globe, from Dubai to Singapore. The hospitality programs offered by PLC draw on international partnerships from various countries.

PLC has connected with highly trained and talented industry professionals who guide the students. Students receive certificates for components such as hosting, along with hands-on experience in co-op. Within its hospitality faculty, the college offers three programs:

• A 2-year Business Hospitality Management Advanced Diploma
• A 1-year Tourism, Hospitality, and Service Co-op Diploma (Shorter Canadian Workspace skills)
• A 2-year Global Restaurant Entrepreneurship Diploma (New addition)

All the programs include a co-op that offers paid internships in the industry. Through these programs, graduates acquire a deep understanding of hospitality management, exceptional marketing skills and techniques, excellent public speaking skills, and real experiences in the industry. Additionally, PLC’s co-op programs offer flexible study formats such as combined learning (online+offline), industry-leading faculty, and a robust student support system.

Fostering Diverse Culture

PLC has expanded its education at a global level, with numerous international students pursuing hospitality management at the campus. The college has emphasized the importance of diversity on-campus where students, faculty as well as the staff are encouraged to celebrate diversity. Since 2018, PLC has primarily focused on diversity. The college hence hosts a student body that includes 90% international students and advisors who can speak more than 15 languages. Moreover, it celebrates multicultural events such as Holi, Eid, Chinese/Tet New Year, and many more cultural festivals throughout the year on its campus.

Providing Practical Education

Practical education is vital for students as it is applicable in future careers. With that said, PLC’s structure focuses more on labs/practical learning environments rather than emphasizing lectures. The college also offers co-curricular and extra-curricular programs to increase student engagement. Its extra curriculum includes field trips, guest lecturers from the industry, and practical learning exercises.

Preparing for Industry

Over the past 20 years, the hospitality industry has undergone significant growth, both in terms of job opportunities and quality education. Career opportunities demand exceptional skills and knowledge in the industry. PLC focuses on providing quality, innovative and practical education. Students are taught the newest ideas in the industry that qualify them for work in the fast-paced world. 

Through the hospitality program offered by PLC, students gain the ability to acquire industry experience in various fields. These include hotels, airline companies, cruise ship companies, recreational resorts, motels, convention & catering firms, private inns, and tour companies.

PLC provides career-focused programs and numerous career opportunities. Additionally, the paid co-op is a part of each program.

The co-op department works with every student to find and prepare them for work opportunities in hospitality, tourism, and restaurant service. It also takes follow-ups of students to the end of the co-op to ensure each student has a rewarding co-op work experience.

Future Preparation

Strategic initiatives by PLC are helping it grow nationwide and worldwide. Quality education attracts students around the globe and the college plans to expand education in hospitality and the presence of the college in Canada as well as outside the country. For this, it is planning to add a new campus in Montreal, Canada. Along with its hospitality study programs, PLC plans to introduce programs to fulfill the human resource demands in Canada that include trades, healthcare, and information technology.

PLC has envisioned developing a full independent campus that can provide education to 5000 students by the year 2030. The college has also planned to establish partnerships with the governments and ministries of many countries, adding to ones it already holds such as that with the ministry of education of Morocco.

Within the hospitality faculty, the anticipated program for the upcoming year is a post-graduate diploma in hospitality. PLC proudly admits that this particular program has been requested by students, professionals, and institutes around the world. The PG diploma program will be ready by the fall of 2022.

Note to the students:

READ MORE: The 10 Best Hospitality Institutes to Look out for in 2022

The post Pacific Link College: Building Careers with Excellent Hospitality Education appeared first on The Education Magazine.

The Tourism industry is the largest indigenous employer in Ireland with a workforce of 260,000 pre-COVID-19. The Irish “Céad Mile Fáilte’ is synonymous all over the world so it is of no surprise that we find Ireland’s leading Hotel School located in the Irish capital of Arts and Tourism and this year’s European Capital of Culture – Galway.

Nestled on the west coast of Ireland Galway is the only city on the Wild Atlantic Way, the now-famous Irish coastal drive stretching from Donegal to Cork. The Tourism industry is vibrant all along this route and it is well served and supported by Galway Mayo Institute of Technology and the well-established Galway International Hotel School. Tourism spans across sectors such as restaurants, hotels, and food-related businesses. Students who want to build a career in this global industry will hugely benefit from an accredited award from any of the leading international Hotel Schools however few higher education Institutes will have a school entirely dedicated to this fascinating industry. Welcome to Galway Mayo Institute of Technology and the Galway International Hotel School, home to Ireland’s leading International school supporting the Tourism industry and the first higher education provider in Ireland to award a degree in Hotel Management in 1977. The school has come a long since these days and is a valued and strategic partner for tourism industry bodies in Ireland and beyond.

Rich and vibrant history in higher education

Since its inception in 1972, GMIT has been tasked with serving the West of Ireland’s educational needs. Today, it is one of the leading educational institutes in Ireland that offer first-class education, an English-speaking environment, and rich European and Irish cultural experiences. It has also been awarded as the Sunday Times Institute of Technology of the year on three occasions—2004, 2007, and 2015 respectively.

GMIT comprises of five campuses in the West of Ireland. The headquarters are located on the main Galway Campus (home to the Schools of Business, Engineering, Hotel, Science & Computing). Also in the city you will find the Galway School of Design and Creative Arts, which is home to courses in Film & Documentary, Contemporary Arts and Design. This campus is also home to RTE, the national state broadcaster, Galway Film Centre and the UNESCO City of Film office , this designation was bestowed on Galway in 2014. The second department in this school can be found 80km west of the city at  GMIT Letterfrack (home to the National Centre for Excellence in Furniture Design and Manufacturing). The third campus , east of Galway city is GMIT Mountbellew  and this team offers a small number of courses in Agriculture Science, Agriculture Engineering and Business. Finally, the final campus is located in the picturesque country town of Castlebar, Co Mayo. Only 70km from Galway city GMIT Mayo is located on the grounds of Mayo University Hospital and is home to courses in Nursing, Social Care, Early Childhood Education, Outdoor Education, and many other disciplines.

GMIT’s Galway International Hotel School has expanded over the last fifty years and has matured into a truly international school. Many of the staff, both faculty and the support team have worked across Europe in the tourism industry and bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the school. The curriculum is very internationally focused as a result of global engaged with many leading industry partners and alumni. This ensures the school graduates are work-ready or able to start their own enterprise after completion of their course. The students voice is an important part of the school ethos and their input is sought throughout the academic year. Each class has one or two student representatives and these nominees sit on programme boards with faculty and managers and inform the school team on all aspects of their learning. When the school engages in programme reviews and curriculum development the student input is a vital part of that process. When the school develops new marketing material or promotes courses or opportunities to other learners it is very common to hear from students at these events as they take pride in being part of a special school and organization. As a result the relationships between the faculty and students and managers are very professional, open and constructive. Faculty instigate an open-door policy often meetings students to provide extra support outside of class if a student falls behind or struggles with a project or assessment. This type of interaction is very common across GMIT where faculty will go above and beyond for students who are committed to their studies and work hard. However, if you fail to show up for class or skip assessments you might expect a different style of engagement when you next meet your lecturer in the classroom.

Imbibing latest trends in Courses

All courses developed in the Galway International Hotel School are student-centered, and industry-focused providing students with the essential skills they need to begin a career in the Tourism industry. Furthermore, courses host guest lectures and masterclasses are typically offered by leading industry personnel. As part of the course, the faculty schedule visits to industry partners for students, and specific courses include a mandatory European education tour. Also, all courses have a mandatory work placement component as part of the course, thereby ensuring that all students spend time working with industry practitioners and learning form the best.

This style of engagement, accredited work placement, industry visits or masterclasses ensures students are learning from approved industry partners. It also provides the school with an opportunity to ensure students are learning the latest industry trends and clearly demonstrates how agile and nimble good tourism leaders need to be in this ever-changing world.

Student-Centric Campus Environment

Students’ growth, both academically and socially, while being members of the campus community is a significant part of the university’s success. The campus environment across all five campuses varies due to the geographical location, but one trait they all have in common is the ‘student-centered’ focus. To create a student-friendly environment, students and staff are on first name terms. Managers across schools and functions are available and accessible to students. GMIT has an outstanding team working across Student Services and Academic Affairs who provide many supports to students if and when needed. The main campus hosts a small medical unit, a counselling service, a chaplaincy to support spiritual needs and a team of administers who can guide students in the right direction. In addition, this team is home to the Institute’s vibrant Careers and Employment Service which provides many different support tools for students when seeking employment and graduate opportunities.

At the Galway International Hotel School students also have access to facilities such as training restaurants and specialized kitchens, lecture theatres, demonstration theatre, food, beverage, and food science labs. In addition to the usual dining choices on campus, students are permitted and encouraged to use the Galway International Hotel School’s training restaurants. These facilities offer genuinely accessible dining options for students from Monday to Friday. With such a vast range of student services, supports, and activities, Galway International Hotel School is a great school to learn and thrive for students.

For many students, sport is an integral part of life, and the Institute supports this in many ways. The Students Union, located on all campuses runs many different societies including sporting clubs for Soccer, GAA (Irish football, hurling and camogie), Archery, Rugby, Basketball, Cricket, Water-sports and Cheerleading but to name some.

Financial Aid

Today’s skyrocketing cost of higher education is not affordable for many families. GMIT understands this and offers support to students in a number of ways. In addition, students who come from within the EU are eligible to pay only the student contribution fee. However if students are from outside of the EU, the Institute offers very competitive fees and some scholarship opportunities. For more information on international fees and scholarship opportunities please check out the website at https://www.gmit.ie/international/non-eu-scholarships

The world is your oyster – accredited work placement and more

Ensuring any industry has a vibrant talented work force is the responsibility of governments worldwide. Tourism is undoubtedly a truly global industry and at GMIT ensuring students are ready for all aspects of work placement is a key focus for staff in the LINKS Office at the Galway International Hotel School. This small team work with all students to help them prepare for work placement and find exciting graduate opportunities as they reach the end of their course. GMIT opened the LINKS Office in 2008 and the teamwork with over 500 students annually. All degree programmes have thirty-week placements, some in Ireland but many overseas. Due to a global alumni network and a dedicated LINKS Office team these placements are located across all five continents ensuring students truly can learn from the best.

In addition to the above, the LINKS Office team also organise and host the annual Tourism Careers Fair in early spring. This is one of the many collaborative highlights in the school academic year as more than 80 employers from around the world attend this event to meet students and discuss their career opportunities or work placement needs. Many students have organized career options long before the final examinations start and this provides a huge sense of achievement as they are nearing the end of their course.

New plans for students and industry

Cáit Noone, the Head of School and Vice President of International Engagement, is very optimistic about the future of the tourism industry and believes that it can adapt when required to do so. She joined the GMIT in November 2007, having worked overseas for sixteen years. She is joined on the School Management Team by two every experienced industry practitioners–Jacinta Dalton, Head of Culinary Arts and the Service Industries and Diarmuid ÓConghaile, Head of Heritage and Tourism, Languages, Communications, and Humanities. Cáit believes that this current global pandemic COVID-19 has presented opportunities for higher education to embrace innovation and think differently. Delivering courses with social distancing is presenting new challenges but moving all learning online is simply not an option as courses across GMIT have practical components, a feature enjoyed by many students and truly unique practice in Irish Institutes of Technology.  “Faculty are currently working on developing a hybrid model of delivery from September which will allow us to deliver some classes on campus and the remainder online. This means students can still continue with their preferred course of study once they are allowed to travel”.

Moreover, schools like the Galway International Hotel School are full of bright, talented, creative minds, and that is just the students!  No one is keen to investigate how students might be part of the COVID-19 industry solution. Faulty in our school often work with industry partners on business-related challenges, we will be looking to struggling businesses to continue working with us and we will be keen to hear from students as to their proposed solutions. In addition, the school team is keen to work with industry partners to encourage them to use this downtime to continue their professional development. With some of the courses moving online for September this could be the right time for upgrading qualifications or learning a new skill. She further states, “Technology has allowed us to change how we do our business. Now, let us use technology to do what we need to restart or change our business model.  As experienced educators and industry partners, our brains are often tired because we know the roadblocks ahead, leaners in the classroom are often not inhibited by such blocks and find ways around problems that we may have not considered.”

The Future is Bright

In today’s ever-changing world, strategic planning is a keystone for higher education organizations and GMIT is no different. In April 2019 Ireland’s Minister for Higher Education, Ms. Mary Mitchell O’Connor, officially launched the new strategic plan that will take GMIT to 2024. The new strategic plan represents the next stage of GMIT’s growth as it transitions to a Technological University (TU) together with its CUA partners, Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT), and Institute of Technology Sligo (ITS). This plan aims to provide a transformative university experience for students, empowering graduates to fully contribute to the social, economic, and cultural enrichment of society.

This new plan has significantly informed and influenced the new strategic plan recently developed by the Galway International Hotel School strategic committee. Noone is not giving away too much as to how this plan will evolve but it is clear with the arrival of Dr Orla Flynn President at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology and a clearly defined roadmap for GMIT to work towards becoming Ireland’s next Technological University the Galway International Hotel School will feature in this new entity as it continues to serve the region, island and global tourism industry.

Read Full Post: The 10 Best Hospitality Management Institutes of 2020

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Versatile Hospitality Management Programs

In the beginning, BUAS provided higher education in Tourism and Leisure. Presently, it is the largest and leading institute in the world in the fields of Tourism and Leisure. Over the years, it has grown into an international knowledge and education institute. BUAS is all about knowledge development and research. It offers professional as well as academic bachelor’s and master’s programs in several domains. Some of the domains and the programs are as follows.

• Hotel: Bachelor of Hotel Management
• Facility: Bachelor of International Facility Management
• Built Environment: Bachelor of Built Environment
• Games: Bachelor of Creative Media and Game Technology and Master of Game Technology
• Leisure and Events: Bachelor of Leisure Event & Management and six other courses.
• Logistics: Bachelor of Logistic Management, Logistic Engineering and Master of Leadership in Supply Chain Management.
• Media: Bachelor of Creative Business and Master of Media Innovation and Executive Media Innovation
• Tourism: Bachelor of Tourism Management and three other courses

BUAS is committed to sustainable development goals and this commitment is reflected in its degree programs, research, and the brand new state-of-the-art campus. Since its inception, BUAS has transformed and evolved within its fields of interest and anticipated changes in society at large, creating new domains out of existing degree programs in a natural manner to ensure curriculum relevance. Committing to its goal, BUAS plans to introduce a new professional master in Strategic Event Management, in September 2020, followed by a new professional master in Supply Chain Management in September 2021.

Industry-Relevant Learning

At BUAS, the students are provided industry-relevant learning throughout their course of study. In lectures, project groups, and work placements, students get ample of time for exploring the industry in detail and for interaction, guidance, and feedback. The lecturers at the University often have an international background and participate in international networks. In addition to teaching, the lecturers and study coaches at BUAS are also active in the professional field, consequently, benefiting the students with the latest trends and insights of the industry.

A Flurry of Opportunities for the Students

The University gives high emphasis on international experience. Thus, the students are encouraged to go abroad during their studies for a work placement or an exchange program. BUAS has a network of 128 highly reputed educational institutes abroad that offer 350 exchange places for its students. Furthermore, the university has strong collaborations with companies around the globe. Together with the companies, BUAS provides students with a challenging and relevant work placements and graduation assignments.

At BUAS, no student is an average graduate. Each student is unique in his own way. For example, a year and a half after graduation, 97% of the hotel graduates from BUAS get a job. Out of those, 92% get employed at the bachelor’s level. The students of BUAS are recruited in prestigious companies such as Accor, Marriott, Odyssey, and Sircle after their graduation. Furthermore, more than 15% of BUAS graduates live and work abroad and those talented students have the opportunity to join Hilton Class, which offers them a career with Hilton Worldwide after graduation.

Green and Internationally Oriented Campus Environment

BUAS encourages development on its small scale and internationally oriented campus environment. The campus consists of three buildings including a former convent. The buildings are situated in a green, park-like environment, at the edge of the city Centre of Breda. The degree programs in Hotel, Facility, and Tourism Management are accommodated in a monumental convent, along with the Sibelicious Restaurant, Taste Lab, Grand café, and the Chapel for hosting all kinds of events.

Furthermore, there is a library, several study landscapes, and sport and recreation facilities for students and staff on campus. The sport and recreation facilities include a Playground, Music Room, and a Radio Station. Apart from this, all the domains have their own project spaces, labs, and workshop areas where students can work on assignments and projects. There is also space for enterprising graduates and starters. Moreover, there is an Innovation Square that offers the necessary facilities for creativity and innovation.

Salient and Unique Assets

Diversity in a small scale and the cross-cultural setting is one of the most important assets of the university. This diversity facilitates thinking outside the own cultural frameworks and across borders and it is reflected in the respective domains. The domains have their own identity, but all are related to each other giving rise to all sorts of connections and crossovers including in the field of hospitality. Moreover, the hospitality management programs of BUAS have made it a mission to integrate the ingredients such as service orientation and experiences (hotel management) with accuracy, efficiency, and planning (facility management). This unique combination comes together beautifully in Sibelicious, the student training company of both degree programs which focuses on Hospitality Experiences Design. Furthermore, BUAS has adopted the teaching model of the learning community. At BUAS, students and lecturers from different backgrounds, cultures, and areas of expertise work together on real-life problems taken from the international professional field. Apart from this, the university offers several bachelor’s scholarships for incoming non-EEA degree-seeking bachelor’s students.

Changes due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Like every educational institute across the globe, BUAS is also providing online education due to the outbreak of the pandemic. Presently, part of the education is being offered online, but the practical sessions such as training in kitchen and restaurants will remain bound to the campus environment within the possibilities the corona measures offer. Moreover, BUAS is characterized by personal education and it emphasizes on having personal contact with its community to exchange knowledge between its domain expertise. Thus, it has chosen to center all courses on one campus location. The university has gained great experiences in the field of online open days and webinars and plans to embrace the positive lessons learned from studying and working online for the future.

Read Full Post The 10 Best Hospitality Management Institutes of 2020

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