From supervising departments in the finest hotels, restaurants and resorts to overseeing business conventions and special events, demand for professionals with postgraduate credentials to keep Asia's vibrant tourism and hospitality industry running smoothly is at an all-time high.
Bob McKercher, of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Polytechnic University, said the development of the hospitality industry in Asia was setting new standards which were being followed in Europe and the United States.
'First it was Europe that set the standards in the hospitality industry, which was followed by the US, but in recent times the benchmark has been set in Asia,' Professor McKercher said.
To equip postgraduate students with the management, technological and operational skills to keep the industry moving forward, PolyU offers full-time and part-time postgraduate programmes including a doctor of philosophy, master of philosophy in hotel and tourism management, and a master of science/postgraduate diploma in hotel and tourism management.
Professor McKercher said the objective of the postgraduate programmes was to provide a theoretical and research base that prepared graduates for educational and research positions in the hotel and tourism industry. The programmes provided advanced research training, allowing students to develop the ability to complete significant research in a specific area of their interest.
The intellectual and supportive environment fostered by the school encourages academic staff and students to collaborate on research for scholarly publications and conference presentations. Professor McKercher said graduates would be able to contribute to this education and research.