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Mike Rimmington: MBA Hospitality Course, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Mike Rimmington is also Director of Conference Planning for EuroCHRIE
Introduction
As hospitality management education approaches the new millennium, it faces substantial challenges in a number of key areas. This article presents a personal view of issues that will need to be successfully addressed if the achievements of recent years are to be a platform for continued progress. With the recent publication of a substantially positive Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFC) review of Hospitality Management Education (HEFC, 1997), it may be considered that this "small and distinctive part of higher education provision" has finally come of age. Such recognition by those funding higher education is most welcome. However, thinking regarding higher education evolves constantly and recognition today does not guarantee success tomorrow. There are threats as well as opportunities on the horizon.
In order to continue to prosper, all stakeholders in hospitality management education have to engage with it positively. Most importantly, students have to want to study in the area and be willing to pay for the privilege. For those who do, today's global economy and fast changing technological environment offers ever increasing choice as to where and how to study. Whilst this brief paper focuses mainly on the UK, international developments cannot be ignored. Employers also have choice about from where to recruit. They can choose to select from different countries, educational centres and different vocational disciplines. The hospitality education supply side is also far from fixed. It is likely that existing providers will face competition from new sources. Change is in the air. From where will the continuing challenges come? How is hospitality management education likely to respond? This short paper gives an airing to some of the likely issues and proposes possible outcomes.
Graduates and graduateness
The approach to delivering UK hospitality management education varies considerably from centre to centre. At undergraduate and sometimes at postgraduate level, hospitality management is often offered as part of a combined programme with other subject disciplines such as tourism and leisure. Alternatively, it may share areas of curriculum with business and management studies. Titles of courses also vary with different combinations of hospitality, hotel, catering, restaurant and institutional all appearing. Titles may...