Dr. Dianne Dredge (SCU) Project team: Pierre Benckendorff (UQ), Michele Day (SCU), Mike Gross (UniSA), Maree Walo(SCU), Paul Weeks (THSS), Paul Whitelaw (VU)

Project Summary

“Building a Stronger Future: Balancing liberal and professional education ideals in tourism, hospitality

and events education” (2009-12)

Presentation for CAUTHE Mid Year Meeting 2013

“Building a stronger future: Balancing professional and liberal education ideals in undergraduate tourism

and hospitality education”

www.tourismhospitalityeducation.info

Four challenges the project addressed:

• Conceptualise the TH&E curriculum space

• Understand its historical development and contemporary influences on the TH&E curriculum space

• Understanding stakeholder perspectives on the curriculum space

• Map the TH&E curriculum space

Cutting to the chase…

• Global restructuring of HE: markets, massification, mobilisation

• Concern for harmonisation, quality assurance

• Historical development of TH&E programs:

– 1980-early 2000s: growth period

– 2000 onwards: competition, austerity, restructuring, performance

• Chasm between industry and HE: Quality careers and employability

• Mapping the TH&E curriculum space

Distribution of units across the whole curriculum space:- 45% TH&E subjects- 40% Business/commerce subjects- 8% Research components- 6% work integrated learning- 1% other subjects

Cluster 1- sandstone universitiesCluster 2- New universities 1950-1976Cluster 3- Post 1972 universitiesCluster 4- TAFE & private providers

Distribution of TH&E courses in the curriculum space

Overall Observations

• Competition and oversupply

• Homogenisation of the TH&E HE product (standards vs. standardisation)

• T&H is failing to excite and inspire

• Mismatch between academic pool and student demand

• Mobility - a two edged sword

• Internationalization & cultural competence

• Work integrated learning, service learning, problem based learning, reflexive practice learning

• Curriculum mapping subjects and programs

• Creativity, inspirational teaching practice

• Making TH&E education relevant to the bigger societal context

Setting the Standard

Paul A WhitelawProject Leader26 July 2013

Setting the StandardKey points:• Based on our previous OLT Project

Building a Stronger Future: Balancing Liberal and Professional Education in

Australian Tourism and Hospitality Education• Team Members

• Dianne Dredge (SCU)• Michael Gross (UniSA)• Pierre Benckendorff (UQ)• Paul A Whitelaw (VU) – Project Leader

Setting the StandardKey points:• Field of Study

• Hospitality• Tourism• Events

• Course Level• Undergraduate (AQF 7)• Post graduate coursework (AQF 9)

Setting the StandardKey points:• 18 months• $193k• Project Champions

• Degree Granting Hotel Schools• Degree Granting TAFEs• Universities

Setting the StandardStandardsA• Social responsibility• Analysis• Knowledge• Judgement• Communication

B• Knowledge• Skills• Application

Setting the StandardGraduateness• see a problem, recognise and understand it• have a body of knowledge that conceptualises the

problem and explicates its solution• communicate the solution to colleagues and customers

and prosecute it• evaluate the solution and identify areas for improvement• reflect upon your performance and identify opportunities

for improvement

Setting the StandardThe challenge:• Selling standards to industry• Selling pathway to VE• Demonstrating our “legitimacy” to HE

Setting the StandardNo such thing as a free lunch:• Respond to discussion papers in:

• Mid October 2013• Mid March 2014

• Attend CAUTHE 2014• Attend two overnight conferences:

• Melbourne July 1-2 2014 (the standards)• Brisbane December 2-3 2014 (documentation)

In person or by video link

Setting the StandardThe Next Steps• Website and project newsletter

coming shortly.• Nominations for Project

Champions very welcome.