Open Access
Subscription Access
Open Access
Subscription Access
Excellence in Tourism Education and Capacity-Building for Employability:The Case of Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Fayoum University, Egypt
Subscribe/Renew Journal
Generally, there have been constant complains about a supposed mismatch between graduate competence and competence required by potential employers. The background of this mismatch - or discrepancy problem is complex. This problem tends to be a general one, regardless of geography or subject matter area. The background to the problem seems to be related to the qualifying and stratifying functions of higher education, to the development of the tasks of higher education over time.
Any country competing in the international tourism market requires a well-developed tourism training and education strategy. The aim of such training strategy should provide an efficient and well-skilled workforce for the tourism industry. Global tourism indicators demonstrate, rising skills demand among employers and a recognized need for skills development among job seekers across all skill levels and career pathways.
The story of successful tourism enterprises is one that is largely about people - how they are recruited, how they are managed, how they are trained and educated, how they are valued and rewarded, and how they are supported through a process of continuous learning and career development. None of this happens by accident.
Recently, August 2016, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels at Fayoum University has been accredited by the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE). Being the first accredited faculty of tourism education in Egypt, it is chosen as the key case for the topic of the current study. The research depends on the descriptive approach and the convenient sample. The internal assessment based on the critical view of the researcher and the faculty staff's points of view is conducted. Primary data is analyzed by SPSS program. The general finding is the leadership of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels at Fayoum University is evident in practical and training areas such as languages and global distribution systems.
Keywords
- Azim, T. S. A. (2012). Graduates between level of the tourism education and requirements of the tourism and hospitality work field. Tourismos: An International Multidisciplinary Journal of Tourism, 7(2), 299-321.
- Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industries Ltd. (2002). Employability skills: An employer perspective. Australia.
- Ayikoru, M., Tribe J., & Airey, D. (2009). Reading tourism education neoliberalism unveiled. Annals of Tourism Research, 36(2), 191-221.
- Baum, T. (2006). Reflections on the nature of skills in the experience economy: Challenging traditional skills models in hospitality. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 13(2), 124-135.
- British Council. (2011). Education Partnerships in Africa, Department for Business Innovation and Skills.
- Cox, S. J. (2015). What Makes a Successful Hospitality Graduate in New Zealand? Key Stakeholder Perspectives, PhD thesis, Auckland University of Technology.
- Dhiman. M. C. (2012). Employers’ perceptions about tourism management employability skills. An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality research, 23(3), 359-372.
- Donina, A., & Ineta, L. (2014). The compliance of tourism education with industry needs in Latvia. European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Special Issue, 303-330.
- European Commission, European e-Skills Forum, and e-Skills Certifications Consortium (2005). e-Skills Capacity Building for Growth and Employability: Making the Information Society a Reality, World Summit of the Information Society, Tunis, 16 November.
- Faculty of Tourism & Hotels. (2007). Booklet of Faculty of Tourism & Hotels, the Second Tourist Conference, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.
- Inui, Y., Wheeler, D., & Lankford S. (2006). Rethinking tourism education: What should schools teach? Journal of Hospitality Leisure, Sport, and Tourism Education, 5(2), 26-36.
- Fayoum Governorate & Fayoum University. (2010). Tourism development in Fayoum: The current situation and future vision, Joint Project, Fayoum, Egypt.
- Manjurul, K. (2014). Enhancement of Seafarers’ Employability through Capacity Building in Maritime Education and Training (MET): A Case Study of Bangladesh, World Maritime University, Sweden.
- Knight, P., & Yorke, M. (2004). Learning, Curriculum and Employability in Higher Education. London, Routledge.
- Martin, E., & McCabe, S. (2007b). Part-time work and postgraduate students: developing the skills for employment. Journal of Hospitality, Leisures, Sport and Tourism Education, 6(2), 29-40.
- Olsson, A., & Martinsson, M. L. (2008). Tourism Education and Employability, 17th Nordic Symposium, Lillehammer, Norway.
- Pool, D. L., & Sewell, P. (2007). The key to employability: Developing a practical model of graduate employability. Education + Training, 49(44), 277-289.
- Ring, A., Dickinger, A., & Wober, K. (2009). Designing the ideal undergraduate program in tourism: Expectations from industry and educators. Journal of Travel Research, 48(106), 106-121.
- Sels, L., & Forrier, A. (2003). The concept of employability: A complex Mosaic. International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 3(2), 102-124.
- Selvadurai, S., Choy, E. A., & Maros, M. (2012). Generic skills of prospective graduates from the employers’ perspectives. Asian Social Science, 8(12), 295-303.
- Sharma, A. (2015). Educational tourism: Strategy for sustainable tourism development with reference of Haduti and Shekhawati regions of Rajasthan, India. Journal of Business Economics and Information Technology, 11(4).
- Wafik, G., Fawzy, N., & Attaalla, F. (2011). The role of educational institutions in greening education and ensuring sustainability: The case study of faculty of tourism and hotels - Fayoum University. International Journal of Hospitality& Tourism Systems, 4(2), 69-77.
- Wattanacharoensil, W. (2014). Tourism curriculum in a global perspective: past, present, and future. International Education Studies, 7(1), 9-20.
- www.ecotourism.edu.eg (accessed in February 2008).
- www.fayoum.edu.eg(accessed 17/9/2016).
- Yildirim, H. M., & Atay, L. (2010). Determining the factors that affect the satisfaction of students having undergraduate tourism education with the department by means of the method of classification tree. Tourismos: An International Multidisciplinary Journal of Tourism, 5(1), 73-87.
- Yorke, M., & Knight, P. T. (2006). Learning and employability series 1: Embedding employability into the curriculum. Heslington: The Higher Education Academy.
Abstract Views: 385
PDF Views: 0