Considering that the current education and skill development infrastructure in the tourism sector is grossly inadequate to address the growing need for skilled manpower in the tourism industry, the government is mulling setting up a tourism institute of global standards, preferably in collaboration with some of the finest global tourism institutions and universities.
In terms of the concept, the proposed institution could be akin to the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, say sources in the Tourism Department.
The plan envisages roping in the private sector, which will be encouraged to structure the ‘founding member team’ of the proposed tourism university that will include renowned businesses in the tourism and hospitality space.
This group will form the core investor group, facilitating a major part of the funding requirement. The government, meanwhile, will support the project with land or seed fund to initiate the process. Depending on the design, the new structure could be built in 50 to 200 acres. To ensure that the curriculum, pedagogy, infrastructure, facilities and education quality meet international standards, the institute will partner with renowned tourism schools across the world.
Those under consideration are the Department of Tourism, (University of Otago, New Zealand), Chaplin School of Hospitality &Tourism Management, Florida International University (USA), School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Temple University, Philadelphia (USA), School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University (USA), Tisch Centre for Hospitality and Tourism, New York University (USA) and The School of Tourism, University of Bournemouth.
If the new facility comes up in the form of a univeristy, it will be affiliated to the pertinent national statutory accrediting body like the All India Council for Technical Education, and if it is a standalone institute (like ISB, Hyderabad), it could choose to function without any specific accreditation and thus will have the flexibility in running its programmes.
