GMIT has an international reputation for offering industry-relevant courses to the tourism industry since opening in 1972, so it may come as no surprise to hear that the institute's Galway International Hotel School has been listed by global publication The Education Magazine as one of the top 10 hospitality management institutes worldwide.
The school was the first higher education institute in Ireland to offer a degree in hotel management in 1977, and since then it has grown to offer courses in culinary ars and gastronomy, international hotel management, heritage studies, international tourism management, and event management and public relations.
The school has developed an international reputation through delivering industry relevant courses that enable graduates to succeed in one of the world’s largest industries. All courses are developed with enterprise partners and all have an accredited work placement component. This ensures that students acquire essential knowledge and skills to enable them to thrive across this global industry. Many courses host guest lectures and masterclasses from industry partners, which ensures students are familiar with the latest developing trends and current enterprise developments. Many staff have held leadership positions across the globe and are supported to take part in annual stagiaires to support their work. Some courses include international education visits where students visit European counterparts to collaborate and deepen their understanding of this vibrant industry.
Cáit Noone, head of the Galway International Hotel, welcomed this acknowledgement. “The tourism industry is a global employer and a qualification from the Galway International Hotel School provides graduates with multiple opportunities," Ms Noone said. "For some this is a stepping-stone into a leadership career, for others it is an entry route to setting up their own tourism enterprise. Some graduates will successfully join graduate programmes with Dalata, Fáilte Ireland, and IBEC and become industry leaders, some will join the many sectors this industry offers including hotels, restaurants, food product development, tourism businesses, event companies, heritage organisation, the options are many and varied. In the last decade more graduates continue their studies with post graduate options and some progress to teaching.
"Qualifications from this sector open up so many doors to graduates," she added. "Never has one qualification provided so many options for learners. The school has always worked very closely with industry partners, and as a result when we develop any new courses we can reach out to the Irish Hotels Federation, Chef Network, the Restaurant Association of Ireland, and the Irish Hospitality Institute for input and support. We are very aware of how Covid-19 has negatively impacted the tourism industry and we will work with industry partners as this dynamic industry emerges from this terrible pandemic. The industry will evolve and I expect new job opportunities will emerge for future graduates, plus the school is offering a series of learning opportunities for industry employees in order for them to upskill and/or convert existing qualifications to the new level.”
President of GMIT, Dr Orla Flynn, said: “I want to congratulate the entire team at the Galway International Hotel School on achieving this recognition. The school has always had an international focus with a global alumni network supporting strategic developments and accredited work placements. For example, earlier this year the school received approval from the Chinese Ministry of Education to collaborate with Lingnan Normal University in China to co-deliver the BA Hons in culinary and gastronomic sciences, the only award of this type in Ireland. In 2018 the school won a Government of Ireland academic mobility scholarship to begin the process of co-designing a new international hospitality management course with St Lawrence College in Ontario, and this course will begin in September 2020. For this industry, a global outlook is truly essential, and students will receive that here at GMIT.”
To learn more about the Galway International Hotel School visit the institute's virtual open day site at openday.gmit.ie If you are interested in upskilling or converting your existing qualification check out the options at www.gmit.ie/hotel/upskill-yourself-today-better-tomorrow
The full list of top 10 hospitality management institutes worldwide is available at www.theeducationmagazine.com/the-10-best-hospitality-management-institutes-of-2020
