IFT hosts Tourism Education Student Summit: Winter 2017 to promote undergraduate research

Student presenting his paper

The Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) hosted its third Tourism Education Student Summit (Ted Summit) - Winter 2017 on 11 January, 2017. This event was an opportunity for the public to view the best of the Institute’s senior student researchers present their findings after having completed a research-based investigation of the current state of affairs within the Macao tourism industry.

Starting from the 2015/16 academic year, IFT’s Bachelor of Science daytime degree programmes have incorporated this capstone graduation requirement to ensure that its’ graduating students have capacity, not only in practical operations but in analysing and understanding how to utilise currents trends in the industry.This past semester 121 undergraduates have successfullycompleted this research component. To date, 404 undergraduate students have successfully completed the graduation thesis; 61 have been invited to present and publish in the IFT Tourism Education Student Summit e-Proceedings, and an additional 12 have presented their research findings in international conferences from which three achieved outstanding paper awards.

IFT is the only higher education institution in Macao that includes this individual research component as a graduation requirement for all its Bachelor of Science undergraduate candidates. Industry professionals and IFT faculty comprised the panel members for each of the four simultaneous sessions. Students presented their research findings and then responded to comments and questions from the panel. Finally 4 students, representing best paper recipients from the different programmes showcasedat this event were awarded scholarships. This event was an opportunity for companies to view some of the IFT best candidates as well as understand what the students have been able to discover through their investigation.

The Ted Summit represents the first public event of its kind in Macao to celebrate and promote respect for the practical applications of undergraduate research. As a public Higher Education Institution of Macao, IFT considers this element of its curriculum a flagship endeavour that will help to develop future managers. Guiding them through a scientific process of investigation gives them essential managerial tools. The Ted Summit events will occur twice annually, in winter and spring, to coincide with its’ different cohorts of research candidates.

Established in 1995, the Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao (IFT) offers the most extensive selection of tourism and hospitality related bachelor degree programmes in Macao, and about twenty thousand participants attend its vocational and professional training courses annually. IFT collaborates with 101 universities and tourism organisations around the world, and builds strong links with 500 leading tourism and hospitality corporations to offer internship opportunities to its students. Being the first institution accredited by the UNWTO.TedQual Certification System for tourism education, IFT has now 8 bachelor degree programmes with the Certification. Currently, the Institute has the most number of bachelor degree programmes certified under the System of any tertiary education establishment worldwide. IFT has received the Medal of Merit in Tourism from the Macao SAR Government, and won twice the Gold Award in ‘Education and Training’ from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Best paper scholarship awardees: