Dear Industry Representatives

Welcome to the first CAUTHE Industry Engagement bulletin! Thank you for indicating your interest.

1. A background to CAUTHE for those of you who are not familiar with who CAUTHE is and what we do; and
2. An invitation to the CAUTHE Mid Year Meeting and Industry Engagement Seminar Tourism and Hospitality in a Dynamic World: Issues and Challengestaking place on 24 July 2009 in Sydney.

Who we are

CAUTHE is the peak representative body of the 25 universities delivering tourism and hospitality related education in Australia. Established in the 1980s, the membership of the organisation also includes around 130 individual associate memberships, student memberships and affiliate memberships for organisations from the public and private sectors also interested in hospitality and tourism education.

What we do

CAUTHE aims to promote the development of tourism and hospitality education and research in Australia. CAUTHE is an incorporated body whose membership comprises the majority of Universities in Australia that teach and research in tourism and hospitality.

CAUTHE represents its members as an advocacy body with regards to educational issues and facilitation of networking, knowledge sharing and research opportunities.

Instrumental to realising these outcomes on a yearly basis, CAUTHE:

• Actively maintains a strong membership base;
• Maintains a quality tourism and hospitality journal that publishes applied and theoretical articles;
• Facilitates research links through the housing of special interest groups which meet on a regular basis to discuss, plan and implement research projects; many of which are of direct relevance to industry and government;
• Invites academics, industry and government to participate in the annual CAUTHE conference; and
• Invites academics, industry and government to participate in the annual CAUTHE Mid Year Meeting.

The CAUTHE Mid Year Meeting (MYM) will be held on 24 July 2009, hosted by the University of Technology, Sydney. In conjunction with our MYM, CAUTHE is inviting National Association representatives from the tourism and hospitality sectors to an Industry Engagement forum. Building from the momentum generated in 2008, the purpose of the 2009 Industry Engagement forum is to explore issues facing the sector now and in the future and discuss the opportunities for research, support, and knowledge sharing to help address these issues. The theme for 2009 is Tourism and Hospitality in a Dynamic World: Issues and Challenges.

The main objectives for the workshop include:

• Identifying key issues, challenges facing the industry and their implications for tourism and hospitality education and research;
• Showcasing our members research through a discussion panel session addressing themes such as crisis management, destination planning and management, climate change policy implications, infrastructure, product development and investment issues; and
• Facilitating discussion between CAUTHE members and Industry representatives for future research and educational partnerships, related to issues of concern to industry.

The 2009 forum follows the inaugural forum held in 2008 at which there was lively discussion regarding the importance of engagement between scholarship and industry practice and the findings from a study regarding tourism graduate career paths, employment and curriculum needs. Euan Robertson (TTF) and Helen Ayres (University of Canberra) provided insightful and informative presentations on these topics.

This will be an excellent networking opportunity for industry and members.

Details: CAUTHE Mid Year Meeting and Industry Engagement forum

Date:      Friday 24 July 2009
Venue:   UTS Sydney, Level 5, B, Corner Quay St & Ultimo Rd, Haymarket, Room B517
Time:      10:00am – 12:00 (CAUTHE Mid Year Meeting)
Time:      2:00pm – 4:00pm (Industry Forum – followed by networking drinks)
RSVP:    20 July 2009

Off street parking is available across from the university at Haymarket via Quay Street.