CAUTHE and TEFI are key organisations that work to promote research and scholarship in the areas of tourism, hospitality and events. A Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisation aims to facilitate opportunities for collaboration, networking and cross-disciplinary engagement between the two organisations for mutual benefit. It is anticipated that greater collaboration will strengthen research cultures, inform teaching and learning development and broaden potential links with industry across sectors identified with tourism, hospitality and events.

Both organisations agree to communicate about planned events and conferences to consider opportunities for collaboration as well as provide the following benefits to their members:

• A discount for conference registration for CAUTHE and TEFI conferences (if available).
• Involvement in special interest research groups convened by either CAUTHE or TEFI.
• Cross promotion of website links for each organisation and distribution of calls for papers, conferences and symposia.
• Invite the respective organisation to attend special workshops, seminars, and symposia organised by the other organisation (including PhD/Early Career workshops).
• Share knowledge about the effective management of their professional association (that is not subject to commercial restraints).

Download Memorandum of Understanding (Oct 2021).

This Memorandum of Understanding will be reviewed after three years from October 2021 with the agreement of both parties.

The following principles will be applied for CAUTHE’s engagement in discussions with kindred associations about collaboration:

1. That CAUTHE encourages discussion with kindred organisations about collaboration, and views this as a natural evolution of member interests and an opportunity to add value to CAUTHE members.
2. That CAUTHE maintains its integrity as the leading peak interest and advocacy group in tourism and hospitality education in Australia and New Zealand.
3. That CAUTHE, as a strong, dynamic and financially secure organisation, protects this position within any potential collaboration.
4. That in all future collaboration with kindred associations, the objectives, mission and values of CAUTHE, as defined in its constitution and strategic plan, are given weight.
5. That in its decision-making, CAUTHE ensures that any form of collaboration with kindred associations adds to its long-term viability.

CAUTHE and SMAANZ are key organisations that work to promote research and scholarship in the areas of leisure and sport, tourism, hospitality and events within Australia and New Zealand. The Memorandum of Understanding aims to facilitate opportunities for collaboration, networking and cross-disciplinary engagement between the two organisations for mutual benefit. It is anticipated that greater collaboration will strengthen research cultures, inform teaching and learning development and broaden potential links with industry across sectors identified.

Both organisations agree to:

• Cross promote calls for papers, conferences, symposia, workshops, and seminars (including PhD/Early Career workshops) to each others’ members
• Share knowledge about the effective management of their professional association (that is not subject to commercial restraints)
• Identify and co-host suitable joint events or activities, such as the HDR conference

Download Memorandum of Understanding.

This Memorandum of Understanding will be reviewed after five years from September 2023, with the agreement of both parties.

 

 

CAUTHE and ANZALS are key organisations that work to promote research and scholarship in the areas of leisure and tourism within Australia and New Zealand. A Memorandum of Understanding exists between the two organisations to facilitate opportunities for collaboration, networking and cross-disciplinary engagement.

The Memorandum of Understanding provides the following mutual benefits to members:

• Involvement in special interest research groups convened by either ANZALS or CAUTHE and attend seminars/functions
• Cross-promotion of website links for each organisation and distribution of calls for papers, conferences, and symposia
• Invitations to the respective organisation to attend special workshops, seminars, and symposia organised by the other organisation (including PhD/Early Career workshops)
• Host joint webinars/seminars

Download Memorandum of Understanding.

This Memorandum of Understanding will be reviewed after five years from September 2023, with the agreement of both parties.

 

Tourism Research Knowledge Library

Academics undertake a range of ‘cutting edge’ tourism-related research. However, as most of the outcomes from this research are published in academic journals, they are not easily accessed. TRA believes this valuable research should be available to a much wider audience, including industry and the broader community.

The Tourism Research Australia Knowledge Library contains resources and background documents, including the data dictionaries and questionnaires. We want to ensure your research reaches the broadest audience possible. To help us achieve this, please summarise the objectives, key findings and implications of your work in plain English. Download the Academic Research Summary template.

The Knowledge Library provides an excellent opportunity for you to expand your research output whilst at the same time enhancing engagement with this important government agency. Please take advantage of this facility to help disseminate research to industry and government and protect the long-term viability of this great initiative.

If you have any enquiries or require assistance with completing the template, please email Tourism Research Australia.

Building a Stronger Future: Balancing Professional and Liberal Education in Ideals in Tourism and Hospitality Education

Jan 2012

An ALTC funded national project sought to clarify what constitutes a tourism or hospitality degree in Australia and exactly what such degrees should deliver. This issue has received considerable attention in a number of countries with significant debate over issues such as core knowledge requirements and accreditation.

While the project is Australian-focused, it is relevant to anyone interested in understanding more about the global context of tourism and hospitality education. The final project report, four issues papers and other information can be accessed at the Building a Stronger Future website.

The project received strong endorsement from the Office for Learning and Teaching: “Congratulations on this landmark project, which makes an unmatched contribution to this ‘discipline’ area.  I have enjoyed reading the final report, the excellent evaluation report and the issues papers very much.  The documents give a clear and unblinking account of your ‘discipline’ and of the project’s exemplary operation.   I really liked the way you engaged such a huge group of institutions through the use of project champions.”

Background

The question of what constitutes a tourism and hospitality (T&H) degree has received considerable attention in a number of countries with significant debate over issues such as core knowledge requirements and accreditation.

In Australia, despite having a range of well-established and internationally recognised degrees for over 20 years, there has been little debate or clarity over what constitutes a tourism or hospitality degree, or exactly what such degrees should deliver. The aim of this project is to map the T&H education curricula including core knowledge requirements and the pathways that students can take within the curricula space (e.g. from professional/vocational education to liberal education) in order to clarify what constitutes T&H education in the higher education environment. It necessarily includes consideration of relationships with leisure, events and convention management, sports, social science, environment and other related areas of study.

The project is underpinned by a commitment to establishing collaborative dialogue between industry, higher education and the academic community about the future of tourism and hospitality education and practice. It also responds to a raft of policy developments that are having transcendental impacts on international and Australian higher education environments. The project is founded on respect for the diversity of tourism and hospitality degree offerings and the independence and autonomy of higher education institutions, and responds to the growing need for a collective vision for T&H higher education.

Project Outcomes

Mapping the Tourism and Hospitality curricula space to:

• Inform strategic decision-making about T&H education
• Inform curriculum content, graduate skills and knowledge requirements of graduates from within these various pathways
• Provide information for the growing diversity of the student body by informing students about the T&H curriculum that can be used to assist in decision-making about a range of issues including pathways, work integrated learning (WIL) and employer expectations
• Inform discussions about T&H accreditation.

Approach

The two-year project involved four key overlapping and interconnected tasks:

1. Establish a collaboration framework: This collaborative consultative framework adopted a networked approach to data collection and information dissemination. The project team established a network of project ‘champions’ at each university that offers a T&H degree program. The role of the champions was to assist in data collection via an established survey methodology. Opportunities for research papers derived from this data are available for the champions.
2. Literature review and desktop analysis: A literature review of current factors affecting higher education and their impact on T&H education was undertaken. An analysis of overseas trends and directions was undertaken and information about current T&H degree offerings was collected and analysed.
3. Data collection: The project involved the use of surveys of industry stakeholders, T&H educators and students. Interviews were conducted with university managers.
4. Information dissemination and guidance: Discussion papers and preliminary results were released throughout the course of the project and opportunities to disseminate and generate discussion and feedback were sought in conferences, industry forums and via the ALTC and CAUTHE websites.

The Project Team comprised a range of researchers in four universities across Australia, and was supported by an international Reference Group who provided assistance and direction to the project. A group of Project Champions was enlisted to help with collaboration and consultation.

About the Project Team

The project brought together a number of senior and influential people across Australia from a range of vocational and liberal education tourism and hospitality education programs to collaboratively address these issues.

The members of the project team were:

• Associate Professor Dianne Dredge, Southern Cross University
• Dr Pierre Benckendorff, University of Queensland
• Ms Michele Day, Southern Cross University
• Dr Michael J. Gross, University of South Australia
• Ms Maree Walo, Southern Cross University
• Mr Paul Weeks, Sydney Hotel School/Southern Cross University
• Dr Paul A. Whitelaw, Victoria University

About the Reference Group

A reference group was comprised of members with considerable experience in T&H education and knowledge of the changes taking place in the higher education environment. The role of the reference group was to provide critical feedback at various points in the project’s development.

The members of the project’s Reference Group were:

• Associate Professor Perry Hobson, THE-ICE/Southern Cross University
• Professor Bob McKercher, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Mr Euan Robertson, Tourism and Transport Forum
• Professor Pauline Sheldon, University of Hawaii
• Professor Janet Taylor, Southern Cross University
• Professor John Tribe, University of Surrey

External Evaluator

• Professor David Airey, University of Surrey, evaluated the project