Mr. Subbiah Kannan

Head of Division

  

Welcome to the Division of Tourism and Hospitality Management. Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Tourism in Papua New Guinea is an important economic sector which has shown a continuous growth in terms of annual visitor arrivals and tourism receipts since 2001. Currently, the tourism industry experiences high demand for qualified and skilled employees. The tourism industry demands tourism graduates from tertiary institutions to deliver tourism products to meet international standards. In order to facilitate formal education, the University of Goroka, through the Division of Tourism and Hospitality Management under the Institute of Technical Vocational Education and Training, offers a number of market- driven programs that are much needed for the tourism industry in PNG.

The Division delivers a number of On-Campus programs, such as Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality Management (BTHM); Bachelor of Hotel Operations Management (BHOM); Bachelor of Teaching in Tourism and Hospitality Management (BTeach in THM); Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management (DTHM); and Diploma Hotel Operations Management (DHOM). Division is also delivering Off-Campus program ‘DTHM’ through the Institute of Distance and Flexible Learning (IDFL). The On-Campus programs BTHM, DTHM and DHOM are accredited programs by the Department of Higher Education Research, Science and Technology (DHERST). The division is in the process of seeking accreditation from DHERST for the new programs BHOM and BTeach in THM. The Grade 12 school-leavers who have met the eligibility criteria and have applied for the accredited programs are issued scholarships under the ‘Tertiary Education Student Assistance Scheme’ (TESAS). The TESAS scholarship is not limited to Grade 12 school-leavers. The non-school leavers could also secure scholarships from the second year of the program by achieving high performance in the first year of study.

The On-Campus programs DTHM and BTHM focus on three major disciplines (Tourism, Hospitality & Management) with six strands (Tourism Industry, Travel Operations, Food Service Industry, Hotel Operations, Resource Management and Organizational Ethics) and number of courses that are significant for the program to meet the tourism industry demand in the country. The DHOM and BHOM programs focus on two major disciplines ‘Hospitality and Management’, with 4 strands aiming to produce a skilled workforce for the hotel industry in PNG. The ‘Bachelor of Teaching in Tourism and Hospitality Management’ program focuses on the combinations of Tourism and Hospitality Management components and education components to train students to teach in secondary schools, technical secondary schools, TVET institutions and other institutions where tourism and hospitality is taught.

The division has a number of qualified and experienced expatriate and national academics with the specialization in Tourism and Hospitality Management, providing quality education and training for the future work force of the tourism industry. A well-equipped food laboratory and restaurant are available for the students to have hands-on experience. Field trips are organized for students to explore tourism industries in the Eastern Highlands Province. The four-year bachelor degree programs (BTHM & BHOM) enable the students to undergo ‘Industrial Training’ (Internship) in the final year of study. The final year Bachelor of Teaching students will undergo microteaching and teaching practice at the secondary schools to enhance their teaching skills. The division has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coral Sea Hotels, PNG and Eastern Highlands Tourism Bureau. The division has also established a good rapport with the tourism and hospitality industries in the country, which take part in providing professional experience training to our students along with the major organizations, Coral Sea Hotels and EHP Tourism Bureau.

Our mission and values

Our mission and values make us to establish the best training in both theory and practical courses. Our Motto is: “Innovative Thinking, Creative Hands” and our Mission Statement is: “To upskill the nation through the provision of highly skilled and innovative programs, and endeavours to achieve academic excellence relevant to the needs of individuals, industries and the communities through teaching, research and community development”.

I wish to thank you for choosing the program from the Division of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Goroka.