Officiating guests unveiled a commemorative plaque at the Samsung Digital Lab for Hospitality Technology. From left to right: Professor Suleyman Demokan, PolyU Vice President (Academic Development); Mr Brian Kim, President of Samsung Electronics Hong Kong Co. Ltd.; and Professor Kaye Chon, Chair Professor and Director of SHTM — Photo by Hong Kong Poly

With the support of world-renowned electronics manufacturer Samsung Electronics Hong Kong, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has garnered more momentum in advancing hospitality technology.

Equipped with advanced computing facilities and specialised software for the industry, the Samsung Digital Lab for Hospitality Technology has been set up on the university campus. It was officially unveiled yesterday (30 October) by Mr Brian Kim, President of Samsung Electronics Hong Kong Co. Ltd.; Prof Suleyman Demokan, PolyU Vice President (Academic Development); and Prof Kaye Chon, Chair Professor and Director of SHTM.

"It is the mission of PolyU to achieve academic excellence in a professional context," remarked Prof Demokan in his opening speech. "One of the ways is through dedicated partnerships with the business, the industry, the professions and the community."

"Samsung's goal is to empower young people with opportunities to excel and to benefit their local communities," said Mr Kim. "With Hong Kong's potential as a leading city for international conferences and window to the world's largest market, China, there is a strong demand for creative, talented people in the tourism industry. The Samsung Digital Lab will provide these students with an inspirational and flexible learning environment that is conducive to creativity. We hope it helps them to reach their full potential and ultimately contribute to Hong Kong's sustained status as an internationally competitive economy."

Prof Chon said the opening of this Lab has highlighted the School's determination to stay at the forefront of technological change. "Our students can gain hands-on experience with industry booking and enquiry software, as well as the application of information technology in the hospitality settings. This clearly befits our status as Asia's leading hospitality and tourism institution," he said.

Built around the generous sponsorship from Samsung, the Digital Lab is home to a wide range of computing and audio-visual equipment including 58 R-Series notebooks, high-definition LCD TVs, network printers, DVD HD camcorder, air cleaner, home theatre system, DVD and blu-ray disc players. To help students keep abreast of hospitality technology, all computers are installed with advanced software products that facilitate teaching of subjects include lodging management, revenue management, financial management, E-business, technology management and data analysis for the industry.

The new facilities ensure that students have experience using the latest technology available in the industry. With classes regularly held in the Lab, and Executive Development Programmes making use of the facilities, a broad range of learners as well as researchers will benefit from the use of this Lab.

More importantly, this collaboration has paved the way for the future development of hospitality technology facility at PolyU's Teaching Hotel, as Samsung has pledged its full support to this initiative by providing its cutting-edge telecommunications equipment, a range of LCD screens for teaching, use in conferences and displays in public areas, the hotel's CCTV security system and data network infrastructure for Internet access and other emerging applications.

Samsung is also actively engaged in partnerships with educational institutions – its Hope for Education programme in the United States supports primary and secondary schools with the latest technology through a nation-wide essay competition.

PolyU is building dedicated premises for SHTM, incorporating a teaching hotel, on the site of its former staff quarters Pak Sui Yuen in Tsimshatsui East. The construction project is now in full swing and is expected to be completed by 2010.

About PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management

For 45 years, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has refined a distinctive vision of hospitality and tourism education and become a world-leading hotel and tourism school. Ranked No. 1 in the world in the "Hospitality and Tourism Management" category in ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023 for the seventh consecutive year; placed No. 1 globally in the "Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services" category in the University Ranking by Academic Performance in 2022/2023 for six years in a row; rated No. 1 in the world in the "Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism" subject area by the CWUR Rankings by Subject 2017; and ranked No. 2 in the world among university based programmes in the "Hospitality and Leisure Management" subject area in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 for the seventh consecutive year, the SHTM is a symbol of excellence in the field, exemplifying its motto of Leading Hospitality and Tourism.

The School is driven by the need to serve its industry and academic communities through the advancement of education and dissemination of knowledge. With a strong international team of 90 faculty members from 20 countries and regions around the world, the SHTM offers programmes at levels ranging from undergraduate to doctoral degrees. Through Hotel ICON, the School's groundbreaking teaching and research hotel and a vital aspect of its paradigm-shifting approach to hospitality and tourism education, the SHTM is advancing teaching, learning and research, and inspiring a new generation of passionate, pioneering professionals to take their positions as leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Website: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/shtm/

Pauline Ngan
Marketing Manager
+852 3400 2634
Hong Kong Poly