PolyU’s Doctoral Degrees in Hotel and Tourism Management Gateways to Outstanding Career Opportunities
The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is preparing students for leadership positions in their chosen careers by offering the cutting-edge Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Hotel and Tourism Management programme and the world's first professional Doctor of Hotel and Tourism Management (D.HTM) degree.
The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is preparing students for leadership positions in their chosen careers by offering the cutting-edge Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Hotel and Tourism Management programme and the world's first professional Doctor of Hotel and Tourism Management (D.HTM) degree.
"The hallmark of a world-leading doctoral programme is not only the research it generates but also the extent to which it provides graduates with outstanding career opportunities," said Professor Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor of the SHTM. With the focus of global tourism shifting toAsia, the SHTM is consolidating its leadership in hospitality and tourism education by offering not one but two exceptional doctoral programmes.
To provide leadership in developing future scholars in hospitality and tourism management, the SHTM offers research programmes leading to the Ph.D. degree. The critical mass of globally recognised researchers at the School, together with the attractive stipend for research students and the unique "East meets West" environment, make its highly competitive Ph.D. programme very successful.
The Ph.D. programme produces both scholars and industry professionals, with many of the School's graduates now serving the industry as well as the academia worldwide. Recent graduates of note include Dr Ahmed Salih, who is now Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Republic of the Maldives. Dr Vera Shanshan Lin moved into academia following graduation and is now Assistant Professor at the School of Management of the Zhejiang University. Dr Yong Chen has accepted an offer from the Ecole hôtelière deLausanne and will join the respected School as Assistant Professor in January 2014.
The D.HTM programme attracts a range of professionals interested in augmenting their careers, from experienced practitioners and government representatives to academics. Now in its seventh year, the ground-breaking programme has a distinct Asian focus, offers a unique combination of subjects and research, and fits the hectic schedules of students with its flexible delivery pattern.
Since its inception, the programme's truly global student base has hailed from as far and wide as Ghana, Japan, Macau, Mainland China, Korea, Taiwanand the United States. Recent graduates include Dr James Mabey, who is now Senior Vice President, Development – Asia Pacific for the Jumeirah Group, with responsibility for the Group's growth and development across the region. Dr Shu-Ying Lin, who has taken on the role of Assistant Professor and Section Chief, International Education Section of the International Affairs Office at the National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism. Dr Dahl Joe , currently Director of Training and Development at the Ambassador Hotel Group, has completed the Accor International Hospitality Management Programme for future general managers. Dr Jimmy Chiang is Head of Tourism and Hospitality at InvestHK.
About PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management
For more than four decades, 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 2024 for the eighth consecutive year; placed No. 1 globally in the "Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services" category in the University Ranking by Academic Performance in 2023/2024 for seven 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. 1 in Asia in the "Hospitality and Leisure Management" subject area in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, 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 over 90 faculty members from 21 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/.