Issue Thirteen, February 2013
Mr Ron Hilvert, Managing Director
Editorial Team Marketing Team at The Academy Issue 13, February 2013 The writers for this issue include: Allan Miura, Christopher Dutt, Christopher Pieri, Elham Bolooki, Helen Morris, Manuel Schneider, Marianne Saulwick, Marketing Team, Philipp Roesch, Qiaomeng Huang, Rafia Al Ameemi, Richard Newell, Ron Hilvert, Samuel Moult, Sarah Shaw, the Student Council and Weina Ma Photos by: Marketing Team and others
A note from the Managing Director
Congratulations Graduates of 2012!
The year 2012 was an excellent one for The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management with quality achievement and progress in so many ways. Our academic reputation has grown worldwide with our degree programmes being sought after by students interested in making a mark for themselves in the hospitality industry; our Professional Training & Development department has been successful in expanding its client base; we have completed the refurbishment of our studio accommodation; we have successfully hosted the 6th International Panel of Experts Forum 2012 with valuable positive feedback from all the attendees; and we have won the bid to host the prestigious EuroCHRIE conference in 2014. A very big highlight of the year was our Graduation Congregation in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.
The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management is proud to have hosted its 8th Graduation Congregation celebrating the Graduates of 2012 at Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event which took place on 7th October 2012 in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, hosted the largest graduating class to date, a total of 63 students, as well as the largest
number of Emirati graduates. The first batch of Postgraduate students also received their Masters degrees from The Academy. The keynote address was delivered by Mr Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airlines. Also in attendance were Mr Ahmad Bin Byat, CEO of Dubai Holding, Mr Gerald Lawless, President and Group CEO of Jumeirah Group and Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Knowledge and Human Development Authority.
We look forward to 2013 with justifiable confidence, expecting it will bring greater success to The Academy and our students. We will graduate our highest ever number of students, we expect to broaden our student base, launch our Centre of Research and go through our formal relicensing process with the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. I use this opportunity to thank all those who have been ever so supportive of us. The Academy is sincerely appreciative. Ron Hilvert
Cover photos: Graduation 2012 Layout & Design J-Design
Visit our Website! www.emiratesacademy.edu The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management PO Box 29662 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Telephone: +9714 315 5555 Fax: +9714 315 5556 Email: info@emiratesacademy.edu
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In honour of the United Arab Emirates 41st National Day our Emirati students planted a Union Tree in The Academy garden.
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We top the ‘Global Student Satisfaction Survey’ again!
Institutional collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The 6th edition of THE-ICE International Panel of Experts Forum was a great success! by Christopher Pieri The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management successfully hosted the 6th International Panel of Experts (IPoE) Forum 2012 between 18 and 20 November 2012. The event, spanning over 3 days, was attended by well over eighty delegates coming predominantly from Australasia, Europe, and the United States of America. Educators and industry professionals alike addressed panels and papers surrounding this year’s theme “Changing Times in Tourism and Hospitality Education.” Under the directive of Dr John Fong, five students took on planning and operating this event as their consultancy project. This gave them a remarkable opportunity to learn and experience the various skills surrounding project management. The event was predominantly student-run and showcased the true quality of students from The Academy. On the first evening the delegates enjoyed a dinner at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel’s Sunset Gardens, where they witnessed Chef
The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management topped the recent international and domestic student satisfaction survey (ISB-SB™), conducted by the International Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education, THE-ICE.
Sukseekao’s ice-carving of the Burj Al Arab. On the second evening they had the opportunity to experience the students’ hospitality skills, who presented “The Paddy Hat”, a South East Asian restaurant concept. A series of panel presentation sessions featured leading tourism and hospitality educators and industry experts from both within the region and internationally. The attendees had extensive networking opportunities and experienced authentic Arabian hospitality at its best. On the final day the delegates were taken on a tour to Burj Al Arab and through the various hotels that comprise of the Madinat Jumeirah complex. After exploring the luxurious rooms and the grand public areas, the tour ended in ‘Bahri Bar’ – one of Jumeirah’s signature outlets – for refreshments as the sun set. An overall success, the event has received a plethora of feedback from the attendees since its final close on the last day and The Academy looks forward to attending the next IPoE 2013 Forum in Australia!
This annual benchmarking survey of THEICE which has been conducted at The Academy since 2011 and implemented in partnership with the International Graduate Insight Group (i-graduate), is the world’s only tourism, hospitality, events and culinary artsfocused student satisfaction survey, available exclusively for its member institutions, comprising of quality universities and private hotel schools from some 10 countries. The survey instrument, International Student Barometer™ (ISB™), is designed and developed for THE-ICE by i-graduate, an independent benchmarking and research organisation. It conducts the largest annual study of international students in the world, with feedback from over 1,000,000 respondents from 1,200 institutions in 24 countries across 5 continents.
The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
THE-ICE ISB-SB survey benchmarked the responses of students from The Academy amongst peer institutions within the global network of THE-ICE. Consistently the findings indicate that The Academy has one of the best learning and safest living environments amongst 1,200 institutions around the world. The Academy has also outperformed other institutions in areas such as “Accommodation Quality”, “Living Costs” and “Work Experience”. Commenting on the results, Mr Ron Hilvert, Managing Director of The Academy, said “These results are a true reflection of our culture, as we pride ourselves with providing our students with a top quality study environment.”
The School of Professional Education and Executive Development (SPEED) at Hong Kong Polytechnic University provides world-class education and aims at producing graduates who meet the industry’s needs, an objective which it shares with The Academy.
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The agreement establishes an academic exchange programme between The Academy and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, ranked among the top 200 universities in the world. The agreement provides for study abroad programmes for students, faculty exchanges, academic co-operation and programmes for the development of young talent in the hospitality industry.
Commenting on the new partnership between the two universities, Mr Ron Hilvert, Managing Director of The Academy, said: “We are confident that this collaboration of two world-renowned education institutes will provide students and faculty with great experiences in two destinations that are known for their tourism and hospitality industries.” Mr Jack Lo, Director of SPEED, added, “The MOU represents both organisations’ continuous effort in establishing formal links with tertiary institutions delivering consistently high standards in the hospitality sector. The synergy created enhances the professional and academic development of our students, teaching faculties and ultimately the hospitality industry around the world.”
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Alumni Association by Marianne Saulwick
EuroCHRIE 2014 coming soon!
The Asian Education Leadership Awards
by Christopher Dutt EuroCHRIE, an international academic conference, will be making its way to The Academy in 2014! EuroCHRIE is the European Council of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education. A conference which takes place in different parts of the world each year. In 2011 it was hosted in Croatia, in 2012, Lausanne, and The Academy has just won the honour of hosting EuroCHRIE 2014. We have hosted EuroCHRIE before, in 2008, and are still the talk of the conference. Our hardest job will be surpassing ourselves!
International Fine Food Festival
The Asian Education Leadership Awards ceremony was held on the 25 September 2012 at the Taj Palace Hotel in Dubai, where Mr Ron Hilvert graciously accepted the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Education’ on behalf of The Academy. The awards are presented by the Asian Confederation of Businesses to individuals and institutions that have exceeded universal levels of excellence and set an example of exemplary leadership in education.
A happy group of about four dozen Alumni met for a dinner at one of Dubai’s favourite restaurants, Reem Al Bawadi, in October 2012. The event was timed for the week after Graduation, which meant that some of our recent graduates were welcomed into the Alumni Association. It is intended that this postgraduation get together becomes an annual event in Dubai, which can easily be scheduled into everyone’s calendar. For more information on the Alumni Association, please visit www.emiratesacademy.edu, Facebook and LinkedIn Alumni pages.
Our Emirati students and graduates Sarah Shaw Graduated in 2005, Human Resources Expert, Family Development Foundation in Abu Dhabi “Experiencing the hotel industry was a journey of adventures and every situation held an opportunity to bridge cultures and to learn from the people that I interacted with. These situations resonate vividly in my mind and provide a reference for all my future encounters. As an Emirati EAHM Alumni, this knowledge and skill gave me a competitive advantage in both the private and public sector of the UAE.”
Rafia Al Ameemi Graduated in 2012, Assistant Operations Manager, Butler Services, Burj Al Arab in Dubai “Although my time at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management was short, I would describe my experience as one of the most unforgettable adventurous of my life. I pursued an Associate of Science in International Hospitality Operations degree at The Academy, which introduced me to the world of hospitality operations. Nowhere else would you have the chance to interact and study with people from all around the world, who have the same passion for the service and business environment. The interaction we had with each other was enriching by itself.
by Christopher Dutt & Helen Morris
I am very proud to say that I am a graduate of The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management! The Academy placed me on the first step of my career ladder and opened many doors and created incredible opportunities for me, that I would not have been able to pursue elsewhere.”
The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management was delighted to be a part of the 1st annual International Fine Food Festival which was held at the Meydan Grandstand in October 2012!
Elham Bolooki 2nd Year Student
Our students and faculty members collaborated with the International Fine Food Festival’s team in different capacities, ranging from our students assisting in the kitchen, manning the hospitality desk, participating in the junior chef competition, to our culinary faculty members judging the various competitions. Chef Michael Kitts, Director of Culinary Arts at The Academy was selected to be the Salon Director for the Golden Toque Middle East 2012. Additionally, the food & beverage faculty from The Academy were part of the Management Team for the Golden Toque Middle East segment. Students from The Academy were also involved in the Junior Chef of the Year Challenge and The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management Junior Chef of the Year Award was presented at the event! Page 6
“Being an Emirati student at The Academy is definitely peculiar. I personally always imagined myself being away from home and experiencing new things, and even though I am home, I don’t feel that way. The fact that there are so many international students, and that I live on campus, makes me feel as though I actually am studying abroad yet still get the homelike environment with having my family nearby! The most important thing to me is that my culture is automatically understood and if I had actually left to complete my education abroad, this would have been a challenge. Overall, The Academy has really helped me grow… in a home away from home!”
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Student Study Tour 2012
Best of both worlds!
by Marianne Saulwick
by Manuel Schneider
Tuscany, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, was the location for the 2012 study tour. A flight from Dubai to Rome, a train ride to Florence and we were in the land of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante, Machiavelli, Puccini and the Medicis to name just a few of the towering figures this region has produced.
I moved from The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management in Dubai to Ithaca, New York, United States of America, to attend the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration for my final year, in order to obtain not only my Bachelor of Science (Honours) in International Hospitality Management, but also a Minor in Real Estate.
We were based in a small village in the Chianti region of Tuscany. The hills of Chianti are beautifully suited to olives and grapes and we visited a number of estates where we toured the production facilities, including deep cellars holding thousands of bottles. Five course lunches, featuring local produce and prepared according to traditional recipes, were a daily feature.
With almost 15,000 students, Cornell is by far bigger than what I was used to. There are endless opportunities for clubs and organisations on campus, ranging from A-cappella groups over social clubs to professional societies. Everyone is competing for every volunteer position and exposure opportunity there is.
The hotel school also administers its own independent Alumni network, which allows any hotel student to search for Alumni contacts in the industry. There are many opportunities to make connections and mingle with hospitality professionals, especially within the hotel school, such as weekly round tables that are offered to students who also want to meet people from the industry and discuss current economic matters. Concluding, I have to say it was the right decision to complete a Study Abroad programme at The School of Hotel Administration, as I believe it is an excellent complement to my experience at The Academy and it has been a challenging but great learning-opportunity for me.
A highlight was a truffle hunt in the forest followed by a lunch where each course included truffles. The hunt was led by an extremely valuable dog named Giotto. His value is evident when you consider that white truffles were fetching US$7,000 per kilo at the time we were there! Another highlight was a cooking class at the Capezzana Estate where grape production has been going on for 1,200 years. We prepared traditional dishes such as crostini alla fiorentina, fresh pasta which was used to make tortelli di patate, Florentine steak cooked over an open fire and finally, Tiramisu. Our days were filled with divine cuisine, landscapes and history. Our guide, Giorgio, told us the story of Tuscany over a number of days. We heard about the traditional rivalry between Florence and Sienna, the political intrigues, the murderous Medicis, the art and architecture. Our little group traveled around the rolling hills of Tuscany taking in the scenery, listening to Sanne’s music and beginning to understand why this part of Italy has captivated people from Roman times.
Girl Guides by Mieray Arotine We were fortunate to welcome a group of ‘Girl Guides’ to The Academy in December! The girls enjoyed two fun-filled days here at The Academy, which included a handson demonstration of napkin folding, 5-star table set-ups and mocktails in our Training Restaurant !CON. Subsequently, they had shawarmas by the pool, a quick swim and a presentation about “Careers in the Hospitality Industry”. Before lights went out, they had the opportunity to prepare Christmas crafts and make Christmas tree brownies. In the morning, before they set off to visit the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Unit at Mina A’ Salam, Madinat Jumeirah, the girls savoured a continental breakfast on the Rooftop of The Academy. We really enjoyed the visit and hope to welcome the next group of ‘Girl Guides’ to The Academy soon!
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German Hospitality! by Philipp Roesch In the fall of 2012, The Academy sent one of its esteemed staff members, Mr Andreas Beisser, Director of Operations and Projects, on a trip to Germany. During his 14 day visit, Mr Beisser represented The Academy at various partner universities, where he spoke about our Study Abroad and Masters programmes. Our German Alumni were also present and contributed their passionate testimonies about Dubai and the adventurous student life at The Academy. Apart from digging deep into Haribo bags and enjoying German sausages, Mr Beisser also met with an Alumni Mr Pieter Bruener, who was one of the first to graduate from The Academy in 2005. Today, he works at Ernst & Young in Hamburg in Transaction Advisory - Real
Estate & Hospitality and loves his job. Mr Beisser was interested to hear about his daily work and how The Academy prepared him for his role. Alumnus, like Pieter are role models for the current students who plan to have a successful career in the hospitality industry. With over 300 students and more than 60 nationalities, The Academy is proud to have numerous German students on-board. Considering that Germany is the largest economy and population in Europe and the 4th largest nation to frequently visit Dubai, The Academy is more than delighted to welcome an ever-growing number of German students.
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Gastronomy Delights by Helen Morris & Marianne Saulwick
Faculty exchange
Student Council by Samuel Moult
My journey from Macau to Dubai! by Qiaomeng Huang
by Christopher Dutt At the end of October, I visited the Beijing Hospitality Institute (BHI), an Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne certified school. It is a truly impressive sight, considerably larger than The Academy, with over 3,000 students! Scarier for me was that this is small by Chinese standards. We all know China is a well-populated country, but to see it for oneself is something else! This was the continuation of a faculty exchange programme The Academy has with
Each year, senior students at The Academy showcase their culinary and service skills to friends from industry, chefs and the press. These themed dinners are part of their Gastronomy course (GAST301), an elective course in the senior year. The gastronomy course focuses on using advanced techniques in food preparation and gets the groups ready for their grand finale, a six course dinner menu at the end of the course. The students have to consider the various menu planning elements, as well as organising the kitchen for the event and enhancing their time management and leadership skills. Someone very special was in the kitchen with the students– Chef Gary Rhodes, a good friend of The Academy, was the guest of honour and he showed the students how it’s done; preparing the evening’s dessert. Chef Rhodes invited the 2 winning groups of students for a luscious dinner at Rhodes Mezzanine, hosting them himself. In addition, Ms Kholoud Ali Abbas, Graduate of 2012, really excelled during the Gastronomy course and was therefore the lucky winner of the study trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland, fully sponsored by “Churchill”, one of the leading ceramics, glass, wood and cutlery producers in the hospitality industry. Moreover, The Academy recently welcomed forty guests to a six course gastronomic industry event prepared by the talented final year students, under the watchful eye of our Director of Culinary Arts and multi-award winning chef, Michael Kitts. The evening was a great success with guests comprising of senior hotel professionals, media and chefs from across Dubai. The food and service on display was superb and all the guests were very impressed. Some chefs were overheard to say they would happily take some of our young students into their kitchens. Conversation flowed, contacts were made and friendships developed. Then, surprise guest, Chef Gary Rhodes stepped out of the kitchen with his beautiful lemon dessert; to much applause! Gary is a big supporter of The Academy and his presence in the kitchen was a huge boost to the students. The Academy has since received a number of phone calls requesting an invitation to the next dinner! Well done team! Page 10
Passion and determination - simple but powerful I am Qiaomeng Huang from the same hometown as the Kung Fu Panda, Sichuan Province in the People’s Republic of China. I arrived at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management as the first Study Abroad student from the University of Macau, majoring in Business Administration, in September 2012. After completing 3 months of social work in Russia and Kenya, the travel experience had connected me with the dynamic hospitality industry, which led me to complete two years of my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Macau. This lead me to develop a passion for the hospitality industry and so I chose to transfer to The Academy, which happens to be located at the Heart of Hospitality.
BHI. In 2011, Chefs Michael Kitts and Helen Morris visited BHI for 2 weeks and The Academy has hosted 4 BHI teachers who have come here to teach Mandarin, at the moment, we are playing host to Stephen. My role in BHI was to teach the students Cultural Diversity. It was a very intense 4 day course, with a lot of focus on Dubai and the Middle East. It was busy on this course, but very exciting. BHI itself is located about 30 minutes from the centre of Beijing in an industrial area. I did attempt exploring the area, and didn’t get too lost. Although I did patronise a restaurant where I ate something…I think it was chicken, but I can’t be certain! It was a tremendously fascinating experience to see Beijing and BHI. They are very hospitable and very kind. I am greatly looking forward to visiting China again and visiting the good people at BHI.
As the first Trimester of the new academic year began, the Student Council were happy to welcome the new students and those who were returning. The Trimester started with the ‘Welcome Back BBQ’ that welcomed a great turnout and an exciting atmosphere. The weather then saw the successful pool party, ‘By The Pool’, entertain students with music, slushies, food and water activities. Later in the Trimester, The Academy also celebrated the UAE’s 41st National Day with music, decorations and local sweets. The Student Council has continued its support to the Dubai Autism Centre by running monthly Non-Uniform days where the students can donate and buy cupcakes prepared by Sanne and Joelle. As well as our charity activities the Student Council worked with The Academy’s Administration Department and organised a Blood Donation Drive. We look forward to the next Trimester of events and would like to wish Richard Newell the best of luck as he moves on from The Academy and his position within the Student Council, and welcome in Christopher Pieri as the new President.
Dubai - I am going to carve your name in my heart Dubai is a quite fascinating city with an amazing vision history will not remark the second, we must be number one! From the magic fountain performance outside the Dubai Mall to the view from the top of Burj Khalifa; from the Palm Islands to the Burj Al Arab - Dubai always goes beyond your expectations and turns our dreams into reality. The Academy – where dreams come true Located in such a fantastic area, The Academy itself holds much strength. The international learning environment goes along with the warming family community that has certainly impressed me. Professors and colleagues are always welcoming if you drop by, making us well connected. More importantly, it is owned by the international hospitality group ‘Jumeirah’. With the great reputation in Dubai and on a global scale, The Academy has grown incredibly in the past 12 odd years. From the view outside my window and by being located right opposite extravagant hotel properties such as the world’s most luxurious hotel ‘Burj Al Arab’ and ‘Jumeirah Beach Hotel’, I wake up every morning truly encouraged and inspired to achieve my dreams. Here is a window for a bright future. It is you who chooses to open it.
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News & Events Study Abroad students from around the globe! Jesper Olsen, Danish Academy of Business and Technology, Denmark - currently working at Google as a Strategy Consultant ‘Being a former student from The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management is a true stamp of quality, and something that I am deeply proud of. The hospitality business and the passion that comes along with it, is something that “external” people see as unique and attractive. I enjoy talking about hospitality in general, and in my current role as Student Ambassador, I get to promote both The Academy and the industry itself when I travel around Scandinavia. With the opportunities that we have today, I think everyone should try breaking boundaries, and let go. Leave home, and understand what the world has to offer; that’s as valuable as work experience.’
Allan Miura, De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, Philippines ‘The study abroad programme has allowed us to do and experience various things, from meeting different people from all over the world, to partaking service in the biggest events such as the Formula 1 and the World Economic Forum. Currently, we are undertaking our internship in the luxurious Jumeirah Group hotels, and yes, Burj Al Arab is one of them. Truly, this academy is simply the best!’ Watch out for our new video ‘Dubai is amazing’ on YouTube!
Weina Ma, Beijing Hospitality Institute (BHI), People’s Republic of China ‘Ten months have passed since I started my academic and professional adventure at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management. This is the first time I have ever studied abroad. Meeting students from a diversity of cultural backgrounds is such an eye-opener for me; I have gained a wealth of information that I have never heard of before. The experienced faculty encouraged us to take the initiative to discover and explore challenges by ourselves. After each class, various activities and part-time jobs have broadened my horizons and enriched my Study Abroad experience. In the past year, I completed two Academic Trimesters and a five month internship. It has really been a great honour for me to study at The Academy together with my BHI colleagues and look forward to coming back soon again.’ Visit our Website! www.emiratesacademy.edu
The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management PO Box 29662, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 315 5555 Fax: +971 4 315 5556 info@emiratesacademy.edu www.emiratesacademy.edu Page 12