Innovation-centric courses in hospitality management education in Dubai

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an overview of how a Dubai-based higher education institution in hospitality management has leveraged the enabling macro-environment for building innovation-centric courses in hospitality pedagogy. The policy-level initiatives focusing on innovation adopted by the UAE, and Dubai, in particular, are analyzed along with their impact on the higher education landscape.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory research design with an experimental component based on iterative approach has been adopted in this paper.

Findings

The synthesis of the exploratory analysis with the outcome of the experiment for developing innovation-centric courses and assessments which integrates elements of sustainability underscores the necessity for a scalable roadmap for developing an innovation-driven ecosystem. Implications for stakeholders in deploying the proposed roadmap are discussed.

Originality/value

The experience curated from the design development and delivery of innovation-focused courses with the mandated framework in a specific geography (in this case Dubai, UAE) attests to the originality. The research adds value by proposing an implementable roadmap for stakeholders to foster an innovation-driven socio-economic ecosystem that encompasses elements of sustainability.

Citation

Nadkarni, S. and Morris, S. (2019), "Innovation-centric courses in hospitality management education in Dubai", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 166-172. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-12-2018-0084