Rector's Corner

A special chapter

中文摘要 / Summary in Chinese

IFT once again welcomes the start of a new academic year. Academic year 2019/20 is exceptional in many respects – not only because we are preparing to celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2020.

This academic year IFT is offering its first postgraduate programmes, leading to diplomas, master’s degrees or PhDs. These programmes will help the Institute perform its function as a regional and international hub for education and research in the field of tourism and hospitality. We are working on having some of our postgraduate programmes endorsed by the World Tourism Organization.

This is not all. The new IFT Charter was adopted in August. Its adoption was an important milestone. The new charter changes the structure of the Institute to ensure it is ready to face the challenges the future holds, and to contribute further to positioning Macao as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure – a goal set by the Macao SAR Government and the Central People’s Government. The new charter will be instrumental in the IFT effort to help Macao become a base for education and training in tourism and hospitality for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

We are committed to the continuous improvement of our facilities, particularly those that train students by giving them a chance to interact with real guests and customers. Our Pousada de Mong-Há training hotel, which has won many awards, is completing a major refurbishment. We are also acting on plans for a second training hotel on the IFT Taipa Campus. On the IFT Mong-Há Campus, the Greenhouse Cafe, a student-run food and beverage outlet, opened in this academic year.

Our new students have chosen the right place to make their dreams come true: IFT is one of the best institutions of higher education in tourism and hospitality to be found anywhere in the world. The latest ShanghaiRanking Consultancy Global Ranking of Academic Subjects and the QS World University Rankings by Subject both put IFT among the top 5 Asian institutions of higher education in tourism and hospitality.

The outstanding performance of IFT is reflected by the many awards the Institute has won and its global standing. But the success of our alumni is the ultimate badge of honour: it shows our ability to transform aspirations into achievements. We are proud to see IFT alumni working all over Macao and around the world, playing leading roles in tourism, hospitality and many other industries.

The performance of IFT is upheld by 4 pillars: teaching and research excellence; strong ties to the industry in Macao and around the world; a learning environment with an international outlook; and top-quality, specialised facilities. These pillars are buttressed by a close-knit, enthusiastic community, made up of academics, researchers, support staff, alumni, the hotel and tourism industries and the endowers of our scholarships.

As our new students begin another chapter of their academic careers, our advice to them is always to believe in their potential and never to underestimate their abilities. Together, we can achieve great things.