Main Headline University News

IFTM and Sands China Ltd Joined Hands to Co-organise a Symposium on Conventions and Exhibitions to Further Academic-Industry Collaborations

中文摘要 / Summary in Chinese

A symposium was recently held in by IFTM and integrated resort operator Sands China Ltd (SCL) to strengthen cooperation between the two entities in nurturing career development through training and research.

Officially referred to as “MICE Symposium & MOU Signing Ceremony” by IFTM and SCL, the event was held on 15 March 2023 to seek deeper cooperation in areas of convention and exhibition between the two entities, building on the solid foundation of academic-industry cooperation and IFTM’s approach of balancing theoretical and practical education. The event comprised of signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the SCL and IFTM, as well as a symposium featuring representatives from local and international associations in exhibitions and conferences, such as UFI The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) and International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), and top management from SCL, as well as specialist academics from IFTM.

Dr Clara Lei Weng Si, Director of the School of Hospitality Management, highlighted the government’s strategy in developing the Tourism-plus and Event-plus concepts which are extremely relevant and important to IFTM. Citing from keynote remarks by UFI and ICCA, the year 2023 is expected as a year of revival, generating strong momentum for post-pandemic recovery and training. It is therefore important for IFTM to continuously nurture talents and play a role in training the workforce to cater for its potential growth. With the cooperation with SCL, Dr Lei was confident that the industry-academic support “is providing enormous support to students with a wide-variety of opportunities from high-level research to very practical training opportunities”, adding that “SCL has been providing many internship placements for our students for years, hosted numerous talks and site visits, as well as taking part in developing education resources with our colleagues”.

Mr Lourence Ho, Executive Director of Human Resources at SCL and an IFTM alumnus, maintained that “the aim of this cooperation is to utilise resources from both parties to deepen collaborations between industry and academia through research, training and other educational initiatives, so as to cultivate talents suitable for the development of the Greater Bay Area”. The Symposium marked the beginning of a new era of collaborations between IFTM and SCL. Currently, specialists from both entities are developing training manuals and industry standards through a Macao Occupational Skills Recognition System (MORS) standard set for the MICE industry. MORS was launched in 2001 with the support of the European Union and is recognised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the MORS provides a framework for standardisation in different vocational areas.

IFTM launched the Bachelor of Science in Tourism Event Management programmes in English and Chinese in 2005 and 2010 respectively. In line with the institution’s philosophy of balancing theoretical knowledge and practical skills, the Tourism Event Management degree programme – one of the most popular offered by IFTM – is known for its curriculum in requiring students to organise and host public live events as well as academic excellence in teaching and research.

For event highlights of the MOU Signing and Event Symposium, please visit here or scan the QR code below: