More and more IFT graduates are furthering their studies abroad. In recent years, a considerable proportion of the Institute’s alumni have gone on to study at respected universities around the world and some have pursued doctorates, including Ms. Vicky Chen. She is doing a 3-year doctoral programme at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management. Her research focuses on how tourists experience the intangible cultural heritage of Macao.
Ms. Chen graduated from IFT in academic year 2011/2012 with a Bachelor Degree in Heritage Management. She enrolled at the University of Hong Kong, taking a programme leading to a Master Degree in Conservation.
She became interested in conservation while undertaking her curricular internship in the third year of her studies at IFT. “I had my internship in the UNESCO Bangkok office,” she says. “I assisted with a programme in conservation work. It stimulated my interest in learning more about this topic.”
Many IFT graduates continue studying after their time at the Institute, according to Ms. Chen who was born in Mainland China. “Most of the Mainland Chinese students that graduate from the IFT Heritage Management programme pursue further studies,” she says. “Heritage is a very broad field and covers different areas, so further studies give us the opportunity to discover more in specific disciplines.”
School for life
What Ms. Chen learned at IFT was the basis for her progress toward advanced studies in a flourishing academic career and she is thankful for that. She believes the curriculum at the Institute builds a strong foundation of knowledge about many fields. “When I started my PhD, I found what I had learned at IFT useful,” she says.
Ms. Chen advises IFT undergraduates studying Heritage Management to make the most of what the Institute offers. “They should try to grab available opportunities to do their internship overseas, so that they can have a broader idea about different heritage practices elsewhere.”
Looking back at her time at IFT, Ms. Chen says she learned a lot from the group projects she was required to do. “It helped us build our teamwork skills and develop strong team spirit,” she says. “I also really enjoyed the times we went out to collect data and to talk with people. That allowed us to put into practice what we learned in the classroom.”
Ms. Chen stresses that life at IFT should be about more than studying. She says students should join in the extra-curricular activities, so they can meet new people and broaden their horizons. She herself was a member of the student English Debate Team. “It was a very good experience because it helped me develop my logical thinking skills,” she says.
