Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Innovative Hospitality Management Dr Ubaldino Couto was recently invited to deliver a keynote address at the first ICCA Uni Forum held in Sohar, Oman. The event was hosted by Sohar University and co-organised by ICCA Middle East, supported by the Oman Convention Bureau.
In his presentation 'Getting Serious About Event Education: a Case Study from Macao', Dr Couto shared about Macao's economic development in the last two decades in the context of how the events industry evolved and adapted to new changes and challenges, and how the Macao government, UTM and the local associations work together to professionalise the events industry through trainings, certifications and advanced education such as launching postgraduate degree programmes at master and doctoral levels. The keynote also outlined how industry-education collaborations can take shape and extended in a 'glocal' scale by working with universities and global associations such as ICCA as well as an internationalisation strategy that brings the classroom to the world, and the world to the campus.
Dr Couto remarked that the "triple-win formula enriches students' learning, induces research, and fuels industry-education endeavours through local, national and international collaborations". He continued, "ICCA Uni plays a pivotal role in facilitating these ambitions, and as we conclude the first ever page here in Oman, we begin writing the many chapters to come with UTM playing a key role in events education not just locally in Macao and the region, but internationally with global partners to continue champion for events and the professionalisation of our industry".
UTM is now accepting applications for the Bachelor of Science in Tourism Event Management and MSc in International Events Management programmes. UTM faculty members also welcome applications for our doctoral programmes. More information is available on the admissions website.
