Tourism Education in Turbulent Times

David Airey

ICOT 2011 - Rhodes, GreeceTourism in an Age of Uncertainty

27-30 April 2011

The State of Tourism Education

I. Turbulent times

II. A health check on tourism in universities

III. Where now for tourism studies?

Approach and Methods

I. Stance – Vice-Chancellor’s view

II. Sources – Literature on education policy and

government actions- Published data

I. Turbulent Times (1/3)1. Resources and FundingGovernment cutsStudent contributionsPrivate providers

2. Selectivity/hierarchyResearch and teachingHE and FE

3. Importance of relevanceResearch and teaching

I. Turbulent Times (2/3)4. AccountabilityExternal (REF fEC NSS, league tables, QAA, transparency)Internal (appraisals andcomparisons)

5. Restructuring

6. Internationalisation/globalisationRecruitment, overseas campuses, overseas delivery, international competition, immigration restrictions

I. Turbulent Times (3/3)

7. Changing styles and modes of delivery

8. StandardisationBologna and UK agencies

9. Widening participation

10. Knowledge developments

A Question?Tourism studies is abolished in universities.Which of the following is the most likely outcome?a. tourism would grind to a haltb. tourism would become unsustainablec. the tourism industry would face a serious labour shortaged. tourism would become less authentice. no-one would noticeTribe: 2011

II. A Health Check on Tourism in Universities

II. A Health Check on Tourism in Universities

Two key drivers : Money and Reputation

1. Teaching: a. recruitment, b. quality, c. curriculum

2. Research: a. approaches b. outputs, c. income

3. Impact: a. employment b. engagement/influence

1a. Teaching: recruitment

‘02 ‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 %

Applicants

3363

3368

3273

3629

3532

4271*

+27

Accepts 3109

3095

3162

3714

3604

4156*

+34

Source: Walmsley, ATHE (2009)

Recruitment to Tourism Travel and Transport courses 2002-2007

Includes foundation degrees.

Without FDs Accepts = 3722

1a. Teaching: recruitment

‘08 ’09 2008/09 PG UG

Accepts 8,622 9,330

TotalStudents

2,330 21,090

Source: UCAS 2010 and HESA

Recruitment to N8 - Hospitality, Leisure, Tourism and Transport

1a. Teaching: recruitment

HLTT Econ

Sociology

English

Maths

Total Students

24k 32k 32k 60k 32k

Source: HESA 2010

Total Students 2008/09

1b. Teaching: quality(student satisfaction)

Subject Highest Lowest

HLRT (T) 4.19 (4.08) 3.34 (3.34)

Business Stds 4.29 3.58

English 4.31 3.48

Mathematics 4.35 3.62

Source: Independent, Complete University Guide, 2010

1b. Teaching: quality(average entry tariff)

Subject Highest Lowest

HLRT (T) 348 (3 or 10% above 300)

132 (6 or 20% below 200)

Business Stds 465 (17 or 15% above 400)

162 (17 or 9% below 200)

English 514 ( 22 or 22% over 400)

179 (2 or 2% below 200)

Mathematics 568 (26 or 42% over 400)

196 (1 or 2% below 200)

Source: Guardian University Guide 2011

2a. Research: Approaches

1.Multiple methods 2.Cultural turn3.Tourism is no longer peripheral

(Tribe, RAE-ification, 2003) but central in new REF panel 26. Chair = Prof Cara Aitchison, 2 tourism panel members.

4.Active PhD programmes5.Increase in Thomson SCCI

members6.BUT: emphasis away from

positivist/quantitativeTribe: 2011

2. Research: outputs

(journal rankings)

Subject Rating 4 and 3

Rating 1

No % No %

Tourism and Hosp 24 3 12.5 10 42

Accountancy 35 21 60 5 14

Economics 137 65 48 21 15

Entrepreneurship and small business mngt 18

7 39 6 33

General Mngt 32 12 37.5 11 34

Source: ABS Journal Quality Guide, 2010

2b. Research: outputs - citations

Source: Tribe 2011

Most cited papers in:

Citations

Annals of Tourism Research

40

Tourism Management 40

Cell 8212

Source: Scopus and University websites

2b. Research: outputs – citation impact

h 14

10

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 X

No 1 1 1 3 4 4 5 5 9 2 5 1454 Individuals, 18 institutionsHighest score of someone related to our field =18Highest in any field = 51

h Index

2b. Research: outputs – impact factors

Source: Tribe 2011

Journal Impact Factor

Tourism Management 1.882

Annals of Tourism Research 1.165

Academic Management Review

7.867

Nat Rev of Molecular Cell Biology

42.198

Cell 31.152

2b. Research: Outputs

1.RAE: worst performing sector in management field – due to long tail

2.Failure to look outside subject area

3.Low citations impact and scores

Source: ESRC Society Today

2c. Research: Income

ESRC Awards and Outputs

Since 1975: 9000 of which 303 refer to tourism = 3%

But: some double counting of outputs; definitions and coverage change

2000=82001=32002=32003=122004=42005=97

2006=252007=322008=252009=522010=10Total since 2000 = 271

3a. Impact: Employment

TourismN810/30/32n=570

H, L T&TN800n=2295

In employment full-time

47% 51%

In sector (TorH) (SIC based)

36%

In sector T&H (SIC based)

54% 50%

In graduate employment (N8)

46%

Walmsley, 2010

UK Tourism and Hospitality Graduates 2007/08

3a. Impact: Employment

Institution

Tourism, Transport

and Travel %

A 70

B 63

C 60D 60E 60Unistats 2011

UK Employed with Graduate Levels Jobs 2010

3a. Impact: Employment

Institution

Tourism, Transport and Travel

%

V 25

W 25

X 20Y 20Z 15Unistats 2011

UK Employed with Graduate Levels Jobs 2010

3b. Impact: Engagement/Influence:

Gap between researchers and the tourism sector

Hostile knowledge management environment (Cooper, 2006:48).

Good Examples:

Pro-poor tourism

Tourism Satellite Accounts

Multiplier Studies

Destination Life Cycle

Consultants

Dr. Murray Simpson (University of Oxford, UK)

School of Geography and the Environment

Dr. Daniel Scott (University of Waterloo, Canada)

Department of Geography and Environmental Management

Tribe 2011

3b. Impact – Engagement/InfluenceThe Climate Change Problem

– Visit Britain / Tourism Alliance Commission Economic Report on the Visitor Economy• Deloitte• Oxford

Economics

Tribe 2011

3b Impact: Engagement/InfluenceThe Economic Impacts Problem

3b. Impact: Engagement/Influence

Tourism and the G-20: T.20 Strategic Paper

By Dr. Ian Goldin

Director, James Martin 21st Century School Professorial Fellow, Balliol College

University of Oxford FINAL VERSION

Document prepared for the 2nd T.20 Ministers Meeting Republic of Korea, 11-13 October 2010

III. Where Now for Tourism Studies?

Score

Teaching: recruitment

+

Teaching: quality 0

Teaching: curriculum

+

Research: approaches

+

Research: outputs

0

Research: income

-

Impact: employment

0

Impact: engagement/influence

-

III Where now for Tourism Studies?

1.Teaching: maintain recruitment, maintain quality, develop curriculum

2.Research: do not lose positivist/ quantitativeextend beyond tourism consider relevance reduce long tail

3.Impact/EngagementMake the caseEngage