Higher education and employability in tourism: Bridging the gap between higher education programs and industry expectations

Title

Creator

Serafeimidou, Isavela

Abstract

The dynamic nature of the tourism industry requires higher education institutions to develop graduates with competencies that align with evolving industry standards. As industries continue to change due to technological, economic and social changes, the ability of higher educational programs to anticipate and respond to industry needs is necessary. The systematic evaluation of the level of preparation and effectiveness of higher education, is crucial to bridging gaps between it and the industry expectations. This ensures that graduates are not only employable but also capable of corresponding to the according professional practices. By fostering an alignment between curricula and industry expectations, higher education can acquire a central role in supporting the sustainable growth of the sector, enhancing professional performance and addressing the broader need for competent and adaptable individuals. In this paper, the nature of the gap between higher education and industry expectations within the tourism sector is explored. In doing so, a qualitative methodological approach is used to foster the viewpoints of management within hotels, by conducting semi-structured interviews on a varied sample of 15 departmental managers within hotels. Results indicate an overall focus of institutions on the theoretical preparation of graduates, neglecting the practical one, which aligns with the industry's expectations. Driven by those standpoints, as well as a comparison of those with the degree of the higher education’s preparation of the tourism graduates, which is extrapolated by the curriculum’s learning outcomes, an indicative undergraduate tourism curriculum framework is designed and proposed.

Keywords

education

expectations

gap

Date Available

May 28, 2026

Type

Oral presentation

Course

HT4747: Dissertation in ITHM

Instructor

Vrasida, Maria

Session

Oral presentation

Location

Art Center Auditorium

Event

Year 2026 | 10th Annual Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium

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