Forming a Long‐Term Industry‐University Partnership: The Case of Rosen College of Hospitality Management
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on how the University of Central Florida's (UCF's) Rosen College of Hospitality Management (RCHM) has established a long‐term and successful partnership with the hospitality and tourism industry in Central Florida.
Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach was followed and the findings and examples reported in this paper were drawn from official documents and the authors' personal experiences.
Findings – The RCHM, one of the leading hospitality and tourism colleges in the world, has established and maintained successful partnerships with hospitality and tourism organizations in the Central Florida region. Over the years, industry partners have committed significant resources to the RCHM. In return, the RCHM has supported the industry by providing trained students and graduates, along with numerous research and consultancy projects. These successful partnerships were accomplished through mutual trust, an understanding of each other's needs and expectations, and successful collaboration between key industry owners/executives and senior administrators of the RCHM and UCF.
Research limitations/implications – This study implies that the establishment of strong partnerships between hospitality and tourism organizations and hospitality colleges requires college administrators to work closely with industry owners/executives to build mutual trust, personal friendships, and a common understanding of industry needs and expectations. Future studies may investigate similar successful industry‐university partnerships.
Practical implications – This study provides examples on how a hospitality college can form long‐term and successful partnerships with hospitality and tourism organizations.
Originality/value – There are few studies that provide evidence of successful partnerships between hospitality colleges and hospitality and tourism organizations.