Dr Russell Arthur Smith Vice dean, Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management (CNI)

In a shrinking world, how is hospitality education adapting itself to produce global leaders?

It presents a lot of challenges for educators. Hospitality leadership demands more from senior managers because of worldwide business operation and 24/7 connectivity. Management degree programs need to equip their graduates with a wide range of new managerial skills that are relevant to international hotel operation. Global and strategic perspectives of hospitality marketing, services operations, IT, finance and human resources are essential. Education also has to be well grounded in hospitality operation for effective industry leadership.

How does the industry rank in the services sector as an employer of choice?

New high profile hospitality developments such as iconic hotels, signature restaurants and major international events have demonstrated the potential for challenging and rewarding hospitality careers. Increasingly, smart young people are drawn to the expanding opportunities that hospitality has to offer. They can see the value and personal satisfaction that hospitality careers bring.

Why should an aspiring student choose to study at CNI?

The Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH) program is a specialised MBA program focusing on the hospitality and the service industry at large. I believe that it is always better to be a specialist rather than to be a generalist in your career and the MMH program offers a unique opportunity to have a hospitality focused career. Some of the key benefits of studying this is that it is a one year program, which minimises opportunity costs, reducing the student's time out of the workforce and the overall cost of tuition.

The MMH program at CNI gives students the opportunity to study at Cornell University, the only Ivy League University to offer a Master's degree in hospitality management, coupled with a stint at the Nanyang Business School. This global program, allows students to build connections and a hospitality network in both Asia and North America.

How do you place Asian markets and hotel brands vis-à-vis their counterparts in the West?

There are distinct differences between Asian and Western cultures, just as there are those that exist between the countries within Asia. Ways of socialising and doing business vary significantly across Asia, and markedly between Asia and the West. Globalisation is bringing these diverse cultures together, presenting new challenges for hotel employers. The central issue is how to preserve local cultural traditions of hospitality while meeting the expectations of international travellers. Successful hotels encourage their staff to project Asian culture as a central component to generate a unique and memorable guest experience. It is all about the guest connecting with the local culture. Leading hotel employers know that staff is central to this.

How critical is executive education to enhance the skills of a professional?

The hospitality industry has evolved tremendously in the last five years; the internet has changed the way consumers look at hospitality products - be it airline tickets or hotel rooms. In order to respond to these changes, hospitality professionals need to evolve. As humans we are constantly learning. These programs give professionals with work experience an opportunity to benefit from knowledge development, skills enhancement, and industry networking. This makes them adaptable and current to the needs of the business. A very important aspect of the CNI programs is industry networking, an ideal opportunity for people who want to make mid-career changes.

What is your message to aspiring students who want to make a career in hospitality?

The hospitality industry is undergoing robust growth. The increasing affluence of Asia's middle-class populations, increase in the number of budget airlines and growing global and regional trade are driving rapid increases in travel, tourism, and all other peripheral activities. This rapid growth has exacerbated the need for qualified, highly skilled, strategic hospitality managers. Trained and qualified hospitality professionals are in very short supply today. Hotels, airlines, casinos, consultants, real-estate finance companies, financial specialists, and online distributors are pursuing the same pool of talent. The shortage of talent is a major challenge facing the entire industry, given the rapid rate of hospitality expansion across the region. As an aspiring hospitality professional this is the ideal time for one to enter the hospitality industry.