Visiting scholar shapes Australian tourism education

Jacquelyn Curtis

Ms Wang is enjoying the Australian sunshine Photo: Michelle Khoo

22 August 2006: The University has welcomed a visiting researcher from China who will analyse the gap between tourism education and the tourism industry.

Wang Jie, a scholar from the Jiangsu province in China, will call Canberra home for the next 18 months thanks to a scholarship worth around $58,000 provided by the University in conjunction with the International Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education (THE-ICE).

THE-ICE is a part of one of the world's largest travel and tourism research centres, the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre. The STCRC establishes partnerships with universities, private industry and government, and together with THE-ICE encourages international excellence in tourism and hospitality education and research.

Ms Wang's research focuses on ways to bridge the gap between tourism curriculum, industry needs and expectations. Through her research, Ms Wang aims to provide a recommended model of tourism curriculum for Australian undergraduate students.

"I hope the research will allow me to find a good way to teach tourism to future students," she said.

"I'd like to be a good teacher in tourism and provide excellent students to the industry."

Ms Wang is already well on her way - as a lecturer in tourism, journalist and former tour guide, she has experienced both educational and industry elements of tourism.

Ultimate dream

In addition, her hometown of Wuxi in southeast China is one of the top ten tourist destinations, boasting beautiful landscape of Lake Taihu and the ancient Grand Canal.

Ms Wang said her ultimate dream would be to combine her tourism expertise with her previous study in journalism to promote tourism and tourism education.

"The curriculum of tourism is not just limited to university study," she said.

"Tourism is something that impacts on a social level also, by using media we can reach a broader audience."

Although arriving in the Canberra winter, Ms Wang said she found Australia "full of sunshine" and the University campus very "international and friendly".

"During the four months since I arrived, I'm getting used to my life in a new country and enjoying every challenge."