Kunming, China, June 2016—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has presented Dr. Bai Changhong, Dean of the College of Tourism and Service Management at Nankai University, Tianjin, China, with the 2016 Lamp of Knowledge Award for Outstanding International Educator. The Lamp of Knowledge is given to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to advancing the quality of professionalism and education in the hospitality industry.
Dr. Bai was presented with his award by Ed Kastli, MBA, CMHS, CGSP, AHLEI’s vice president, international sales, on May 30, during a gala dinner at the HEAD Summit in Kunming.
Under Dr. Bai’s initiative, Nankai University creatively partnered with Marriott International and AHLEI to bring about the Nankai Young Hotelier Development Initiative Program, also known as “MAP” (Marriott Apprentice Program). Students in the program are expected to undergo a five-year comprehensive hotel education program that consists of 18 months of learning on campus, 38 months of combined online learning and internship at Marriott hotels in two phases, as well as a final evaluation featuring progressive performance appraisal of the internships.
Students who successfully complete the MAP program receive graduation certificates from Nankai University as well as internationally-recognized certificates from AHLEI. They also receive supervisory job offers from Marriott International. Outstanding graduates of the MAP program will seamlessly be connected to the Global Voyage Program, Marriott’s proprietary “future leader incubator” targeting elite university graduates worldwide.
“The meaning of this project is more than certificates,” explained Leon Shi, CHE, AHLEI’s country manager of operations for China, who nominated Dr. Bai. “It seamlessly links vocational education, higher academic education, quality employers, leading educational resources, and online and offline teaching.”
In addition to his roles as dean and professor at Nankai University, Dr. Bai is also Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee on the Professional Teaching of Tourism Management in Tertiary Education, and the Secretary-General of the China National Master of Tourism Administration Education Supervisory Committee.
