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| | Faculty - Faculty Members |
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| | | | Ron Hilvert, Managing Director
Ron Hilvert, a graduate of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, is the Founder and Managing Director of the Emirates Academy. Ron has over 35 years of professional experience in the hospitality industry and is recognised as the most experienced Human Resources Executive in the industry worldwide. He has had professional and educational contact with all the major hotel schools and universities in North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia for over 30 years. Ron has held the worldwide Corporate Human Resources position for Hyatt International, Hilton International and the Jumeirah Group, and was an opening General Manager with Hyatt International Hotels. Ron has lectured at several major schools and universities, and has regularly been invited to speak at international conferences. A member of the HCIMA, he is fluent in four European languages. |
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| | | | Dr. Stuart Jauncey, Dean
In July 2007 we welcomed Dr. Stuart Jauncey to The Emirates Academy as our new Dean. Dr. Jauncey is a consummate hospitality professional, with many years of experience in the field. In fact, his interest in the hotel industry dates back to the age of 13, when he persuaded a hotel near his home to let him work there for a few hours each weekend, just because he “loved the idea of being in and around hotels”. His commitment to the industry naturally led him to study both Culinary Arts and then Hospitality Management, taking a Bachelor of Science with honours in hospitality management at Oxford Polytechnic. Unusually, two of his early jobs involved palaces - Blenheim Palace in the UK, and the Emir’s Palace in Kuwait, where he was Operations Manager. He also worked in a number of hotels. |
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| After returning from the Middle East in 1988, Dr. Jauncey studied for a Masters Degree in International Hotel Management at Surrey University, which involved research focusing on the decision-making activities of hotel General Managers. He then returned to his old college in Oxford (now Oxford Brookes University) as a Lecturer. Whilst there, he completed his post graduate diploma in third level teaching, and his PhD - which focused on recording and understanding all aspects of the job of the hotel General Manager. Whilst at Oxford, he was promoted to the position of Undergraduate Programmes Director. In 1998, he established the Centre for Environmental Studies in the Hospitality Industry, which is now recognized as a centre of excellence for industry focused environmental research. Under his direction, this centre completed a great many research and consultancy projects - including the establishment of a grading system for monitoring hotels’ compliance with environmental guidelines, and a national action plan for dealing with hospitality waste. From 2001 to 2007, Dr. Jauncey was Head of the School of Hotel and Catering Studies at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) in Ireland, where he was responsible for three departments serving 1,200 students and 22 programmes - from certificate to post-graduate level. One of his legacies to GMIT is the West of Ireland Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research, which he founded in 2002. He is also proud to have established several new degrees and academic progression routes for all students, which means that students who study basic cookery, or other operational programmes, can now progress to degree and post graduate qualifications. In addition to academic management, Dr. Jauncey has supervised in excess of 30 post graduate students, and acted as external examiner for hospitality and business degrees across Europe. | |
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| | | | Dr. Amanda Henderson, Associate Professor
Amanda joined The Emirates Academy in 2007. She is a sociologist who has over 25 years experience, primarily in the health care sector. During this period, she has held a variety of positions in the delivery, management, and evaluation of acute health care and change management programmes. Immediately prior to moving to the Academy, Amanda was an Assistant Professor in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Sharjah. Before moving to the UAE with her family, Amanda worked at the National Institute of Clinical Studies (NICS) in Australia, which is Australia’s national agency for closing the gaps between research evidence and clinical practice. In this role, she managed and evaluated a national programme comprising 18 projects that were implementing research evidence into clinical practice. Before joining NICS, Amanda was the evaluator for three national best practice programmes in health care, sponsored by the Australian government. |
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| These programmes developed guidelines and principles for different areas of service delivery in Australian public hospitals.
Amanda completed her PhD at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Her PhD thesis examined the administrator and consumer perspectives of satisfaction with services. Her teaching areas include: research methods, continuous quality improvement and sociological studies. Amanda’s publications are varied and include journal articles, conference proceedings and government reports, and her research interests include consumer studies, human factors and qualitative research methods.
View the Academic Publications authored by Dr. Amanda Henderson. | |
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| | | | Andreas Beisser, Director of Operations and Projects Andreas joined the Academy as Director of Food and Beverage, with responsibility for all operational aspects of the department. In an expanded role, he now oversees all operational functions of the Academy, including accommodation, security, housekeeping and facilities management. Andreas holds three BTEC degrees in Restaurant and Higher Hotel Management, as well as a diploma as a qualified instructor for the hotel and catering industry from the German Chamber of Commerce & Industry. His latest qualification is a Master of Business Administration from Strathclyde University.
Andreas has worked in international hotel operations since his apprenticeship in Germany and has experience in senior management positions in London, Luxembourg, Moscow, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. |
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| Having been involved in several hotel openings around the world, most recently at Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai, Andreas has a strong operational background, with specialisation in pre-openings and operational procedures. He exercised this expertise during the recent construction and inauguration of the Academy’s extension.
He also served as a jury member for Salon Culinaire in Belgium. His professional interest lies in new technology and design. | |
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| | | | Dr. Duncan Gibson, Associate Professor Duncan Gibson, PhD, MBA, MA, BSc. is originally from London, UK, but has come to the Emirates Academy from many years teaching Hospitality Accounting and Finance at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Whilst in Hong Kong he helped found the Hong Kong Association of Hotel Controllers and Accountants. Over the years, he has delivered many courses to industry aimed mainly at increasing financial awareness for non-financial managers. His interest (and focus of his PhD thesis) is in hotel financial controllership. Prior to academia, his many years of industrial experience were spent exclusively in operations in the field of hospitality management mainly in ‘controllership type’ roles. View the Academic Publications authored by Dr. Duncan Gibson |
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| | | | Graham Challender, Senior Lecturer/Industry Liaison Manager
Graham began his career in the New Zealand Army, retiring as a Staff Sergeant/Catering Instructor. He then moved to London, UK, and worked at the Dorchester Hotel as Executive Sous-Chef and the Scandic Crown Hotel as Executive Chef. Later, Graham went to Sydney, Australia, where he was a Chef Tutor for the Ryde College of Technical and Further Education, prior to being appointed Executive Chef for the Australian Jockey Club, a position he held for several years before being promoted to Operations Manager. Graham has many training qualifications and much teaching experience. He also has extensive experience in management, budget control and industrial relations. Graham holds a post-graduate diploma in management from Macquarie Graduate School of Management in Sydney. |
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| | | | Ioanna Karanikola, Senior Lecturer Ioanna Karanikola is currently employed as a lecturer at The Emirates Academy, teaching Rooms Division Management, Front Office Operations and Housekeeping Operations. Ioanna has experience in the operational field of hotels in Greece and the UK. Ioanna is a PhD candidate at Manchester Metropolitan University in the area of training and development. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in Tourism Management from Manchester Metropolitan University, and also holds a Bachelor of Hospitality Management (honours) from Blackpool and the Fylde College in association with Lancaster University. She completed her higher national diploma in Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management at Blackpool and the Fylde College. Ioanna has worked at different hotels in Greece and the UK, holding a variety of operational management roles within the hotels. Her last operational position was as a Front Office Manager in Novotel for Accor UK. |
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| | | | Dr Ivan Ninov, Associate Professor / Institutional Effectiveness Research Officer Dr. Ivan Ninov is an Assistant Professor at The Emirates Academy, teaching courses in Tourism and Hospitality Management. He joined the Academy from Texas Tech University, Department of Nutrition, Hospitality and Retailing, where he was a Graduate Instructor. Ivan received both his Doctorate in Hospitality Administration and a Master’s degree in Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management from Texas Tech University. He also holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Tourism from Sofia University in Bulgaria. Ivan has managerial experience both in restaurant and hotel operations. His last industry position was as a Retail Manager with Aramark, USA. View the Academic Publications authored by Dr. Ivan Ninov. |
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| | | | Dr. John Sutton, Programme Director of Academic Programmes
John joined The Emirates Academy from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Hotel and Tourism Management, where he was Principal Lecturer in Service Management, Food & Beverage Management and Chairman of the Teaching and Learning Committee. After graduating from hotel school, John worked for the Savoy Group in London, a German wine company, Trust House Forte Hotels, and SRC Ltd. Subsequently, he set up his own restaurant and outdoor catering company before transferring into hospitality education. John holds a Bachelor’s degree from Huddersfield University in England, and both his Master’s degree and his Doctorate are from Scotland’s University of Strathclyde. |
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| He is co-author of The Hospitality Business (Longman, 1995) and English at Your Service (Longman, 2003); and has written numerous journal articles and conference papers. Significant among these are his works on cross cultural management and training issues. John is a Fellow of the Hotel and Catering International Management Association, and has undertaken many consultancy assignments for companies such as Whitbread Breweries, Shangri La Hotels, Sheraton Hotels and Marriott International. He is the recipient of seven major research grants and has undertaken several assignments as an external examiner, invigilator and judge.
View the Academic Publications authored by Dr. John Sutton | |
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| After holding different restaurant management positions in Norway, Lars worked as Project Manager in the Tourism Department for EuroChile. He was then appointed Project Manager for the development of hotel projects for the International Tourism Management and Consulting, ITMC S.A., both positions were held in Santiago, Chile. Before moving to Dubai, Lars was a lecturer at Lahti Polytechnic in Lahti, Finland. | |
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| | | | Michael Kitts, Executive Chef/Senior Lecturer
Michael began his career at Claridge's Hotel in London, UK. He then moved on to work for renowned private clubs, such as the Garrick Club in London. He later worked as Sous-Chef for London's Ritz Casino and Inter-Continental Hotel, before moving to Bristol as Executive Chef for the Swallow Royal Hotel. Michael returned to London as Executive Chef for the prestigious Les Ambassadeurs Club, before joining the Butler's Wharf Chef School as Culinary Director/Executive Chef. During his career, Michael has been very successful in international competitions and has won over 60 gold medals. He was a member of the gold medal winning Great Britain Culinary Olympics team in 1987, and was the first recipient of the UK Craft Guild of Chefs Competition Chef Award in 1994. Michael has used much of his competition experience in training others. In 1994, teams that he trained won both the junior and senior ‘Grand Prix’ at Hotelympia, London. He was awarded the Prince Philip Special Award in 1996 for services to industry. |
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| | | | Helen Morris, Executive Chef / Lecturer
After training for a culinary qualification in the UK for 2 years, Helen began her career working for the small luxury hotel group as a chef which was followed by work in 4* & 5* hotels & renowned restaurants within the Southeast of England & some work in Australia. These roles eventually led to a chef/lecturers position at the Butlers Wharf Chef School in London before heading a Curriculum Department at a FE college in NW London & teaching all aspects of the hospitality. She studied at the University of Greenwich to complete her teaching qualification. She has many qualifications in teaching & culinary subjects & as taken part in culinary competitions in the UK & Europe. Helens career has seen her gain knowledge & experience from fine dining restaurants to hotels & event catering to give a broad understanding of the hospitality industry. |
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| | The Academy | |
| | Visiting Faculty |
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| | | | Sally McQuart, Instructor
Sally Macquart is a Lecturer of Business and Managerial English Communications at the Academy. She began her career as an interpreter and trade promotion coordinator for the US Embassy Foreign Commercial Service in Paris, France, a position she held for eleven years before moving to Saudi Arabia, where she taught French at the International School (SAIS-R) in Riyadh. Sally also has extensive teaching experience in the US, where she developed a class for advanced students on the importance of the Francophone world, and at the American University in Dubai where she was an instructor of ESL for many years. Sally holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Lesley College in Boston, Massachusetts, and a teaching certification from Rutgers University, New Jersey. She is also a certified instructor for Berlitz schools, and a licensed guide through the Department of Tourism, Commerce and Marketing of Dubai. |
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| | | | Dr. Heba Aziz, Visiting Faculty
Heba works as Director of Research for Jumeirah Group. She has a PhD from the University of Surrey, UK, focusing on tourism development and local communities, as well as a Master’s degree from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, focusing on travel and tourism media. She is the author of a number of articles in travel and tourism, discussing some controversial issues, including: tourism and terrorism, tourism and employment, and travel and tourism from an Islamic perspective. Recently she has been working on a number of research projects including tourism for the visually impaired, and anthropology and policy for the tourism industry. She received a research grant from the Royal Geographical Society for a project on Bedouin societies in Oman and tourism
Heba was until recently Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, researching how to enhance Omani tourism and also participating in the establishment of the Oman Tourism College. She has taught in universities in Egypt, Oman and the UK. |
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| | | | Prof. Dr. Peter Goffe, Visiting Professor Dr. Peter Goffe has 23 years of teaching and administrative experience at institutions in the USA, Switzerland, Dubai, Finland and Monaco. He took his Doctorate in Law at the University of Miami in Florida; Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Hotel Administration at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; and a Business Administration degree at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. From 1974 to 1982, Dr. Goffe worked with Intercontinental Hotels Corporation (IHC) at unit and corporate executive levels in IHC’s Americas Division. From his position as Division Director of Market Development supervising regional and unit hotel marketing strategy planning, implementation and control for 17 hotels in North and Latin America, Hawaii and the Caribbean, Dr. Goffe left IHC to join Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, USA, as an Associate Professor. |
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| Dr. Goffe remained with FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management for 21 years as Associate Professor in Management, Marketing and Law, winning in 1994 the University’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1991, Dr. Goffe practiced Family Law in Miami for eight years while teaching full-time. In addition, from 1999-2003, Dr. Goffe was resident founding director of FIU’s Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management programme in Lucerne, Switzerland. Prior to joining the International University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef • Bonn, Dr. Goffe was Professor of Law and Ethics at the International University of Monaco. In addition to his annual teaching visits to the Emirates Academy, Dr. Goffe has been a Visiting Professor at at SCIL’s Management Training Center, Helsinki, Finland; and at L’Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland. | |
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| Other international work includes work for the World Tourism Organisation. Within New Zealand he has completed work for Tourism New Zealand, the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Auckland, Tourism Waikato and individual private sector organisations. One of these pieces of work, in 2004, required a review of New Zealand's Tourism Research Strategy on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism. His experiences range from work involved in helping to establish a World Heritage Site to advising on pricing for a jet boat operation. Chris is an Hononary Professor of the University of Wales and visits the Centre for Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Wales Institute at Cardiff on an annual basis. He is interested in research methods and epistemologies, and in tourist behaviours and the consequences of those behaviours in terms of impacts - social, psychological and environmental; and in the business organisations that shape those tourist experiences. His social science background is in economics and psychology having degrees from London, Nottingham, Nottingham Trent and Aston Universities. | |
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| | | | Dr. Robert Govers, visiting faculty
Robert Govers is currently serving as Assistant Professor Marketing and Strategy on the Master in Tourism programme of the University of Leuven, Belgium, where he is also Project Manager at the Flemish Center for Tourism Policy Studies. Prior to his return to the Benelux, Robert worked in Dubai as a senior lecturer in tourism and marketing for four years, including two years at the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management. Dr. Govers completed his PhD entitled Virtual Tourism Destination Image: Glocal identities constructed, perceived and experienced at the Rotterdam School of Management in 2005 and with Prof. dr. Frank M. Go he is the author of Entrepreneurship in Tourism, a paperback published in Dutch. He also co-authored several journal articles and conference papers in the field of tourism, hospitality and quality management, e-commerce in tourism and tourism research and marketing. |
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| As a project manager, Robert has been involved in many consultancy projects for reputable organisations such as IATA, the European Commission, the Flemish Government and various Dutch ministries and tourism promotion boards. Robert started his teaching career as a visiting lecturer at the Witwatersrand Technikon Johannesburg (RSA) and as a Research Associate for the Centre for Tourism Management at the Rotterdam School of Management. He has taught courses in marketing, services marketing, strategic services marketing, and research methods. | |
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