Stamford offers new international programmes

Stamford, which was established in 1995, will offer Laureate Hospitality and Laureate English programmes to its students, along with opportunities to study at selected institutions around the world under its Study Abroad Programme.
The Laureate Hospitality Pro-gramme – leading to a Bachelor of Business Administration in international hotel management – is a dual-certification programme of Stamford and Blue Mountains, ranked the No 1 international hotel-management school in Australasia by a TNS survey in 2010. The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School in Australia is recognised by Thailand’s Office of the Civil Service Commission.
Stamford says the programme follows curriculum and quality standards set by Blue Mountains, adopting a modern business-focused hospitality-education approach that combines academic rigour and industry-driven practical training.
The four aspects of the model employed in this programme focus on providing a firm grasp in theoretical knowledge, honing of practical skills through the internship experience, enhancement of English proficiency, and professional and personal development that produces job-ready graduates.
Students have the option of pursing the local pathway, which allows for the degree to be pursued locally while obtaining a dual certification, or the international pathway, which allows students to study in Australia in their final year, acquire an internship experience there and receive degrees from both Stamford and Blue Mountains.
Speaking at the launch of the programme in Bangkok, Anna Quek, assistant president of the International Hotel Management Project, said: “We have undertaken extensive research to assess the needs and preferences of students, and the results indicate that Thai students prefer an undergraduate degree that is business-focused. The results also indicate that hotel management is a preferred option as it offers greater career prospects both locally and globally.
“The survey results also indicate that industry placement, overseas endorsements and study-abroad opportunities give students a competitive advantage to career prospects and advancement. The new programme is designed to produce job-ready graduates who will have relevant knowledge and experience required by |the international hospitality industry,” she said.
Specially developed for Thai and international students interested in pursuing careers in international hospitality management, the programme offers students the opportunity to experience different study and work environments, while obtaining international qualifications from world-renowned institutions.
The programme will be launched in June. New facilities being installed include a teaching kitchen, restaurant, front office and mock hotel room for on-campus practical training. Stamford currently offers a Bachelor of Arts programme in hospitality and tourism management.
The other new offering – the Laureate English Programme – was co-developed by three leaders in the field of English-language teaching: Cambridge University Press, Cam-bridge ESOL Exams, and the Bell Education Trust.

LANGUAGE SKILLS
Stamford says it was created to equip all graduates with the prerequisite language skills to meet the demands of the competitive global marketplace.
It says the programme is specifically designed for non-native English-speaking students to help them reach the level of proficiency desired by employers and required for international studies.
The ability to study and work in English will allow graduates to gain access to employment, reach higher levels of success in academia and the workplace, and enjoy increased mobility as they take up study opportunities or posts outside their native countries. Students passing through the programme will be awarded certification recognised by employers worldwide.
The pilot launch for the programme with Stamford’s existing students was this month, and it will be officially launched in June.
Speaking at the launch of the two programmes, the president of Stamford International University, Associate Professor Dr Boonmark Sirinaovakul, said they were aimed at enhancing the employability level of Stamford graduates and preparing them for global careers in Thailand and overseas.
“The level of English-language proficiency is a matter of concern, as our workforce needs to compete with the best from the region and globally. Having the correct skill set alone is insufficient, as our students need to have a good grasp of the English language to excel in their careers and be able to explore opportunities in international organisations in Thailand and abroad.
“We have developed the Laureate Hospitality Programme with the same objectives, as it offers a holistic approach to tertiary education, work and study-abroad opportunities for students in Thailand who have a keen interest in careers in the hospitality industry.
The rigour of the programme aims to increase the job-readiness of our graduates as well as fast-track their career to management in the international hospitality industry.”
Along with the two new programmes, Stamford now is offering its students the opportunity to travel to 10 countries for student exchange, dual degrees and discovery programmes with overseas institutions. The Study Abroad Programme allows Stamford students to apply to study at selected institutions from this month onwards to experience different cultures and work environments.
Gilles Mahe, chief executive officer of Laureate Thailand, said the launch of these three programmes demonstrated the potential for cooperation between Laureate and Stamford.
“Our new offerings are innovative and progressive and focus on increasing the employability of our graduates.”