Research Approach and Data Collection
Research Approach
The project was underpinned by a number of key principles:
There is a need to understand the dynamic global-local context in which debates about Australian tourism hospitality and events education are set.
Institutional freedoms and flexibility should be protected and the demand for diversity within the student market place respected.
Any future framework for tourism, hospitality and events education must acknowledge stakeholder interests and expectations.
Tourism, hospitality and events education managers and educators must work together with industry to meet workforce demands and challenges into the future.
A greater level of clarity about the curriculum will help to establish where and how tourism, hospitality and events education fits within the landscape of Australian higher education.
Data Collection
The research and data collection process associated with this project involved several stages:
A review of literature in the areas of tourism, hospitality and events education; higher education policy and management; curricula studies; and higher education philosophy.
A desktop analysis of all tourism, hospitality and events undergraduate degrees in Australia was undertaken which informed the mapping the tourism and hospitality curricula space.
An online survey of tourism, hospitality and events educators.
A paper-based survey of 'advanced-level' undergraduate students with the same survey distributed to recent graduates via a web link.
Face-to-face and telephone interviews with senior university managers.
An online survey to industry.
The project was limited to examining undergraduate degree programs only. Further research may be conducted at a later stage that examines other award programs.
A multimethod approach to data collection and analysis was adopted which drew upon a network of project champions at universities across Australia.
Ethical Clearances and Conduct
The Southern Cross University Human Research Ethics Committee has approved this research (Approval Number: ECN-11-011). The research is deemed to be ‘low risk’ and does not involve any foreseeable risks to the Project Champions, academic educators, industry or students. Individuals will not be identified in the final report or in any project documentation.
The National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (Chapter 5.3) seeks to minimise the duplication of ethical review. Where multiple institutions are involved in a research project, generally there is a process to minimise unnecessary duplication of ethical review. Those who are involved in the data collection process as Project Champions, and who may seek research publications with some or all of the Project Team at a later date, should seek information from their own Institutions with respect to required ethical clearances.
Those wishing to apply for ethical clearance at their own institutions under Minimising Duplication of Ethical Review provisions should request a copy of ethics documentation from the Project Manager.
Feedback and Publication of Results
Reports and other results from this research are available on from the project downloads page. A range of academic outputs will also follow, so check back or subscribe to updates on this page.