In conversation with BW HOTELIER, Dr. Manohar Sajnani, Director,Amity Institute of Travel and Tourism, Amity University discusses the impact of the Covid19 on education, emerging online learning models, why technology has become imperative hospitality education, challenges of online learning and much more.

It's been a tough year for the hospitality space worldwide, how has the response been like from the incoming batch? Are students reluctant to join hospitality?

It is true that our industry has been hit massively due to the pandemic and none of us (neither Academia or industry) were prepared to have this. However, ‘the show must go on’ being the motto of the hospitality industry, and we have received a good response from the students. They are aware what being associated with a major brand like Amity is and we assure the students that we will leave no stone unturned to provide them the best in education and career opportunities available when they graduate.

Further, there is no denying the fact that unprecedented impacts of covid19 are perceived across the sectors including hospitality education. The students are not reluctant to join hospitality but a fear related to the placements, career avenues, job security and growth is of course felt. However, hospitality professionals and educators are putting in efforts and sending a message that it may be a setback today but the industry will bounce back soon. The revival of the industry has already started with the guidelines on the upliftment of the ban and there are new SOPs and work skills transcribed for the young ones to contribute to the new normal before starting working at various dynamic positions. Moreover, it is equally true that no crisis is permanent and so is this pandemic and that is why the response from the incoming batches is little affected but won’t remain the same. 

The ongoing pandemic has entailed some massive 360-degree changes with respect to hospitality, what are some of the new inclusions in the syllabus structure?

Remote teaching was a part of Amity Future Academy, hence, we were able to switch to Remote teaching-learning immediately, (the foresightedness of Hon’ble Chancellor Dr. Atul Chauhan and Madam Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) B. Shukla, with the 24*7 support of IT team) it became convenient for the teachers and the students to shift swiftly to Remote learning.

As we are a Private brand, we have the privilege of restructuring the syllabus as per the industry requirement instantly. Within the framework of UGC guidelines, the Industry experts, Academic experts, our sister campuses and faculty members (stakeholders) at Amity we were able to restructure the curriculum meeting the current needs both in terms of curriculum review and assessment parameters and in consequent incorporating of 50-50 continuous and end-term evaluation pattern which is student/ Learner centric and provides the students to interact more with teachers (Group discussion, Seminar presentation, Quiz, MCQs, Case studies and others) rather than the conventional system of writing exams. The assessment is designed with the help of Rubrics through Professional Skill Development Activities for each course. 

It is so very true that the pandemic has changed the work skills in hospitality to certain extent where the new job roles will emerge and old ones may not be as relevant. There will be inclusion of technology into various hotel operations like thermal scanners, UV sanitization, electrostatic sprayer system, robotic touchless housekeeping and reception kiosks, etc. There is a need to bring changes in the present conventional kind of curriculum. The hospitality institutes must reform and restructure the syllabus and content for achieving the desired learning outcomes sensitizing the students towards new normal protocols related to health, hygiene, sanitation and safety. 

What are the challenges of teaching subjects like housekeeping and F & B online?

These are practical intensive subjects and require a lot of practical demonstrations and conduct. 

The remote teaching learning has actually changed the way the course is delivered to a greater extent. There are some good things that happened too along with the inherent challenges of teaching operational subjects like housekeeping, F&B services, etc. Numerous new ways have been adopted to develop e-content with the use of latest technologies and tools and the content developed is enriched with inclusion of audio, video, graphics and images to make learning an interesting experience for the learners. The course delivery and presentation expose the students to virtual lab practical demonstrations but real-life learning by doing activities are still a challenge when teaching remotely. 

Hotels are shifting towards technology for front office work. Could this mean that the subject of the front office no longer attracts students?

It is true that the hotels are shifting towards contactless check-in and check-out and other guest services, however, the subject is still one of the top choices made by female and male students alike. The subject offers vast career opportunities and is applicable for every area where customer handling, guest services and human touch (not literally) is required. Even the robots are being built to provide human emotions alive, so does our industry run with the aim to provide charming experience with or without the use of technology. You always try to find a pleasing face at the reception rather than a machine standing and waiting for you, we love humans not machines. The development is welcome, however, we will never give away the human interaction with the guests.

Technology has become all pervasive and hotels are not untouched by it. Most of the hotel operations rely upon technological usage – nano cleaning, express check ins, robotics in bar operations and services and contact-less services, etc. But we should also understand that technology can never substitute the warmth of human welcome. The efficiency of front office operations is rather accelerated by adoption of technology. Guests will always like to be received by welcoming eyes and smiling human faces. 

An increasing number of recruiters are looking for technical knowledge like coding and digital marketing in candidates, will you include this in your syllabus? If so, how?

Yes, it is the need of the hour to well equip our students to excel in the professional arena. We are actually into dialogues with IT teams of many hotels and drafting the certification course in IT for Hospitality for our students. The proposals are getting ready and soon our students will acquire a good flair in IT that is much needed to work efficiently in operational sectors. As already mentioned that Amity being a global and Progressive brand aims to bring overall and holistic excellence in the professional and personal excellence of each of the graduates passing out from the portals of Amity University.

How can students be inspired to develop a career in hospitality at a time like this? 

We all know that all is not well presently but we also know that if winter comes can spring be far behind? This is a temporary phase. At institutional level, we have been organizing various webinars from time to time inviting industry representatives to be in live talk with hospitality professionals to remove their hesitations and fears if any related to hospitality as a career. We are getting good responses from these talk shows and also using social media platforms to bring in awareness amongst masses about shining career in hospitality business.