Green light for Professional Doctorate Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality

15-06-2022

Minister of Education, Culture and Science Robbert Dijkgraaf launched a new practice-oriented doctorate in higher education at a conference of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences: the Professional Doctorate. The Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality domain is one of the five domains in which the Professional Doctorate (PD) is offered in a pilot. Menno Stokman of the Center of Expertise Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality (CELTH) is delighted with the award. Stokman champions this new training, which offers professionals in the sector an opportunity to achieve a higher level of knowledge. The PD was developed in collaboration with seven universities of applied sciences in the domain: Hotelschool The Hague, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Breda University of Applied Sciences, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, HZ University of Applied Sciences, Inholland University of Applied Sciences and Hotel Management School Maastricht/Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. Each study program will start a number of PD trajectories.

Why the introduction of Professional Doctorate?

Universities of applied sciences regard a doctoral program in higher professional education as an important and necessary addition. The PD enables a continuous learning path from bachelor via master to doctorate and is closely linked with other higher professional education. The aim is for HBO bachelor's and master's students to benefit from the research conducted by PD candidates into the latest developments in professional practice in their education. The introduction of the professional doctorate is therefore also an investment in the broader connection of higher professional education to the labor market.

"Suits the demand for a higher level of knowledge"

Menno Stokman: "This is a really great addition to the programs and research of the universities of applied sciences. We suspect that, in addition to current master's students and researchers, professionals from the hospitality domain will also want to take such a step. There is an increasing need for highly qualified professionals in the domain. The leisure, tourism & hospitality sector is growing worldwide and faces major challenges. It requires a transition to destinations and an industry that is resilient and therefore equipped to change with society. This requires new expertise, different concepts, and additional research. There is a need for further strengthening of the training and knowledge infrastructure, with a new level of practice-oriented research professionals. This PD Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality fits in well with that demand.”

Difference with PhD?

The Professional Doctorate is of an equivalent level to a university PhD but has a different character. Maurice Limmen, president of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, explains it as follows: “A PhD at a university, trains you to become a professional researcher, while the professional doctorate in higher professional education trains you to become a researching professional. After all, HBO trains professionals for the labor market.”

Possible topics Professional Doctorate Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality

There is a wide range of topics that can be tackled by researchers via the PD. Of course, spreading in relation to under- and over-tourism will be discussed. With or without COVID-19, managing resilience in the domain remains important. In addition, themes such as circular economy and transition to sustainable business operations can be considered. CELTH would also like to see an underexposed theme on the agenda: that of human capital. In the industry in which people provide the warmest form of hospitality, they are often the first to cut down on terms of employment, training, and coaching. That really must be different. The desire is the change of labor as a bare cost item on a payroll to the valuable employee. Much more is possible in the PD assignment. The generation of Professional Doctorates does not have to return to business altogether. The government can also deploy additional top talents due to its major policy and management role.

Fast start in 2023

The execution is fast. It all depended on the investment of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science. The pilot involves a total cost of almost 80 million euros. 2023 is now mentioned as the starting year. Limmen: “We have an ambitious and careful plan with which we want to shape the Professional Doctorate in the coming years. We look at the needs in the various HBO domains. An important point of departure remains that the funding of the Professional Doctorate is not at the expense of the existing education and research budgets.”