MasterCard-U21 Global Scholarship Marks Fifth Year of Empowering Women Executives in Travel Sector

28 May 2010 2184 | World Travel News

20 Scholarships to be Awarded to Women to Upgrade Skills to Climb Corporate Ladder

With the travel and tourism industry having undergone significant changes over the last year, it is even more imperative for professionals in this sector to upgrade their skills to face the new challenges and opportunities available. MasterCard Worldwide and U21Global Graduate School today announced the fifth year of the MasterCard-U21Global scholarship program for women in the travel and tourism industry. Launched in 2006, the program aims to empower women executives through education to realize their full potential.

Comprised of 20 scholarships for the U21Global Postgraduate Diploma of Business Administration, the program is intended for graduates who want to develop skills in the management and marketing of tourism and travel products and programs. It is designed to provide participants with a solid foundation in core management subjects, and is aimed at providing students with a firm grounding in basic management capabilities. Core subjects include Organizational Behavior, Finance, Marketing Management and Strategic Management.

The course can articulate into the University of Nottingham MSc in Tourism and Travel Management which has been developed by Christel DeHaan Tourism and Travel Research Institute, a part of Nottingham University Business School, and U21Global, a leader in quality graduate online education for working executives and professionals.

Eighty women have been awarded the scholarship to date, with the scholars coming from a broad spectrum of the industry, from hotels and airlines to travel and tour operators. The first batch of women graduated from the program last year, while 9 women are set to graduate this year. All of them are upbeat about their career prospects, recognising the value the program has ingrained in them as professionals.

?My learning experience with U21Global has been extremely enjoyable and has far exceeded my expectations. I found that the online tutorial is well-structured and easy to understand and I gained a lot of work-related knowledge which can be applied to improve my quality of work. I also love the flexibility and convenience of the online environment as it allows me to study anytime anywhere as long as there is an internet connection.

The sharing of best work practices with my fellow classmates always gives me great insights to perform my work in a better way. I am sure I can benefit from this course both personally and professionally. I would recommend it for anybody who has the passion to work in the Travel & Tourism Industry and is aiming for better prospects in his or her career life,? said Anna Yip, Sales Development Manager, Air New Zealand.

?Throughout the course, I have been able to expand my strategic thinking and business analytical profile. I have come across some great examples that others are using in their business units and have been able to adapt and apply them to some of the situations that I have come across in my own business units.

The team environments on the course give one exposure across cultures, backgrounds and personalities and while frustrating at times, it was a great learning curve working within the teams,? explained Monique Curry, Cluster Revenue Manager, Crowne Plaza East, Intercontinental Hotels Group.

?I am very grateful to be a recipient of this scholarship programme as it opened up new opportunities for growth for me. Although it is quite challenging to balance work, family and study, I liked the fact that I could do all of these endeavors simultaneously.

I would highly recommend it, especially to those who want immediate application of what they learn in the course to real business settings,? said Anabell Gillespie, Sales Director, Misibis Bay.

?Empowering women with management and leadership skills that immediately add value to their contributions at work has always been the aim of MasterCard Worldwide and U21Global. We are very encouraged by the positive responses and feedback from the students and graduates,? said Nick Hutton, Chief Executive Officer of U21Global Graduate School.

He added, ?Despite the global economic crisis, H1N1 and other challenges, we see huge growth opportunities in tourism. The UN World Tourism Organisation expects the international tourism arrivals to grow by 3 to 4 per cent this year, and Asia to lead the trend with a growth of at least 5 per cent. 1The scholarship by MasterCard Worldwide and U21Global will help prepare these talented women for the massive growth in the tourism industry.?

The 20 scholarships are made possible by a grant from MasterCard Worldwide and U21Global. Recipients of the scholarship can enjoy the benefit of studying online and can hence better manage their work and educational commitments.

?The PATA foundation recognizes that the MasterCard-U21 program is of great support to the travel and tourism industry and serves to address an important issue the industry is facing - that of developing a skilled workforce who will bring back their knowledge and expertise to the business. Building upon this, there is an increasing need for the private sector to be more involved in the process of raising standards for the industry,? said Ratana Poopitakchatkaew, Director of Board and Foundations Relations, PATA Foundation.

?Women and education have always been key priorities for MasterCard. The recent financial downturn has taught us that there is always a need for professionals to improve themselves and stay ahead, and we are glad that with this program, we have provided many dedicated women with the chance to do so. We strongly encourage women in the region to apply for this program and benefit from the various opportunities it affords,? said Georgette Tan, vice president, Communications, Asia/Pacific, Middle East & Africa, MasterCard Worldwide.

Organizations from the travel and tourism industry across Asia/Pacific, South Asia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and UAE are invited to nominate female employees. MasterCard and U21Global will institute a distinguished panel of judges to choose the 20 worthy recipients.

Sourced=E-travel