Overview
Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School ranked number 1 in Australasia*
The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School was established in 1991 with the aim of providing high-quality internationally recognised hotel management education. The School has built a strong reputation within the hospitality industry for developing students into future leaders.
Through established partnerships with major hotel chains students have a range of career opportunities upon graduation. The courses offered are further enhanced by the strategic partnership with The University of Queensland who quality endorse the Bachelors program. UQ is a founding member of the Group of Eight; an alliance of research-strong universities committed to ensuring Australia has higher university institutions that are genuinely world class.
At Blue Mountains students not only learn the theory but also the practical which ensures that they can start working as soon as they complete their education. To provide students with every opportunity to be successful upon graduation all students participate in two periods of paid industry placements with employers in Australia or abroad.
Blue Mountains was awarded Gold at the 2009 New South Wales Tourism Awards and won the Education and Training award at the 2009 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. Both awards recognise the School as the leading provider of hospitality management education in Australia.
The travel and tourism industry is the fastest growing industry in the world and as new hotels and restaurants start operating there is a demand for qualified hotel management graduates. Blue Mountains is reputed for its excellent training and teaching methods and its ability to prepare students for the wide range of opportunities that are available in hospitality, travel and tourism, restaurants and related industries.
*In a survey of international hotel hiring managers, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School ranked number 1 among hospitality management schools in Australasia for an international career. (TNS Survey, September 2010).
Location
Australia offers the right mix of traditions and modernity to international students. The high quality of education and options to work while studying make Australia one of the most popular choices for international students. The Blue Mountains campus is located in Leura amidst the scenic beauty of the Blue Mountains National Park, west of Sydney. Nature lovers can enjoy the beauty of the Three Sisters rock formation, Wentworth Falls and the Jamison Valley. Being one of Sydney’s major tourist destinations the surroundings provide an ideal environment for students.
Leura is an ideal quiet and safe location for a period of intensive study, remote from the distractions of a big city yet close enough to enjoy all Sydney has to offer. The bustling town of Katoomba is only 3km away with an array of shops, supermarkets, banks and all other necessary services and amenities – not to mention great entertainment and nightlife.
Accreditation & Partnerships
The courses offered by Blue Mountains is quality endorsed by the University of Queensland – a strategic partner of the School.
The School also holds full national and state level accreditation from the following statutory educational agencies:
- Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
- New South Wales Department of Education & Training
The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) is an agency of the United Nations that specialises in tourism policy and hospitality projects. Blue Mountains is a certified institution of the WTO’s Department of Education and Knowledge Management gaining certification under the Tourism Education Quality program.
The courses offered by Blue Mountains are also certified by the Institute of Hospitality. The Institute of Hospitality is the only internationally recognised professional management association for managers in hospitality, leisure and tourism. Blue Mountains is also a part of the Laureate Hospitality Education, a division of Laureate International Universities. The Laureate International University network offers a variety of internationally recognised courses across diverse fields of study in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, North America, Asia and Oceania.
Blue Mountains has a partnership with the Australian International Hotel School that allows students to complete a double degree in International Hotel Management or International Event Management.
Courses
The Bachelor of Business (International Hotel & Resort Management) degree is the primary educational course offered by Blue Mountains. The full-time course is delivered fast-track in just two and a half years.
Highlights of the course
- Detailed study of business, marketing, finance, organisation and operations.
- Professional development including management, leadership, communication and career planning.
- Actual training on-campus, which is run as a simulated hotel. Students are the guests as well as the staff of the campus.
- Career development program offering paid internships in leading hotels in Australia or abroad.
Students completing this degree will also receive a Diploma from Les Roches, one of Europe’s leading hotels schools.
English Language Program
International students whose English language skills do not meet the necessary requirements are advised to take the English Language Program. The program is conducted by the Academy of English which is located on campus.
Industry placement
Industry placement is an integral part of the education offered by Blue Mountains. As part of the industry placement semester students work in leading hotels in Australia and abroad to gain real-time experience and also improve their skills.
Students have completed their industry placement at the following locations:
- Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas, Australia
- Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Australia
- Tokyo Hilton, Japan
- Sheraton Park Tower London, England
- Hotel Intercontinental Geneva, Switzerland
- Newport Bay Club Disneyland, Paris, France
- Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
Graduate Privileged Partners Program
This is a unique program that allows the School’s industry partners to recruit the best final year students. Industry partners include top hotel chains such as:
- Accor
- Hyatt
- Starwood
- Toga
- Marriott
- Four Seasons
The program comprises personal interviews, tests and induction sessions.
Student life
Blue Mountains has state of the art lecture and seminar rooms. The professionally staffed Library and Academic Resource Centre is one of the highlights of the campus. It provides access to over 10,000 monographs and audio-visual aids, and over 8000 books and electronic journals.
Accommodation
Students live in twin share hotel style rooms, all with private en-suite bathrooms, telephone line and 24/7 internet access. Rooms are serviced once a week and all linen is provided. En-suite single rooms are limited and subject to availability.
Food
The campus offers a choice of dining venues: Chambers, an a la carte fine dining restaurant; Cookie’s, an indoor/outdoor café; and Ploughman’s, a casual dining bistro.
Sports & Recreation
The campus offers students a large recreation room open 24/7 with the following facilities:
- overhead TV projector
- plasma TV screen
- DVD player
- pool tables
- air hockey
- tabletop soccer
- table-tennis
- vending machines
Lovers of outdoor sports can utilise the services of the tennis/basketball court, soccer field and in-ground swimming pool. An outdoor barbecue area is also provided for picnics.
