Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Leadership

Purpose

The primary purpose of this Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Leadership is to provide an interdisciplinary qualification for experienced hospitality professionals who wish to specialise in hospitality leadership. The secondary purpose of this qualification is to provide access to and promote life-long learning opportunities for continued personal and professional growth, which is achieved through the completion of an ethically sound hospitality leadership research project and with the inclusion of research methodology in the qualification design. This qualification will therefore prepare learners to articulate into a Postgraduate Diploma in a cognate discipline at NQF Level 8.

Upon completion of this qualification, qualifying learners will be equipped with theoretical knowledge and analytical skills to demonstrate the integrated competencies of accountability, ethical decision-making and a future-focused problem-solving approach, within the context of an industry that is continuously facing internal and external challenges. The Exit Level Outcomes of this qualification are aligned with NQF Level 7 descriptors and will prepare learners to practise and demonstrate their responsibility and innovativeness as both current and future-oriented hospitality leaders.

Rationale

The growing needs in Higher Education, as identified by government and the country in general, corresponds with the need to grow capacity for hospitality leadership. A report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), indicated that the total contribution of South African travel and tourism was over R400 billion in 2017 accounting for almost 10% of the GDP. This is forecasted to increase to R624 billion by 2027, indicated as 11, 5% of the GDP. The hospitality industry and tourism sectors are vital contributors to South Africa's economic growth and were singled out by President Ramaphosa in the State of the Nation address as areas that provide South Africa with "incredible opportunities" (www.timeslive.16/02/2018). Overall hotel room revenue is expected to expand at 3.4% compound annual rate to 19,7billion in 2023 from 16.7 billion in 2018 (PwC Hotels Outlook: 2019-2023: South Africa.www.pwc.co.za).

Furthermore, the South African hospitality industry is challenged by an emerging market economy, political instability, societal inequality and the fact that most people employed in this industry are unskilled or without formal qualifications. There is a substantial number of hospitality professionals who completed a Diploma in Hospitality Management during the last 20 years and who are currently employed in various hospitality sectors in senior or management positions, seeking to engage in continuing professional development (CPD). This need for CPD opportunities for hospitality and tourism professionals was confirmed on various industry forums, including the African Tourism Leadership Forum (Durban, August 2019). One of the most viable options for these professionals is to enrol in an advanced diploma, offered in the distance mode of delivery.

This qualification was, therefore, developed as a response to this identified need and will equip learners with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes necessary to lead hospitality organisations effectively in the complex and highly competitive global hospitality market, currently and in the future.

The hospitality industry is facing global disruption, concerning amongst others, digital platforms for managing bookings and reviewing of sales performances, over commoditisation where consumers are no longer able to interpret brand differentiation of competing hospitality institutions, international issues of over-tourism and the identified need for hospitality professionals to understand what constitutes effective leadership and how it applies to the sustainable development of the industry. The identified current and future dilemmas that the hospitality industry is facing, therefore, confirm that 'hospitality leadership' has become an important differentiator needed to drive innovative and sustainable solutions at the individual, institutional and societal levels.

The hospitality industry requires professionals and practitioners who are adequately qualified and experienced to engage in longer-term thinking, strategic innovation, quality orientation and collaborative agility to ensure continued growth and sustainable development. Existing academic hospitality qualifications at higher education institutions focus mainly on management theories and skills, while the emphasis of this qualification is not only to build and retain hospitality industry knowledge but also to foster a new generation of innovative and strategic leaders, who can make informed decisions relating to the identified current and potential future ethical dilemmas. The new generation of hospitality leaders will be able to meet the demands of a complex and increasingly competitive global hospitality market.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution's Credit Accumulation and Transfer, Recognition of Prior Learning and Qualification Completion Policies distinguish between RPL for access, that provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, and RPL for credit, which provides for the awarding of credits for, or towards a qualification or part qualification registered on the NQF.

The prior learning assessment seeks only to establish if the learner has, through a process other than the "ordinary formal certificated educational route" acquired the knowledge, competence and skills that would normally be expected for those being granted admission. Content knowledge is often not the primary consideration if it is something that can be readily acquired and will not inhibit progression, therefore, a Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) is presented. This Portfolio of Evidence seeks to recognise:

• Learning resulting from experience, and not for the quantum of experience per se;
• Learning that is on the level of the qualification/module for which admission is sought;
• Learning that is in line with applied competence and has a balance between theory and practical application, appropriate to the qualification the candidate wishes to pursue.

How the learners' prior knowledge and skills will enable them to gain credits and admissions to the qualification and/or how they will be awarded credits for such learning is explained below:

• To be awarded a qualification, a learner must complete the requisite academic modules resulting in the completion of sufficient approved credits in the approved period. Some of the credits for these modules can be granted in recognition of formal learning from another qualification or approved short learning programme.
• For a module to be recognised for academic credit there needs to be sufficient equivalence between the module completed and the outcomes and level of the module for which credit is sought.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• An appropriate 360-Credit Diploma, NQF Level 6.

Or

• An appropriate Bachelor's Degree, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits

• Strategic Hospitality Leadership, 15 Credits.
• Hospitality Systems and Strategic Marketing, 15 Credits.
• Hospitality Training and Leadership Development, 15 Credits.
• Introduction to Research, 15 Credits.
• Hospitality Operations and Risk Management, 15 Credits.
• Innovation and Sustainable Leadership Practices, 15 Credits.
• Hospitality Revenue Management, 15 Credits.
• Hospitality Leadership Research Project, 15 Credits.

1. Demonstrate knowledge of hospitality leadership practices and decision-making at individual, organisational and societal levels.
2. Propose innovative and sustainable solutions for a hospitality organisation that respond to the complexities and uncertainties in the global hospitality industry.
3. Demonstrate the effective use of appropriate contemporary marketing and sales strategies to promote a hospitality business in a dynamic marketplace.
4. Cultivate a research-informed approach to obtaining information and resolving current and future hospitality challenges.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Analyse, compare and apply leadership theories as proposed by current research.
• Compare contemporary leadership roles and responsibilities that build trust and respect in a hospitality organisation and create a productive work environment.
• Demonstrate awareness of the relevance of human capital development for sustainable growth in the hospitality industry.
• Identify training and development needs for a hospitality organisation to address shortcomings in quality service delivery.
• Apply an ethical decision making to business development opportunities in the hospitality industry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Evaluate current and possible future risks that a hospitality organisation is facing and recommend sustainable solutions.
• Select and implement appropriate theories, approaches and techniques to facilitate business growth for a given hospitality organisation.
• Apply a range of appropriate revenue and yield maximisation strategies to improve the profitability of a hospitality business.
• Develop and implement innovative and sustainable organisational practices that will establish a high-performance direction in a global and contemporary hospitality organisation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Conceptualise marketing and sales strategies for a contemporary hospitality establishment.
• Evaluate existing hospitality products and develop new products based on consumer trends.
• Analyse and respond to global marketing and sales trends in the hospitality industry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Differentiate between different research methodologies.
• Communicate well-formulated arguments in response to current and possible future challenges and opportunities using appropriate academic and professional discourse.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment and learning are integrated. Continual formative assessment is required so that learners are given feedback on the progress in the achievement of learning outcomes. The scheme of work includes assignments, real-world briefs, tests and an integrated programme portfolio based on the learning material and learners are given feedback. The process is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work and limited numbers of outcomes.

Summative Assessment is concerned with the judgement of the learning with the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification. Such judgement must include integrated assessments that test the learner's ability to integrate the larger body of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are represented by the Exit Level Outcomes as a whole. Examinations, projects, reports or equivalent assessments, such as a portfolio of evidence, assess a representative selection of the outcomes practised and assessed.

The summative assessment also tests the learner's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of a module. Integrated assessments will be designed to achieve:

• Integration of the achievement of Exit Level Outcomes in a way that demonstrates that the purpose of the qualification has been achieved.
• The evaluation of learner performance which can provide evidence of applied competence.
• Criterion-referenced assessment, which is clearly explained to, and understood by, the learners and which can be applied in the Recognition of Prior Learning.