Never Stop Moving, Start a New Journey - Development History of Gingko College of Hospitality Management

On April 22, 2020, the 18^th anniversary celebration of Gingko College of Hospitality Management and the Cloud celebration of the transfer unveiling of "Gingko New Journey" were successfully held, which is sure to be written into the glorious development history of the college. A total of more than 14,000 people, including the faculty and students, special guests, alumni and people from all walks of life who care about the development of the college, have witnessed the "New Journey" of Gingko College of Hospitality Management together on the Cloud.

Although the COVID-19 has not yet completely subsided, Gingko people have adopted a novel approach to celebrate the 18^th anniversary of the college and the transfer unveiling ceremony, expressing their blessing to the college in a unique way. The epidemic also cannot break the friendship between the college and the community. Zhou Jiliu, Secretary of the Party Committee of Chengdu University of Information Technology, sent a congratulatory video, expressing his appreciation for the cooperation with the college in the past 18 years and his congratulations on the successful transfer of the college. He hoped that he could further strengthen communication and cooperation with the college in the future.

Professor Kaye Chon, dean and chair professor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and professor of services management of international hotels at Walter Kwok Family Foundation, sent a video saying, "congratulations on the 18^th anniversary of Gingko College of Hospitality Management. Your university has made great achievements in the past 18 years. The next 18 years will be glorious. The School of Hotel and Tourism Management, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, is very pleased to work with you to promote the development of your college, which will benefit the hospitality industry in China, Asia and the world at large." At the end of the video, dean Kaye Chon sang a birthday song in English to celebrate the 18^th anniversary of the college and its successful transfer.

Mr. Richard Adie, the general manager of Statler Hotel at Cornell University, Mr. John Daly, the director of teaching quality control of Swiss Education Group, Mr. Chaphiporn Kiatkachatharn, the president`s advisor of Chiang Mai University,Thailand and the winner of the Friendship Award of the Chinese Government in 2018, Mr. Yura V. Barabash, the strategic consultant of Ginkgo Education Group, Mr. Zhang Hao, the general manager of JW Marriott Hotel Chengdu, Mr. Marcel Damen, the general manager of The Ritz Carlton Chengdu, Mr. Simon McHendry, the general manager of The Temple House, Mr. Sun Jian, the general manager of Home Inns Hotel, Ms. Ren Lin, the general manager of Chengdu Jinhe Hotel, Mr. Li Mao, the vice general manager of the Human Resources Department of Chengdu Tibet Hotel, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Xihua University, Xichang University, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu Neusoft University, Chengdu Vocational University of Art, Jincheng College of Sichuan University, Sichuan University Jinjiang College, Sichuan Film and Television University, Chengdu Industry and Trade College, Polus International College and other colleges and universities, government departments of Yibin City and Nanxi District, Sichuan Provincial Institute of Educational Accounting and other associations, cooperative enterprises (organizations), and experts, scholars and alumni in related fields have also written or sent video clips to congratulate the 18^th anniversary of the college and the successful transfer.

"The transfer is a centralized test of the conditions of running an independent college, the level of teaching management, the quality of talent training, social reputation and influence, etc. The successful transfer is a full recognition of the results of running the college by the national education authorities." Li Ming, the dean of Gingko College of Hospitality Management, pointed out: "the transfer will strongly promote the development of the college. The college's legal person property will be further defined, its institutional advantages will be further developed, and its autonomy in running the college will be better implemented. On this basis, the college will innovate its internal management mechanism and realize innovative development. Through the preparation for the transfer, the college further increased the investment to improve the conditions of running the college, and conducted a comprehensive self-examination to their own running the college, in order to further standardize the management, lay the foundation for the college's leaping development. The college will integrate the industry development more closely, integrate the existing resources and conditions, further transform the advantages of the industry into school-running characteristics, and realize the characteristic development. The rapid development of the college, the improvement of social reputation and academic level will play a positive role in enhancing the employment competitiveness of our students."

Original Intentions Not Changed

Since its establishment in 2002, the college has never forgotten the original intention of hospitality education. Despite the hardships, the college has kept down-to-earth, and with indomitable perseverance and outstanding wisdom, has been constantly writing the glorious chapter of China's higher education in hospitality management. The college has always been insisting on the original intention of educating people for the Party and cultivating talents for the country, implementing the fundamental task of cultivating virtuous people, and striving to cultivate application-oriented and high-quality personnel with a strong political qualification, solid foundation, excellent professional ability, high comprehensive quality and an international vision to provide high-level talents and intellectual support for local economic construction and industrial development.

As China's higher education enters a new stage of development, the college, as an application-oriented university, firmly grasps this important strategic opportunity and works hard to forge ahead. The college has made great progress in personnel training, scientific research, and its ability to serve the society, as well as in the running scale and quality.

At present, the college has 25 undergraduate majors and 24 specialized majors, including 2 provincial first-class majors, 4 provincial quality engineering project construction majors, 4 provincial key characteristic specialty construction majors, and 6 majors selected into the construction projects of application-oriented demonstration majors of local universities in Sichuan Province.

The college attaches great importance to and continues to improve the application-oriented talent cultivation mode characterized by industry-education integration and college-enterprise cooperation, and has carried out extensive cooperation with more than one hundred well-known enterprises both in China and foreign countries in professional construction, curriculum development, teaching staff construction, practice teaching base construction and student internship employment and other aspects, and has cooperated with the three hospitality management groups (including the Hilton, InterContinental and Marriott) and other large hospitality management companies both at home and abroad to innovate the professional talent cultivation mode.

The college attaches great importance to the international development strategy and encourages the teachers, students and staff to fully participate and deeply integrate to raise the awareness of the whole college to participate in the process of internationalization. Through continuous efforts, the college has achieved remarkable results in the internationalization of curriculum research and development, curriculum content, faculty, teaching mode, and the integration of teachers and students into international activities.

The college is now a global academic partner of the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute and a talent training base for international renowned hospitality management groups, "National Social Science Popularization Base", "National Western Tourism Talent Training Demonstration Unit", "China Tourism Association Folk Inn and Boutique Hotel Branch Member Services (Chengdu) Sub-center", "Best Eastern Summit Forum (2017) Talent Training College", "China's Service Model College" of Golden Key, "TESOL Examination Center", "Southwest Apartment Industry Research Institute", "Sichuan Tourism Development Commission Hospitality Management Research Base", "Sichuan Liberal Arts Practice Education Base", "Sichuan Tourism and Hospitality Management Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center", "Sichuan Hotel and Food Culture and Social Science Popularization Base", "Key Base of Tourism Research in Sichuan Province", "Sichuan Province's First Batch of Hospitality Management Personnel Training Demonstration Units", "Sichuan Provincial Mass Innovation Space", "Advanced School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education in Sichuan Province", "Excellent College for Employment of Graduates among Sichuan Provincial General Institutes of Higher Education" and "Chengdu University Student Business Incubation Demonstration Base".

According to the Chinese Universities Evaluation and Study Report, CUAA ranked Gingko College`s undergraduate programs among the top three out of Sichuan independent colleges. In addition, its Hospitality Management was rated as a six-star program, the top-notch undergraduate programs of independent colleges in China. Students of our college are generally recognized by employers, and they enjoy both high employments rates and high-level employment.

Industry Enthusiasm

The international hospitality management groups across the globe have established their own standards, playing a leading role in the industry. They have made long-term plans to grow in China, enjoying a virtual monopoly in the high-end market.

Although some brands of hospitality and tourism have been established in China in recent years, it's hard for them to compete with international ones in standard brands and services, visibility and recognition due to a lack of excellent pioneers and a substantial number of management talents. We should take seriously on having a say in developing international standards for the industry while training professional workers to improve the core competence, in an effort to help China's brands to grow into international ones, participate in the intense global market competition and beat the competitors.

Unfortunately, there are no relevant requirements in line with China's policies on the integration of industry and education, and no training mode of professional works with integration of work and education based on the actual demands of the hospitality industry, and there is a lack of 'Chinese standard' in the global hospitality industry.

Expansion to the South of Sichuan

The board of directors of the college and the party & government leaders determined to build new campus areas, establish a new model and pursue new growth to deal with the difficulties.

Yibin, located in the hub area of the opening up to the south of Sichuan, is a pilot city of China's integration of industry and education. The new campus, located in Nanxi District, Yibin, will become a reform pilot area to catch up with the development of bridgehead and deeply integrated industries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region and to innovate the training mode of practical talents during the implementation of our college's strategy of international development.

We hope to introduce the advanced international philosophy of education and the excellent culture of service management while promoting the splendid culture of Sichuan across the world through a platform by means of exchanges and cooperation with the high-level colleges of hospitality and tourism management in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region. In this way, we may realize the long-term plan of educational cooperation between our college and those in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region.

A Corner of Campus in Nanxi District

Cooperation and Joint Construction

The planning and design of the campus in Nanxi District was implemented in line with the latest international educational philosophy on hospitality management, and the construction was started in April 2018. A team of experts, including the President Dr. Kaye Chon, Dr. Cathy Hsu and Dr. Tony Tse from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (SHTM), participated in the construction of the campus in Nanxi District throughout the process. The two sides have conducted in-depth discussions on multiple issues, such as the functional design and layout of hotels, curriculum construction, teacher training, practical training, construction and application of practical teaching resources, etc. The President Kaye Chon of the SHTM appreciated our educational philosophy and expressed his willing to have a further cooperation with our college upon the field investigation in the campus in Nanxi District in October 2019. With joint efforts, we hope to become models of hospitality management education in Asia and make contributes to the training of professional workers of the industry across the globe.

A Photo of Leaders of Our College with Dr. Kaye Chon, the President of SHTM (the Fifth One from the Right), in Front of the Sand Board of the Campus in Nanxi District

'The construction and operation of the campus in Nanxi District is a commitment to promote the discipline development and advance the integration of industry and education instead of a regular expansion of campus areas, in order to enhance the quality of professional training and pool high-quality resources of school running, and to implement the significant strategic initiative of comprehensive reform, providing a big platform and lay a solid foundation for our college to become a first-class and internationally renowned college of hospitality management in China,' said Li Ming, the President of Gingko College of Hospitality Management.

Integration of Industry and Education

Guided by the regional development and industry demands, our college has been promoting the reform of professional training mode in recent years. We have established cooperation relationship with multiple companies of the hospitality industry in various fronts, such as development of a training program of professionals, building of teaching teams and examination and evaluation. In that case, those companies are able to participate in all sectors of professional training, which enables the capacity of the application-oriented professionals to be recognized by the industry.

A high-end forum for the global hospitality industry was held in the Ritz Carlton Chengdu in September 25, 2019, which is a closed-door roundtable forum with participants of general managers of the industry hosted by our college. Our college discussed with a dozen of general managers of international hotel brands on how to advance the cooperation, in order to cultivate innovative management talents for the hospitality industry with distinctive Chinese characteristics who are capable of meeting the global standards of the industry.

Mr. Richard Adie, the former general manager of the Statler Hotel at Cornell University, who had been working for 18 years in the hotel visited our college on the morning of September 30, 2019. He came to the Simple Café mainly operated by students and praised the coffee after tasting, leaving a message to all the students in handwriting:

“To all Yinxing students:

You have so much to be proud of! You are attending a wonderful college.

The hospitality business is a noble profession. Best of luck in your studies and career.

Much happiness and good health!

Richard Adie”

A Message Left by Mr. Richard Adie to All the Students

Richard Adie's Visit to Simple Café of Our College

In addition, Mr. Richard Adie appreciated the practical teaching method of operating a cafe in the college. He believed that this teaching method may help students to put the theoretical knowledge into practice and participate in the whole process, which is conductive to the improvement of students' professional capacity.

Our college built a teaching hotel with 'Gingko standards' in the campus in Nanxi District, a landmark building in the campus, by taking example by teaching hotel models of global first-class colleges of hospitality management such as the Statler Hotel at Cornell University and the Hotel ICON. As a 'teaching hotel', it offers various practical courses of hospitality management that enable students who major in the hospitality and tourism management to conduct comprehensive practice and professional training and practice, creating an actual scene for their practice. The layout and decoration style of the floors of the first teaching hotel are different from each other, which is designed to meet the requirements for the practical teaching of different functional layout. There are floors of business hotels, comfort hotels and luxury hotels with real guests to meet the teaching requirements, which enable students to observe and experience the operation and management of hotels in an actual scene. In this way, students' professional capacity will be significantly improved.

Teaching Hotel in Line with 'Gingko Standards' in the Mist

The director of the lobby of the teaching hotel is conducting an education on 'pre-opening of hotels and lobby management'

Gingko's Vision

The 18-year development process of our college vividly displays the interaction between China's higher education and the hospitality and tourism industry. From our perspective, the hotel is not only a form of business, but also represents an advanced culture of putting the interests of others above ourselves', being open and tolerant, taking quality seriously and leading the fashion.

We will devote ourselves to building the school into a first-class and world-renowned college of hospitality management in China. We explain our targets on three aspects as follows: First, we will improve the top-level design and lay a solid foundation for the infrastructure development by taking the opportunity of the successful establishment of the college. Secondly, we will advance the reform of education and teaching, stimulate the vitality of school running, strive for a major breakthrough in the integration of industry and education, and develop professional Master's programs, extending our college' influence in the western China. Third, we will promote international development, enhance the discipline and scientific research level in all-round way, in order to realize the ultimate goal.

We are well aware that there are much more efforts to be made for running a college of hospitality management, given that we have no experiences to learn from. We will promote the integration of industries, meet the global standards and implement open-up schooling. We will give full play to the favorable pattern of "one school with two zones", innovate the teaching model and improve the practical teaching system. We aim to enhance students' professional capacity in all-round way, training more professionals who are capable of participating in the intense global market competition and beat the competitors, in order to boost the growth of China's hospitality industry.