On June 12th, the School of Management, Shandong University held the expert validation meeting on the new undergraduate program of Digital Intelligence Culture and Tourism Management and the revision of the training program for the Master of Tourism Administration (MTA).
Dean Wu Changqi emphasized in his speech that with the digital transformation and the booming development of the cultural and tourism industry, the program establishment of Digital Intelligence Culture and Tourism Management has far-reaching significance in promoting industrial upgrading, economic development, and discipline construction. Vice Dean Huang Xiaoting presided over the meeting and introduced the background.
He Zeya, Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism, reported the preparation of the new undergraduate program. She mentioned that the program will be oriented to the national strategic goal of building a strong tourism country and the professional development plan of Shandong University to build a new liberal arts and cultivate composite talents with international competitiveness, who can adapt to and lead the high-quality development of the culture and tourism industry in the era of national digital intelligence. Han Ruobing, Director of the MTA program, introduced the progress of the revision of the MTA scheme. It was emphasized that several teaching modules of different directions would be added, the proportion of practical teaching would be strengthened, and the number of diversified assessment schemes would be increased to meet the industry's demand for applied talents.
The expert group made a detailed assessment of the new undergraduate program and the MTA scheme. Professor Chen Ye, Vice Dean of the College of Tourism and Service Management of Nankai University and Professional Editor-in-Chief of Nankai Business Review, appreciated Shandong University's emphasis on education innovation. He believed that the new program setting is in line with the development trend of the industry, which helps to improve the employment quality and long-term career development of students. Professor Ba Zhaoxiang of Fudan University, Member of the Teaching Steering Committee of Tourism Management of the Ministry of Education, and Member of the China National MTA Education Supervisory Committee of the Academic Degrees Office of the State Council, is concerned about the foresight and innovation of the curriculum and encourages the integration of more cutting-edge digital intelligence technology. Professor Zhang Jinhe of Nanjing University, Member of the Tourism Geography Committee of the Geographical Society of China, Executive Director of the Tourism Education Branch of the China Tourism Association, suggested that integrating multidisciplinary faculty within the university, adding new ways to train students, strengthening cooperation with the industry, and providing students with internship and practical training opportunities. Professor Sun Fengzhi, Director of the Department of Tourism Management at Shandong Normal University, suggested emphasizing the urgency of the demand for digital intelligence culture and tourism talents from a market perspective. Chen Yanli, Vice President of Shandong Xinhua Culture and Tourism Group, and Xie Dong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Shandong Performing Arts Group, looked forward to the university cultivating more professionals in the areas of intelligent tourism, digital product development, digital marketing, and digital asset management to meet the market demand from the perspective of the enterprises. Professor Wang Degang, President of Shandong University Tourism Industry Research Institute, Vice President of China Tourism Association, Member of the Teaching Supervisory Committee of Tourism Management of the Ministry of Education, and Professor Xu Feng, Director of the Cultivation Office of the Graduate Working Department of the Party Committee, Shandong University, put forward valuable opinions on the construction of specialty characteristics and the direction of the reform of the bachelor's and master's degree education, respectively.
After an in-depth discussion, the participants agreed that the establishment of the new undergraduate program in Digital Intelligence Culture and Tourism Management and the revision of the MTA scheme of Shandong University will inject new vitality into the culture and tourism industry and cultivate more high-quality professionals for the economic and social development. Vice Dean Huang said that the School will seriously adopt the experts' opinions, improve the discipline construction and talent cultivation system, and ensure that the quality of education advances with the times to meet the needs of social and economic development.
The new undergraduate program of the Digital Intelligence Culture and Tourism Management and the revision of the MTA scheme have taken a step forward and will play a leading role in the field of culture and tourism education in the future, contributing wisdom and strength to the development of the industry. The School will also closely integrate with the national strategic needs, promote interdisciplinary integration, improve the quality of talent cultivation, and cultivate more high-quality talents for the development of the cultural and tourism industry.
