MasterCard Worldwide and U21Global today announced the fourth year of the MasterCard-U21Global scholarship programme for women in the travel and tourism industry. Also announced, were the first batch of graduating scholars that have successfully completed the online programme.
The MasterCard-U21Global scholarship programme was launched in 2006 to empower women executives through education to realise their full potential. It comprises 20 scholarships for the U21Global Postgraduate Diploma of Business Administration.
The programme is intended for graduates who want to develop skills in the management and marketing of tourism and travel products and programmes. It is designed to provide participants with a solid foundation in core management subjects and equip students with a firm grounding in basic management capabilities. Core subjects include general management subjects such as Organisational Behavior, Finance, Marketing Management and Strategic Management as well as tourism-specific subjects like Service Quality in Travel and Tourism and Understanding the Tourism Consumer.
The course was developed by U21Global, a leader in quality graduate online education for working executives and professionals in conjunction with the Christel DeHaan Tourism and Travel Research Institute, a part of Nottingham University Business School. Students completing the Diploma can qualify for the University of Nottingham Master of Science in Tourism and Travel Management.
“The MasterCard-U21Global scholarship program was very enriching. I would recommend it any day. It sharpened my management skills and has enabled me to interact more skillfully and professionally with both the private sector and government departments,” explained Sue Rickens Kabwe of Fabulous Zambia.
“The programme is very flexible and easy to manage. I am a mother of seven and own my own business, yet I found it absolutely accommodating. It is extremely beneficial to those who are passionate about contributing positively to their countries.”
These graduates were nominated by their respective employers who recognised that they were the right candidates to benefit the most from the learning and exposure offered by such a scholarship. Today, these employers are optimistic that the graduates will bring valuable know-how to their organisations and the travel and tourism industry as a whole.
“As the industry works to deliver enhanced value and service to customers, this programme is designed to equip female travel and tourism executives with the latest in training and knowledge. The positive response by businesses over the last three years demonstrates the programme’s close alignment with industry requirements and hot-button issues and trends,” said Nick Hutton, CEO, U21Global.
Dr Jason Fitzsimmons, Director of MBA programme added, “We are very proud to be partnering with MasterCard to be able to provide these scholarships to women in the travel and tourism industry. Travel and tourism is a very important industry sector and developing skills and abilities in this area will be of great benefit as regions recover from the current global financial crisis.”
The 20 scholarships are made possible by a grant from MasterCard Worldwide. Since its inauguration, 60 women have been awarded the MasterCard-U21Global scholarship programme for women in travel and tourism. The scholars are professionals from a broad spectrum of the industry, from hotels and airlines to travel and tour operators.
Recipients of the scholarship can enjoy the benefit of studying online and can hence better manage their work and educational commitments.
“MasterCard would like to congratulate the scholars who have successfully graduated this year. As women take on leadership roles within the travel and tourism industry, they can upgrade their skills and fast-track their career development through the MasterCard-U21Global scholarship programme. We are happy to be supporting the programme again this year as a part of our broader commitment to women’s advancement and strongly encourage women in the region to apply for the scholarships,” said Georgette Tan, vice president, Communications, Asia/Pacific, Middle East & Africa, MasterCard Worldwide.
Organisations 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. The deadline for nominations is 30 June 2009.Those interested in more information on the scholarships and course components can log on to U21Global’s website http://www.u21global.edu.sg/mastercard
I have just tried to register for Msc in Tourism.I was under the impression that the mentioned MasterCard Scholarship will cover the tution fees.Surprised at learning that I have to pay.South Africa is a Country with people from disadvantaged Communities.CSI is a helpfull process to help such people towards empowerment and selfreliance.