Welcome from the Co-Chairs of CHME

What is CHME?

The Council for Hospitality Management Education is a non-profit making organisation representing UK universities and colleges offering higher education programmes in the fields of  hospitality studies, hospitality management, and related fields. It is CHME’s stated purpose to contribute to the professional development and status of UK hospitality management education, through the sharing of best practice in scholarship and pedagogy. 
CHME achieves its purpose through a number of initiatives which all aim to fulfil the five key aims outlined below

1. Promote high quality and internationally relevant hospitality management education;
   Executive committee members contribute to debate and provide comment on government initiatives such as new qualifications and are recognised as an influential organization lobbying external organizations and people for recognition for, and the enhancement of, hospitality management education. 
2. Promote and disseminate good practice in learning, teaching and assessment and in curriculum development;
3. Promote and disseminate research and scholarship which informs and enhances curriculum development and approaches to learning, teaching and assessment;
4. The annual research conference provides a valuable platform for new and more mature researchers and attracts delegates from across the world. Topics and subjects presented include Consumer studies; food and beverage; gastronomy; hospitality, leisure and tourism studies and other relevant areas. Contributions can include work in progress papers providing research students or new academics the opportunity to present  their findings in a supportive and encouraging environment.  All full papers are printed in conference proceedings with an ISBN number supplied to all conference delegates, and for sale to libraries and non-attendees. Special issues of the various themes are often published in a number of well recognised and highly regarded journals, such as, Hospitality and Tourism Educator, Hospitality Review, Journal of Hospitality Tourism Planning and Development, Tourism and Hospitality Research providing presenters and researchers with an added value. The inclusion of keynote speakers representing renowned educational establishments from around the world offers an invaluable opportunity for members to update their knowledge and learn about new developments and best practice from other countries.
5. Promote and disseminate research and scholarship which informs practice in the hospitality industry; and
6. Promote effective and beneficial links between industry and education
7. Support other organisations with a vested interest in hospitality and education e.g. Institute of Hospitality; British Hospitality Association; Springboard; People 1st; National Skills Academy.

Who are the Co-Chairs?

Angela Roper and Isabell Hodgson took over as Co-Chairs in May 2009 and will serve a three-year term of office.

Angela is the Savoy Educational Trust Senior Lecturer in Hospitality Management at the University of Surrey and has been teaching and researching in hospitality management for over 20 years. She also worked as a market analyst for the hotel and leisure division of an investment bank. Isabell is the Subject Group Leader for Hospitality and Retailing at Leeds Metropolitan University and has worked in hospitality education and training for 30 years in a variety of roles.

Dr.  Angela Roper, Professor Andrew Lockwood and Professor Isabell Hodgson

Our vision for CHME

We see our role in CHME as consolidating the good work already completed by CHME since it’s inception in the 1980s and to develop particular areas going forward. Action points include promoting the importance of quality hospitality education in these more challenging times, developing clear positioning statements about hospitality research (including the development of a CHME ranking of related journals) and working to promote more widely the research and consultancy undertaken by members, and liaising more closely with other relevant subject associations and professional bodies.     

We will be working with members around the country this academic year on forthcoming CHME events such as the Members Forum at Birmingham in February 2010, the Student Conference to be held in Bournemouth in March 2010 and the CHME Research Conference hosted by the University of Surrey in May 2010. We have recently co-opted new representatives onto an expanded Executive Committee and are optimistic about the future dynamics of CHME.

Isabell and Angela are pictured below with Professor Andrew Lockwood. Andrew (University of Surrey) and Professor Stephen Ball (Sheffield Hallam University) were awarded CHME Honorary Fellows on May 14th at the 18th Annual CHME Research Conference hosted by the University of Brighton at Eastbourne. Stephen is also pictured below.