KOLEJ DISTED-STAMFORD NEWS
4 June 2009

Another step to stronger industry linkage

DISTED College has taken another step to keep closer touch with industry players by setting up Industry Advisory Panels (IAP) for its academic programmes. 

The IAPs are a boost to providing industry-relevant education and moulding graduates who are job-ready when entering the employment market, which is in line with the college’s ‘employability by design’ thrust. 

The initiative is an add-on to the DISTED INSPiRE programme, introduced in 2007, to maximize exposure of its students to industry and business leaders. 

Signing the DISTED School of Hospitality Management IAP agreement are (from left) G Hotel Penang general manager and Malaysia Association of Hotels Penang Chapter chairman Marco Giovanni Battistotti,  School of Hospitality Management head Susie Khoo and Hard Rock Hotel Penang human resources director Thomas Ch’ng.

(From left) Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa human resources director JC Ramesh, DISTED School of Hospitality Management head Susie Khoo and Traders Hotel Penang human resources director Judy Yeoh signing the IAP agreement.

For a start, the college signed an agreement with 4 leading hotels on 4 June 2009 to form an IAP for its School of Hospitality Management. 

The IAP members comprise 4 senior practitioners from hospitality industry with wide professional experience and expertise:

• Marco Giovanni Battistotti, G Hotel Penang general manager and Malaysia Association of Hotels Penang Chapter chairman

• JC Ramesh, Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa human resources director

• Judy Yeoh, Traders Hotel Penang human resources director

• Thomas Ch’ng, Hard Rock Hotel Penang human resources director

“The linkage benefits both the college and the hospitality sector. It'll lead to better trained students who can measure up to the industry’s expectations,” Marco said.

“The panel members can look into producing hospitality personnel who are not only skilled but also, motivated in working,” he said.

Marco Giovanni Battistotti, G Hotel Penang general manager and Malaysia Association of Hotels Penang Chapter chairman (right), stressing a point at the IAP meeting. Looking on are (from left) Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa human resources director JC Ramesh, Hard Rock Hotel Penang human resources director Thomas Ch’ng, Traders Hotel Penang human resources director Judy Yeoh, DISTED marketing manager Jane Goh Mei Ping, DISTED business development and quality assurance manager Josephine Chan Ie Lyn and lecturer Sydney David Marshall De Silva.

Susie Khoo, DISTED School of Hospitality Management head and IAP chairperson, said: “The IAP is a forum for us to engage the industry sector to provide insights, advice, guidance and support to our educational effort to serve the needs of industry and community.”

“By forging close links with the industry, we can ensure that our curriculum and teaching methodologies are kept abreast with the industry’s best practices.

“Our engagement with the industry also gives students the opportunity to gain wider industry exposure. It’s to spearhead the education of a new generation of hospitality business personnel,” she said.

The DISTED School of Hospitality Management IAP members comprise lecturer Sydney David Marshall De Silva, Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa human resources director JC Ramesh, Traders Hotel Penang human resources director Judy Yeoh, G Hotel Penang general manager and Malaysia Association of Hotels Penang Chapter chairman Marco Giovanni Battistotti, Hard Rock Hotel Penang human resources director Thomas Ch’ng and School of Hospitality Management head and IAP chairperson Susie Khoo.