Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School

 

Blue Mountains

Overview

Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School ranked number 1 in Asia Pacific and Australia (TNS Survey 2010)

The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School was established in 1991 with the aim of providing high-quality internationally recognised hotel and event management education. The School has built a strong reputation within the hospitality industry for developing students into future leaders.

At Blue Mountains students not only learn the theory but also the practical, which ensures that they can start working as soon as they complete their education. To provide students with every opportunity to be successful upon graduation all students participate in periods of paid industry placement with employers in Australia or abroad.

The travel and tourism industry is the fastest growing industry in the world and as new hotels and restaurants start operating there is a demand for qualified hotel and event management graduates. Blue Mountains is reputed for its excellent training and teaching methods and its ability to prepare students for the wide range of opportunities that are available in hospitality, events, travel and tourism, restaurants and related industries.

Location

Australia offers the right mix of traditions and modernity to international students. The high quality of education and options to work while studying make Australia one of the most popular choices for international students.

Blue Mountains has two campuses – the first located in Leura amidst the scenic beauty of the Blue Mountains National Park, west of Sydney. Being one of Sydney’s major tourist destinations the surroundings provide an ideal environment for students. Leura is an ideal quiet and safe location for a period of intensive study remote from the distractions of a big city yet close enough to enjoy all Sydney has to offer.

The Sydney campus is located in the heart of this vibrant city. Sydney encompasses all of the best aspects of Australia in a world-class city, thanks to its physical beauty and outdoors lifestyle, combined with the attractions of a large, cosmopolitan city. Whether it’s climbing the Harbour Bridge or relaxing on Bondi Beach, there’s a world of things to see, do and explore. Studying in Sydney also provides many invaluable employment and networking opportunities as the city is a major tourist destination and home to many of the world’s leading tourism and hospitality operators.

Accreditation & Partnerships

The School also holds full national and state level accreditation from the following statutory educational agencies:

  • Registered by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), which is Australia’s regulatory and quality agency for higher education.  Its primary aim is to ensure that students receive a quality education at any Australian higher education provider.
  • Meets the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) requirements ensuring international students are cared for, minimum standards are met and that the institution functions on sound financial foundations.

Blue Mountains is a certified institution of the World Tourism Organisation’s (WTO) Department of Education and Knowledge Management gaining certification under the Tourism Education Quality program. The WTO is an agency of the United Nations that specialises in tourism policy and hospitality projects.

The courses offered by Blue Mountains are also certified by the Institute of Hospitality. The Institute of Hospitality is the only internationally recognised professional management association for managers in hospitality, leisure and tourism. Blue Mountains is also a part of the Laureate Hospitality Education, a division of Laureate International Universities.  The Laureate International University network offers a variety of internationally recognised courses across diverse fields of study in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, North America, Asia and Oceania.

Courses

Bachelor of Business degree

Students have two specialisations to choose from and the programs are run full-time over two and a half years:

  • International Hotel & Resort Management
  • International Event Management

Highlights of the Bachelor Degree

  • Detailed study of business, marketing, finance, organisation and operations.
  • Professional development including management, leadership, communication and career planning.
  • Actual training on-campus in Leura, which is run as a simulated hotel. Students are the guests as well as the staff of the campus.
  • Study at the Sydney campus in the final year.
  • Career development program offering two paid Industry Placements in leading hotels in Australia or abroad.

English Language Program

International students whose English language skills do not meet the necessary requirements are advised to take the English Language Program. The program is conducted by the Academy of English which is located on-campus in Leura.

Master of International Hotel Management degree

The postgraduate programs at Blue Mountains have been designed in conjunction with our Industry Advisory Board and industry partners to prepare graduates to enter the dynamic hospitality industry.

The Master of International Hotel Management can be completed in:

  • Two years (full-time) for those students with a Bachelors degree from outside the hospitality industry.
  • In one year and 3 months (full-time) for students who have a hospitality Bachelors degree.

The postgraduate certificate in International Hotel Management can be completed in:

  • Six months for students without a Bachelors degree, but with at least 5 years supervisory experience.
  • The successful completion of the postgraduate certificate allows students to enrol in semester two of the Masters program.

Highlights of the Masters Degree

  • The theoretical component is delivered in several learning styles: lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops.
  • Advanced studies in accounting, HR, law and specialist studies in hotel operations and strategic hotel management.
  • One off-campus 6-month (24-week block) of paid Industry Placement in Australia.
  • The program offers flexible learning and the possibility of some classes being run at different times throughout the day.

Industry placement

Industry placement is an integral part of the education offered by Blue Mountains. As part of the industry placement semester students work in leading hotels in Australia or abroad to gain real-time experience and also improve their skills.

Students have completed their industry placement at the following locations:

  • Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas, Australia
  • Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Australia
  • Tokyo Hilton, Japan
  • Sheraton Park Tower London, England
  • Hotel Intercontinental Geneva, Switzerland
  • Newport Bay Club Disneyland, Paris, France
  • Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

Graduate Privileged Partners Program

This is a unique program that allows the School’s industry partners to recruit the best final year students. Industry partners include top hotel chains such as:

  • Accor
  • Hyatt
  • IHG
  • Starwood
  • Toga
  • Marriott
  • Four Seasons

The program comprises personal interviews, tests and induction sessions.

Student life

Both campuses have an active Student Representative Council (SRC) that arranges a range of social activities for the students to participate in. Students have many opportunities to meet and socialise with other students who come from over 35 countries. Blue Mountains is well known for its sense of community on each campus.

Campus Accommodation & Living

Leura is a residential campus and students live in twin share hotel style rooms, all with private en-suite bathrooms, telephone line and 24/7 internet access. Rooms are serviced once a week and all linen is provided. The campus offers a choice of dining venues: Chambers, an a la carte fine dining restaurant; Cookie’s, an indoor/outdoor café; and Ploughman’s, a casual dining bistro.

The Sydney campus is non-residential but accommodation options are available with one of our partners if requested. The campus’ central location, close to both Town Hall train station and numerous bus routes, means that students are able to commute to school easily, wherever they choose to live in Sydney.

Sports & Recreation

The Leura campus offers students a large recreation room, tennis/basketball court, soccer field and in-ground swimming pool. An outdoor barbecue area is also provided for picnics.

On campus in Sydney there are student lounges but most students take advantage of the many recreational facilities and entertainment options are right on the campus’s doorstep – from affordable restaurants, cafes and food halls to shopping, pubs, live music venues and movie theatres. Not to mention the many outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in Sydney and numerous gyms, sports clubs and swimming pools nearby at which to stay fit.