International academic partnership: Case study in South Africa

Tourism is a very important industry for the economy of South Africa. With the growth of international and domestic visitors, qualified and skilled human resources are increasingly essential to further support the tourism industry. Human capacity development with respect to vocational and managerial education is central to the tourism industry in South Africa. Academic institutions play a crucial role in developing and delivering training and education via short courses, certificate programs, and academic degrees there. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a multi-year partnership project between the University of Florida in Gainesville, U.S., and Tshwane University of Technology in Tshwane/Pretoria, South Africa. The objectives of the academic partnership are to strengthen teaching, research, service, and faculty development initiatives in tourism management in South Africa. Based on mutually identified objectives, this paper provides a descriptive narrative associated with its execution. The engaged process, progress, and products, inclusive of challenges, offer an established example with respect to developing and sustaining international academic linkages in tourism education.