Sunway Students’ Trip to South Korea

A group of third year students, currently studying the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in International Hospitality Management at Sunway University, went on a week-long study trip to Seoul, South Korea. The February trip was planned as part of their assignment for the Strategic Management module where they were required to conduct field work research and data collection throughout the trip.

The students were accompanied by Daniel Chong Ka Leong, Lecturer, and Lai Mun Loon, Teaching Fellow of the Sunway University Business School. Throughout the trip, the group was hosted by Daelim University College. They visited Dongdaemun Market, a large commercial district comprising traditional markets and shopping centres in Seoul, 63 City, a 63-floor building with spectacular views of Seoul, and the Korean Folk Village, a tourist attraction exhibiting Korean culture and history.

Students and lecturers at the Korean Folk Village

The group spent one of their nights at Oak Valley Ski Resort, located at Gangwon-do. “It was my first experience of winter and skiing!” said Yong Kher Li. “This makes the study programme at Sunway enjoyable as both theories and practices of international hospitality management studies are shown throughout the trip,” she added. While having fun with skiing, the students were able to observe and experience the daily business operations of the resort. This study trip is the fifth time so far for the programme and the very first trip visiting a city beyond South East Asia, after Bali, Cambodia, Vietnam and Chiang Mai. These trips are planned and arranged to enable students to better attain practical exposure and learning experience. They met up with various industry experts and attended a cooking lesson by Chef Kim Taehyun, who specialises in Korean cuisine. Such experience was then brought into discussions in class to enhance students’ learning experience at Sunway.

Students learning how to ski

“Korean tourism is a unique case study in relation to hospitality management. Not many studies have done specifically addressing the development and management practices in South Korea hotel industry. This is the main reason why South Korea is part of this research project. Students get to experience the planning and execution of field research”, said Daniel Chong.

The service industry is one of the largest that relies heavily on human resources for its success. There is a huge demand for well-trained graduates equipped with the expertise and skills to manage a successful international hospitality, tourism and events business.

At Sunway, students in the Bachelor of Science (Hons) International Hospitality Management are trained on business and management practices in the international hospitality industry. Upon graduating, students are equipped with communication skills, able to work independently or in a team, and possess in-depth knowledge of the hospitality industry.