BACKGROUND
The Association for Tourism in Higher Education (formerly the National Liaison
Group for Tourism in Higher Education (NLG) was originally established in 1993.
The background to its formation was a direct response to a government decision
to end the role of the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA), which up to
then had monitored courses in the former Polytechnic sector, which included most
tourism courses as well as the decision to end the involvement of HM
Inspectorate in Higher Education. The implications of these developments were
considered in a report on tourism degrees produced by the CNAA (1993). This
pointed to the need to establish a body to take an overview of tourism degree
course provision at a time of very rapid expansion.
NLG came into existence following a national conference held in London in October
1993. Its objectives were:
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To develop and promote the links between education and industry, especially with
the commercial sectors;
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To promote the development and recognition of tourism as a subject of study in
the UK and liaise as appropriate with other European Union countries and
internationally;
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To encourage high standards in course provision;
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To identify and communicate 'good practice', statistics and other information
about first degrees and postgraduate qualifications in tourism;
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To liaise with other bodies concerned with higher education in tourism;
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To support, undertake and disseminate research to further these objectives.
It was established as a membership body, with members being institutions and
organisations and it was intended to draw members from the education sector and
from the commercial and public organisations involved in tourism. The "liaison"
in its name was in part to reflect liaison between industry and education.
After seven years of activity two key issues led the organisation to review its
role and objectives. The first was the simple fact that although it had
endeavoured to bring representatives from "industry" into its activities it had
not been able to attract them into membership. Secondly, and more importantly,
with increased involvement by Government agencies in education there was a
growing need for a "subject association" to represent tourism. De facto NLG was
increasingly carrying on the role of a subject association. This was best
demonstrated by the request that it represent tourism in the Quality Assurance
Agency's Benchmarking exercise in 2000. As a result the decision was taken at
the AGM held in December 2000 to revise the organisation's constitution and to
change its name. The key points agreed at the AGM were:
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membership of NLG and hence of the executive committee should be confined to
higher educational institutions;
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membership should continue to be on an institutional basis;
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ways should be sought to involve other stakeholders in higher education in
tourism in the work of the Organisation, including co-option to the executive
committee;
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the Objectives of the Organisation should be revised
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the name of the Organisation should become Association for Tourism in Higher
Education
Over the years, ATHE has had enquiries about membership from overseas HEIs and
other organisations linked to tourism education in the UK. The Executive
Committee takes the view that it would, in any case, be inappropriate for them
to be full members, since this would change ATHE's core purposes as the Subject
Association for Tourism in UK HEIs.
However, links with such organisatios could strengthen ATHE's networks.
Hence, a decision was taken at the AGM held in December 2009 to revise the
organisation's constitution to create another membership category:
- Associate membership is open to higher educational institutions outside the UK
and to UK organisations concerned with tourism education upon payment of a
subscription. Associate members are not eligible for election to the Executive
committee or to vote at the AGM but otherwise enjoy the same status as full
members.
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