NASSAU, BAHAMAS — In recognition of its 40th anniversary and to honor the legacy of its founder, the late Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of the West Indies (UWI) and Florida International University’s (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management to create the Gordon “Butch” Stewart International School of Hospitality & Tourism.
The new school will be built at the Western Jamaica Campus of the University of the West Indies, Mona, in the tourism capital of Montego Bay, the birthplace of the Sandals brand. Through innovative technology and by leveraging the universities’ powerful network and reach across the Caribbean and internationally, regional and international students will benefit from high-quality academic tutelage and practical experience in a range of hospitality and tourism programmes.
Speaking on the significance of the partnership, SRI Executive Chairman Adam Stewart said: “Creating opportunity through education is fundamental to our organization and to the successful future of the Caribbean, as it is to all people seeking a better life for themselves and their families.
“This conviction, so deeply held by my father, was fostered by experience and in long conversations begun so many years ago with the great professor, Sir Hilary Beckles. This partnership is so deeply meaningful and the work ahead extremely vital.
“Sandals has proven that what is born of this region can successfully compete against any brand on an international stage. Now, together with powerhouses the UWI and my alma mater FIU — two world-leading academic institutions — we embark upon building the world’s premier institute for tourism, the Caribbean’s economic engine.
“This is truly a dream come true.”
Stewart also spoke of the transformative power of tourism for Caribbean economies, saying: “Tourism is the single most powerful industry across the Caribbean and its ability to connect with and impact wider industries and subsequently Caribbean economies is often under-appreciated.
“This partnership and this school is an obvious investment in the education of Caribbean people, but beyond that it is also an investment in Caribbean tourism and the many other critical industries that we support. This investment will go a far way towards mapping the pathway for the survival of the region.
“Hundreds of thousands of Caribbean nationals depend on tourism, whether directly or indirectly. This school is an investment in our young people, in the future of the Caribbean and represents our understanding of the critical role of tourism in the future of the region.”
A cutting-edge, research-led facility, the Gordon “Butch” Stewart International School of Hospitality & Tourism will provide students with an immersive, holistic, world-class learning and training experience by marrying the academic excellence synonymous with UWI and FIU with the groundbreaking innovation and world-leading hospitality standards that have come to trademark the Sandals brand.
The Gordon “Butch” Stewart International School of Hospitality & Tourism will not only offer a number of existing programmes, including the BSc in Tourism Management and the PhD in Tourism/Hospitality, but will also offer newly developed programmes such as the BSc in Hospitality Operations, the BSc in Attractions and Events Management and Master of Science programmes in Hospitality Management and Events Management from FIU.
