Tourism in India has a rich historical backdrop, dating back to ancient times when travelers and traders visited the country for its diverse cultural heritage and vibrant traditions. However, the formalization of tourism studies gained momentum in recent times with the establishment of institutions such as D Y Patil (Deemed to be University) School of Hospitality & Tourism Studies.
It is one of the leading pioneer Hotel Management Schools in the country. The school was established in the year 1992 under the Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE); in the year 2002, it came under the ambit of D Y Patil Deemed to be University. The school has grown far and wide and garnered a reputation not only in India but worldwide.
With three decades of experience in imparting excellent hospitality education, this school has proved its mettle and has set a benchmark for others to follow. The school practices a host of unique activities that set it apart from the others in the field. It offers a perfect blend of scholastic knowledge and industrial exposure to the students and trains them with such impeccable finesse that they are revered for their skills across the industry.
Visually Appealing Pedagogy
The school offers undergraduate and postgraduate certificates as well as diplomas in various attributes of Hospitality. The students are taught using conventional and advanced modes of teaching that are visually appealing and arouse interest in the minds of the learners. The faculties teach from elaborately designed and highly informative power points, engage in interactive discussions in class, conduct real-life case studies, show videos, etc., which facilitate the process of learning.
SHTS has a vision to be a leader in the development of professionals in the field of hospitality management. It aims to train and educate, at all levels, persons of outstanding abilities who can become future leaders in the hospitality industry. SHTS is striving to work closely and proactively with the industry to address the need for highly skilled human resources. Identification and development of critical managerial qualities is the primary focus of faculty members. Innovative teaching methods are adopted in order to clarify concepts and hypotheses.
Conventional classroom lectures form the bedrock on which case studies, assignments, group projects, seminars, debates, elocution, role-playing, and psycho-analysis help in further development of the student. Fieldwork and guest lectures are applied to give critical practical orientation. The idea behind the whole academic exercise is not to make students exam-oriented but business-inclined.
Quest for Delivering the Best
In the current education world, SHTS is considered one of the pioneer Hospitality Schools in the entire country. The success of SHTS is the result of the visionary leadership of Dr. Vijay Patil, the Chancellor and President of the D Y Patil University. Dr. Vijay Patil is an Indian Educationist, Philanthropist, and Sportsman. He has, for a long, been working on crafting an extraordinary transformation of the Indian education ecosystem as he envisions India to be a global destination for education in the years to come. From a very young age, he knew the importance of education and sports in his life.
With his vision for the future of Indian youth, he founded several educational institutes in India and forever changed the standard of sports training. A Computer Engineer from the University of Mumbai with a degree in Management from Bond University, Australia, Dr. Vijay D. Patil is a beacon in the field of education, sports, and health care in young India. Applauded and recognized in all these three fields around the country, his quest for delivering the best in each domain continues to prevail.
He strongly believes in developing and delivering state-of-the-art projects that will act as catalysts for the growth of the nation and sustain for years, benefiting young India. Dr. Vijay D. Patil truly believes that in a proliferating global economy, the best way to empower the youth of the country would be to make good educational facilities available to them.
He is an approachable leader, constantly keen to understand the needs of the organization and looking for ways to create a better experience for all through collaboration and cooperation. It has always been D Y Patil University’s goal to enhance the employability of graduates. The programs are backed by research and a sound curriculum and delivered by faculty who have been educated and trained at some of the best educational institutions in the country and abroad. The university’s academic structure is at par with the best in the world today.
Striving for a Larger Vision
The guiding force that spearheads growth at the D Y Patil Group, Mrs. Shivani Patil’s unmatchable passion for the group’s initiatives and larger goals has helped scale new heights. The driving force behind the flourishing culture, Mrs. Patil has ensured that each member of the team at the D Y Patil Group is aligned with and equipped to contribute to the larger vision, making their experience with the group a fulfilling and thriving professional journey.
She leads key parts of the group’s strategic trajectory, making the vision focused on delivering a top-notch educational experience a reality and helping build the D Y Patil Group into an inspirational institution to be associated with.
The vision of Mrs Patil encompasses the vision of the university. Her strong belief that the destiny of the nation lies in the hands of its teachers who mould the youth has fostered an environment that promotes and facilitates a wholesome teaching-learning experience at the university.
This endeavour has certainly borne fruits if the success of the student community at the D Y Patil University is taken into account. Mrs Shivani Patil firmly believed in empowering faculty, promoting student welfare, and creating a youth force that is the harbinger of growth for the nation in the coming years. The University has flourished under her nurturing guidance.
Feathers in the Cap
SHTS is already in collaboration with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), World Association of Chef Society (WACS) Paris, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Indian Culinary Forum (ICF), Hotel & Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), India Food Tourism Organization (IFTO) and star hotel properties such as J W Marriott, Mumbai, by signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with them.
Some of the feathers in the cap of SHTS in its remarkable journey are:
- Reaccredited in 2022 in the 3rd NAAC Cycle with a CGPA of 3.59 with an A++ Grade
- UGC approved
- Topped the GHRDC rankings consecutively seven times in the category of the best school in the Western Region
- Ranked No 1 in Maharashtra by GHRDC
- Declared as the best school in the Western region
- Has been ranked 5th in Top Professional Colleges by Outlook ICARE 2022
- India Today’s ranking in 2022, is 17th in All India, 1st In Western India, 1st in Maharashtra, 1st in Mumbai
- OBE ranking 2022: Diamond band
- Bagged 2nd Rank in the Times Top education survey all over India
Adapting Student-friendly Environment
The hospitality industry has been severely impacted ever since the pandemic hit the country in early 2020, and the school was equally affected in the same academic year as the ongoing teaching methods were hampered. Being a complete practical course, SHTS adopted all student-friendly methods of teaching the students; videos of lectures and practicals were uploaded to the student portal, and students got access to watch them anytime.
The school has never rested on its laurels and has always strived to aim for the stars. In its quest to offer exclusive education, the school entered into an association with the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality (CTH), London.
The school is the only approved center to offer a Certificate course in Restaurant and Hotel English in affiliation with CTH at its campus. The school also has an association with BMEC – Business Management Education Centre, UK & AHA – American Hospitality Academy, U.S.A. Thus, the school has brought global exposure and global certificate courses right here in Navi Mumbai.
The school boasts of a sprawling and breathtakingly designed Virtual Classroom where online lectures with people from the industry are conducted on a regular basis. These lectures are conducted by people occupying prominent positions in the industry across the globe. Overcoming geographical barriers with proper use of technology. These online lectures are highly informative and expand the knowledge base of students as they get a chance to learn about Hospitality at the global level. Industry stalwarts get to interact and share their experiences with students, which gives students an edge over others.
