How studying hospitality in Dubai helped these graduates thrive in business

Sponsored by The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management 

Dubai is a popular hospitality destination, attracting nearly 17 million tourists in 2019 and named the most popular destination in 2022 by trip advisor. 

With the second most five-star hotels in the world, impressive skyscrapers – including the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa – and a glowing reputation for customer service, Dubai is undoubtedly one of the best cities to study hospitality management. 

The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management (EAHM) in Dubai is a triple-recognised leading university that specialises in providing business management degrees with a hospitality focus.  

EAHM’s alumni have gone on to work in diverse business leadership roles in global companies such as Burj Al Arab, Atlantis, Madinat Jumeirah, Armani Hotels, Ritz Carlton, Sheraton, Sofitel, Fairmont, Mandarin Oriental, Expedia Group, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi and Marriott.  

Here is how studying in Dubai helped these EAHM students and graduates launch their careers.  

’Studying in Dubai gave me hands-on experience in the hospitality industry’ 

Studying in Dubai means studying in close proximity to some of the world’s best hotels, spas, restaurants and shopping centres. Brands such as Jumeirah Group, Four Seasons, Marriott, Westin, Ritz Carlton and others are prominent in the city, providing students with numerous work experience opportunities.   

With over 100 dedicated hospitality industry partners, EAHM prides itself on producing work-ready hospitality, travel and tourism graduates.   

With many of EAHM’s programmes offering six-month internships with premier hospitality brands, students can put into practice their professional skills in a professional environment. This gets students ready to enter the industry and begin their career in hospitality.  

“EAHM gave me the strong foundations needed to succeed in the hospitality industry, with theoretical and hands-on experiences throughout my studies,” said Christopher Lund, who graduated from The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management in 2011.  

Christopher is now the Executive Director and Head of Hotels at Colliers, overseeing the hotel consultancy and asset management division in the Middle East and North Africa. 

“Pursuing a degree in hospitality management will give you a diverse set of skills that you can apply within the industry - and even outside of the industry - including operations, logistics, marketing, yield management, finance, real estate and much more,” he said.   

'Studying in Dubai made me more confident in what I do’   

EAHM ticked every box for alumna Johanna Gunnarsdottir, the General Manager of Iceland’s first dedicated wellness and spa hotel, Hótel Ísland, and its sister hotel, Hótel Ísland Comfort. 

“Studying at EAHM definitely made me more confident in what I do. I got to study hotel operations from the top to the bottom,” she said. 

After graduating from EAHM in 2018, Johanna moved from Dubai to Iceland to work as an Assistant Front Office Manager at Hilton Reykjavik Nordica. She then started working at Hótel Ísland as a pre-opening Operations Manager, before being promoted to Hotel Manager in 2021. 

Today, Johanna uses the skills she built at EAHM to oversee the purchasing, hiring, marketing, budget planning and operation cost for both hotels. She also ensures that the department heads have everything they need to perform their roles effectively. 

Johanna said: “What makes EAHM unique is the diversity of teachers and students. Working in the hospitality industry you need to be aware of cultural differences: that was one of the biggest learning outcomes for me.”  

‘The significance of an MBA is truly appreciated when moving up the leadership ladder’ 

 MBA alumna Sharihan Al Mashary is the first female Emirati General Manager. She is also an avid advocate of the UN Sustainable Development Goals within the hospitality industry.  

Sharihan credits her success to the communication, critical thinking and analytical writing skills she has learnt while studying her MBA at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management. These skills helped Sharihan progress her career in the hospitality industry to become a general manager of a hotel. 

She said: “An MBA at EAHM is superior due to the nature of the Academy’s academic and industry strength and history. The subject matter, the curriculum structure, faculty, the access to the industry’s elite profile personalities and opportunities within and beyond the Hospitality industry is remarkable.”