Résumé

Higher education (HE) programs in hospitality/leisure management studies offer the theoretical knowledge and industry-related competencies which should prepare graduates to be effective thought leaders and potential positive social change agents in the global workplace. Since the UN’s introduction of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) in 2016, many HE institutions have made efforts to include sustainability within the curriculum and as part of the overall strategy. This is particularly true of top ranked schools. When attending a top ranked school, HE students expect to learn about the pertinent topics which will affect their future career path and sustainability is one of these topics. Previous research has examined HE institutions’ role in preparing students for their professional careers by applying theoretical knowledge to daily challenges and inculcating innovative and sustainable solutions to everyday problems. These solutions consider all three pillars of sustainability- environmental, economic, and social- and involve both internal and external stakeholders, including the local community. This study examines the top 50 international hospitality/leisure management programs of 2017 through a content analysis of their sustainability curriculum, practices, and projects to establish a link between school reputation, sustainability courses and practices, and authentic student engagement. The premise is that top ranked hospitality/leisure management programs will be the forerunners in sustainability courses and practices which other HE institutions could follow. The results will demonstrate how these HE institutions have closed the gap between sustainability intention and authentic engagement. Based on the best practices of these top ranked schools, the results will be used to create a model for incorporating sustainability into all hospitality/leisure management programs worldwide to prepare positive social change agents who are ready to face the global challenges of the 21st century workplace.

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