IMI University Centre welcomes its new Academic Director and Dean of Faculty: MICHAEL HITCHCOCK BA PHD As IMI alumni Deepak Kotnis noted on Facebook: "Prof. Hitchcock's knowledge on Asian cultures is amazing." POST Professor RESPONSIBILITIES Academic Dean at IMI University Centre BRIEF BIOGRAPHY Following a BA Hons at Queen's University Belfast and a doctorate at Linacre College, Oxford, Michael Hitchcock worked for Liverpool Museum and the Horniman Museum, London. He became a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Hull University and was awarded a Professorship at the University of North London. He is the author of numerous refereed journal papers and has written and edited fourteen books. KEY TEACHING AREAS Arts and Heritage Management Tourism RESEARCH INTERESTS Tourism Heritage Business Culture PUBLICATIONS (Co-authored with Darma Putra) Tourism, Development and Terrorism in Bali. Aldershot: Ashgate-Gower, 2007, 205pp. (Co-authored with Lucy Norris) Bali: The Imaginary Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Oxford University Press, 1995, 204 pp. (ed. with VT King and MJG Parnwell) Tourism in South East Asia: Changes and New Directions, Copenhagen, NIAS (March), 2008 ISBN 978-87-7694-034-1 (ed. with D. Harrison) The Politics of World Heritage: Negotiating Tourism and Conservation. Clevedon: Channel View Publications, 2005, 186 pp. (ed. with M. Bhopal) ASEAN Management in Crisis. London: Frank Cass , 2002, 196pp. (ed. with K. Teague) Souvenirs: The Material Culture of Tourism. Aldershot: Ashgate, Voices in Development Series, 2000, 287pp. On Amazon PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND CONSULTANCY Business Culture Heritage Management MEMBERSHIPS Committee Member ASEASUK Committee for Southeast Asian Studies, British Academy Breaking NEWS: IMI's new Dean and Academic Director Prof. Michael Hitchcock has been supervising Mr Zheng Xie's dissertation at London Metropolitan University leading successfully to a PhD. Zheng's study examines the critical link between Lijiang's tourism development and the Naxi's dongba culture. More details read here. As Mr. Buerki President of IMI University Centre wrote to all students on campus: "We are very proud to announce that starting February 15th, 2010. Professor Michael Hitchcock will be the new Academic Director at IMI University Centre. Following a BA Hons Degree at Queen's University Belfast, Michael Hitchcock completed a doctorate at Oxford University in 1983, based on his research in Eastern Lndonesia. After working for the Horniman Museum, he joined the University of Hull as a Lecturer in development sociology. It was at Hull that he edited with V.T. King and M.J.G. Parnwell the widely cited Tourism in South-East Asia (1993). He became Professor of Tourism at the University of orth London in 1995 and in 2000 became Director of the International Institute for Cultural Tourism and Development at London Metropolitan University. Professor Hitchcock was appointed Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Business. Arts and Humanities at the University of Chichester in 2008. For two years running Chichester has been ranked the Best Modern University in the UK for student atisfaction and the National Student Survey. Throughout his career he has written and edited 14 books and has published 39 refereed journal papers, as well as numerous book chapters and other outputs. Professor Hitchcock has lived in Switzerland in the I970s, and is looking forward to returning to a place he cherishes. Professor Hitchcock is very familiar with IMI, as he has been a highly respected Guest Lecturer since 2003. His high calibre professionalism and experience, together with his easy and friendly rapport with people, convince us that he is the ideal person to take IMI to new levels of development. This is crucial considering the plans for: - a additional larger campus (500 resident students all together) - the broadening of the 1M! curriculum. which will imply designing and developing new educational programs. His extensive familiarity with Asia will be vital in forging new ties with partner educational institutes. His winning ways as well as his creative way of thinking and achieving will no doubt be a big plus for all parties at IMl. Jan 2010 Dean's Message "I was fortunate to have joined the IMI University Centre as the Academic Director and Dean of Faculty in February, 2010, at a very exciting moment in its history. IMI is on the verge of celebrating its 20th anniversary, and it is a good moment to reflect on what has been achieved and what is about to be achieved. In particular, I would draw your attention to the culturally diverse character of not only the student body but also the staff who speak 25 languages between them. This cultural diversity was present at the outset two decades ago, but is even more marked today with students coming from 45 countries, drawn from the continents of Europe, Asia, North and South America and Africa. Over the years International Night at IMI has become an exciting annual event. I would also like to draw your attention to the 16 year old relationship with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) which validates our undergraduate programme. The delivery of a British style degree with its attention to academic quality within Switzerland, a country justly renowned for its hospitality, has proved to be an enduring success. We are proud of the strength and longevity of this relationship. IMI was also delighted to be selected by Presence Suisse of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the Lucerne Tourism Office to be the Central Switzerland Hospitality ambassadors at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. The following year saw IMI playing a leading role in the first World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTF) as the only participating Hospitality Management educator. We helped to support the event and our students were actively involved enabling them to mingle with the leader s and entrepreneurs of the international business community who help shape future tourism trends. Such engagement enhances the experience that our students gain here and contributes to their employability. Our success continued into 2010 with our website being awarded the Swiss best of the web award and there are plans to build on this achievement. The next few years promise to be equally if not more dynamic since IMI is located close to Lucerne, one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. Set on a lake with the stunning backdrop of the Alps, Lucerne is becoming a city of not only commercial opportunities, but also a major cultural and sporting centre. In addition to the stunning Museum of Art there are many galleries and concert venues, while the nearby lake and surrounding countryside play host to a wide variety of sports. Visitors to the city often comment on the range and quality of its restaurants, as well as the wide choice offered by its shops. I am delighted to have taken up this position and look forward to welcoming you here." Professor Michael Hitchcock