The Best of the Best: Thailand, the Maldives, and the AIHM Scholarships

“The learning environment, the lectures, the management and the cultural experiences I’ve had are so different from the traditional methods I’ve experienced before. It’s more student focused. All the lecturers, all the management staff, they encourage the students to build on their strengths and to improve their weaknesses. They always try to bring out the highest potential in each student.” – Aishath Zaifa Ahmed, AIHM Scholar

The Maldives and Thailand both enjoy reputations as powerhouses of the world’s hotel industry. People around the globe dream of visiting these two destinations, and few hotel managers haven’t dreamt of one day heading their own island resort or glittering hotel in one of these unforgettable countries. Esteemed Maldivian hotelier and businessman Dr. Ibrahim Umar Maniku helped many people achieve these goals. Keeping his dream alive, the AIHM Scholarship in Honour of Dr. Maniku gives talented Maldivian students the opportunity to follow in his footsteps and pursue their career in global hospitality management.

Aishath Zaifa Ahmed and Maya Mariyam, the first students to win this prestigious full scholarship, sat down with AIHM’s Head of Student Engagement, Samantha Lauver-Marion, to share their experiences.

Samantha: Welcome, Zaifa and Maya! Thank you so much for joining me today. Could you introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about your experiences in Thailand so far? 

Zaifa: My name is Zaifa, and I’m currently studying at AIHM and completing my internship in the events department at the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, which is right next to our school. 

Maya: Hi, I’m Maya, and currently I’m in my second semester at AIHM. I’ll start my internship in March in either marketing or sales. 

Samantha: I remember when I first connected with both of you prior to your arrival to Bangkok you were excited but nervous to move to a new place and join our programme here at AIHM.  Could you tell me more about that? 

Zaifa: I’m always nervous when I try to do new things. My mom was the person who encouraged me to apply. I saw the advertisement for the AIHM scholarship at my university, but I thought there was no way I was going to get it. She said if you don’t get it, you don’t get it, it’s life, but you’ve got to go for it. Finally, I applied, and I got the scholarship. I thought this must be fate because if I didn’t try, I wouldn’t have gotten it. It’s important to just take chances, even when it seems impossible, because you’re better than you think you are.

Maya: I have a similar mindset; I think it’s important to not miss out on opportunities due to fear of failure because with each opportunity it will either teach you a lesson or bring you an accomplishment. For me, I learned about this scholarship from one of my managers at my previous workplace. I thought, why not try, and see what happens?  

Samantha: It’s so great to know that you both have different people in your life that are looking out for you and encouraging you towards different opportunities. We are so happy you took the chance and joined us here at AIHM! Why did you choose to study with AIHM after you were accepted into the scholarship program? 

Maya: The main thing that attracted me to program is the affiliation of AIHM with Minor Hotels and with Les Roches. I was excited by the fact that students have access to Minor’s diverse brand portfolio, providing endless career progression opportunities. So, when I saw this opportunity, I thought it would be a great experience to broaden my knowledge, skills and network.  So far everything has exceeded my expectations. The learning environment, the lectures, the management and the cultural experiences I’ve had are so different from the traditional methods I’ve experienced before. It’s more student focused. All the lecturers, all the management staff, they encourage the students to build on their strengths and to improve their weaknesses. They always try to bring out the highest potential in each student. Lecturers are always available for the students if they need additional help. The students are all  encouraged to be supportive and inclusive of each other, which has allowed us to build a tight-knit community. 

Samantha: It’s so nice to hear that because this is truly something that the faculty at AIHM and I believe. We aim to create space for students to work together as a team to achieve their individual and collective goals. Everyone has different skills and being able to utilise the unique strengths of each person in your group is a real skill. How about you, Zaifa, why did you choose to join AIHM?

Zaifa: Learning in a new place, from people who were experienced and who had connections within the industry is what made me feel excited to join AIHM. I was still new to the industry when I joined, and I don’t have much work experience yet. I knew I was going to need to have an education if I wanted to progress in my career. Since I’m still young, I felt it was the right time to have this experience rather than waiting until later and putting a stop to my career to go back to study.

Samantha: Amazing advice. Thanks for sharing that with us. Now, I want you to think about those students who are at home and reading this interview. What are some tips you want to share with them, some things they can consider when they’re preparing? 

Maya: I think when preparing, students should do proper research, maybe follow up on the current trends and news regarding the industry. Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and what you would be contributing to AIHM if you’re selected to be part of the programme. I would say just be confident in yourself and bring out your unique personality during the interview process. 

Samantha: Bringing out your unique personality is important because it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being you. We want to see this campus and our students grow in all kinds of ways. How are the ways you’ve grown so far while studying at AIHM? 

Maya: What I’ve learned so far is the importance of discipline and attitude. When it comes to education or even career progression in this industry there is a value of using academic and practical education together hand in hand. I’d also like to share some advice that I learn from our Academic Dean, Mr. Warren Stanworth: “If you feel nervous about something, take it as excitement.”  

Zaifa: I would want to share with other students that when you start at university, sometimes it can seem a little tough because it’s something new and the workload can seem a bit too much because you’re not used to doing work in this way. So, I’d say they should expect that it’s going to be different. You should expect that it’s not going to be the same anymore because you are growing. To grow and learn in a new atmosphere, you need to be prepared for a big change. And when you make this change, don’t give up so easily, even if it gets a bit hard.  

Samantha: Excellent advice not only for students but for everyone listening. What are some things students should expect when they move to Bangkok for the first time?

Zaifa: I’m a big foodie so Thailand is a great destination for people who like to explore new cuisines. You get interesting food in the Maldives, but I get to experience a wider variety of foods in Thailand that are still halal. There are a lot of options if you’re worried about that. But when it comes to cooking, even when you go to these big supermarkets, it’s something different. We don’t have those in the Maldives, and I was stunned to see how many options are available.

Maya: I agree—the people, the food, the culture, and the experiences that I’m having are the best parts of living here. Everyone in Bangkok is so nice and so friendly. There are always people there to support you if you need anything, so don’t feel like you’ll be too lonely away from home, even if you’re living in another country. During the time that I’ve been here, I’ve been able to make friends from all around the world. 

Samantha: When I first moved to Thailand a decade ago, I also felt that everyone was so welcoming, and it made such a difference in my journey and career. It’s great to hear that from your perspective as students that this energy is still alive and vibrant within Thailand. Even as things have changed a lot around the world over the last few years, Thailand is still as welcoming as it has always been. 

Maya: Yes, it’s that warm feeling that makes a difference. Since I’ve lived here, I’ve had the experience of travelling to the hometown of one of my Thai classmates. And even during that experience, I felt so welcomed and at home with them. I got to experience the local culture at its best. Being a part of a traditional ceremony, trying local homemade food, exploring different places, and experiencing their culture and history are all amazing things you can do while you live here in Thailand. 

Samantha: I’m glad you took that opportunity to connect further with your friends and their family during the holidays. It is important to take time to relax between studies so that you can return to campus feeling refreshed, ready to tackle your goals. What are your goals during your studies and after graduation? Do you have anything in mind? 

Zaifa: Graduation itself seems so far away right now, especially since I’m in the beginning stages of my journey here at AIHM. My goal is to graduate on time. This seems simple but when you are doing your studies it requires all your attention. For me it helps to think about things step by step. 

Samantha: Every student is going to be different with how they approach their goals, and it looks like you want to keep yourself focused on what’s right in front of you and that’s a great method that works for you. What are your goals, Maya? 

Maya: I’m always thinking about what the next step is going to be. Even though I don’t have an exact plan, I have a rough idea of what I want to be and where I want to be. My goals during my studies are to give my best to the programme and take as many opportunities to improve my strengths and weaknesses while broadening my network as much as possible. One of the biggest goals I have is to end my BBA with a big achievement in the university such as being nominated for one of the awards. Once I’m done with the program, I want to explore more opportunities with Minor to further enhance my career in this industry and join one of the Minor Hotel properties in the Maldives. Once my agreement with Minor is over, I plan on proceeding with a master’s program and once that’s done, I’d like to go back home and further my career in this industry, based in the Maldives. 

Samantha: Very inspiring! I’m excited to see how both of your journeys unfold. Thank you so much for joining me today, Zaifa and Maya. I really appreciate the time you both took out of your schedule to have this conversation with me.

Especially for Maldivian Students:

Are you ready to be one of the next hospitality stars from the Maldives? Do you want to grow your talents and open doors to fantastic career opportunities? Ready to expand your horizons in Thailand, learn with the leaders of Minor Hotels, and benefit from the Swiss expertise of Les Roches? You could be our next Dr. Maniku Scholar.

Applications for the AIHM Scholarship in Honour of Dr. Maniku are open from now until 17 February 2023. You are invited to apply. If you are interested in a career in global hospitality management or as an entrepreneur creating a new vision for the world around us, apply now.