On Saturday, 5 October 2024, several of our AIHM students made history. As they walked across the stage and took their degrees in hand, they achieved something no one else has accomplished before. Together, they became the inaugural cohort of students to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration in Global Hospitality Management from the Asian Institute of Hospitality Management in academic association with Les Roches. Congratulations to our first BBA graduates and their fellow graduates in the Certificate and Diploma tracks!
A special congratulations is in order for our three award recipients:
Award for Academic Excellence
Endeavour Award
William Heinecke Thai Hospitality Award
Hats Off to Our AIHM Graduates!
As Saturday’s graduation ceremony drew to a close, our graduates tossed their caps into the air in celebration. They truly have a lot to celebrate, having pioneered the AIHM experience for all those to come.
Honoring their achievements were distinguished special guests including Malinee Rattananuntapat—Director of the Higher Education, Research and Innovation Policy and Development Group of the Royal Thai Government and Aurakanda Attavipach, Chief People Officer of Minor International. Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AIHM and former Director General of the World Trade Organisation, offered his words of encouragement, as did Chairman of Minor International, William Heinecke.
The concluding remarks were offered with heartfelt praise for the students and their achievements by Academic Dean Warren Stanworth. Read his speech in its entirety below.
A Day of Milestones
Remarks by Academic Dean Warren Stanworth
Good afternoon esteemed guests, proud parents, faculty members, friends, and most importantly, the remarkable graduating AIHM students. Today is truly special. We gather to celebrate not only your achievements but also a significant milestone for AIHM.
This graduation marks the graduation of three groups of students from our certificate, diploma and degree programmes. As a new institution, today we also celebrate the graduation of AIHM as an institution itself. AIHM has been weighed and measured and found to be excellent. We’ve undergone numerous academic audits from our partners, Les Roches, and reports have come back that we’re as good as, if not better, than what they are in Switzerland. This is a truly remarkable institution that has been built over the last five years.
This moment is not just about students. It is also a testament to the tireless support of our dedicated teaching faculty and members of staff, the unwavering sacrifices made by loving parents, and the steadfast encouragement from friends and family. Your collective journey has brought us all to this momentous occasion.
I had a conversation earlier on with a good friend of AIHM. We were talking about what a graduation is about. Everyone always automatically thinks it’s just about the students. Well, in reality it’s not. Yes, our students are at the top of the hierarchy. Then come the teachers who have walked alongside the students. Those teachers have prepped lessons, lost nights of sleep marking papers. Then there are the parents, friends and family who often have to make so many sacrifices in this journey. As a father, I understand that love of your young person, of your child, it’s tremendous. It’s tremendous when you see your child suffering with the weight of work, with the weight of an assignment, and you don’t know what it is. You can’t help. You can only encourage. That, sometimes, just isn’t enough. As parents, you feel that pain. It’s a different type of pain. For that I am truly grateful for your support in getting these young people to where they are today.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey of AIHM. It’s been a journey. Believe me, it really has. When several of us came together in 2019 to launch AIHM, what did we have? We had twenty pieces of paper. We didn’t have any classrooms. We didn’t have any teachers. We didn’t have a degree. Obviously, we had no students. The great thing about what AIHM has is the support of Minor. Mr. Heinecke expressed, in his remarks, his view of what AIHM is. I’m very thankful for the financial support and the trust he’s placed in us in order to build this institution.
Some of the things you might not know…
We finished building this campus, and three hours before we expected a group of forty school students to come along and see our campus, we had a flood. A nine-storey flood. The whole of the Reception was one-foot deep in water, three hours before students came from a school. What a start!
We experienced Covid together. Believe it or not, we shared Covid together.
We emerged stronger, more united, determined to have a space for learning and growth.
One of the bold steps we took as we started the journey was not only to introduce the BBA but also the Certificate. At that time, I was told it’s a bad idea. Mature students and young people working together? How can it work?
The Certificate students that have come to AIHM have been invaluable. Thank you. They’ve been invaluable to AIHM and our quest. They have all been able to give their life experience, their knowledge of your properties, and what it’s like to actually work in a hotel. That’s been passed on, and that’s made our life so much easier. To our hotel management teams, we thank you for sending them to us. We appreciate it. Our students have learned from them all. Some of them have been like father figures, mothers, aunties, sisters. That’s how they’re referred to by the BBA students. We really, really appreciate that because it has enriched everything we do.
To our degree students, let’s turn our attention to you. Three and a half years…it’s been a journey. Your immense efforts in helping the development of this institution have been remarkable. You’ve not only pursued academic excellence but have also actively contributed to the culture of AIHM. This is a special culture that we have built together–a culture of inclusivity, of fairness, of hard work. It also takes in Minor’s culture of ‘get it done’.
At this point, I just want to share a poignant moment that encapsulates this journey. During a class, a student made a presentation. He didn’t think this presentation went well. It did, but he didn’t believe so. He’d set himself some really high standards, and he got upset, very upset. I spoke to him, and I said, “It’ll be okay. You did really well.” However, it wasn’t to the standard he wanted. He was upset. Then, as I watched, I saw a powerful act of compassion. Another student, noticing their classmate’s distress, put his arm around him and reassured him that everything would be okay. In that moment as they walked down the corridor, I witnessed a boy becoming a man, and a leader rising to the occasion. This is the essence of what we have built here. This kind of compassion and support–it’s just so powerful.
This journey has been characterized by trust: trust in the vision of AIHM, trust in each other, and trust in the transformative power of education. The faith you and your families placed in this institution is what allowed us to turn dreams into reality. Your belief has been a powerful force and one that has propelled us forward even in the face of uncertainty.
As we navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing world, remember that trust is foundational. Trust in your abilities. Trust in your values. Plant your flag. Trust in the connections that you’ve built here with us and with Minor. These relationships and the culture that you’ve fostered are what will support you as you step into the future.
As we consider your time here, remember the words of Albert Einstein: “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what you learned in school.” The quote invites us to reflect on the essence of your education, beyond just knowledge. What remains is not merely facts and figures, but reflection, critical thinking, resilience, collaboration, and the empathy to support others. You have cultivated a culture of support and inclusivity, especially during challenging times like the pandemic. You demonstrated that learning thrives not just in the classroom but in the relationships you’ve built and the ways that you’ve come together as a community.
As you stand at this pivotal moment, carry with you the spirit of inquiry and the values you’ve embraced. Embrace the unknown with confidence, knowing that the real measure of your education lies in how you apply your understanding and experiences to the world around you.
Whether you enter the workforce, pursue further studies or venture into entrepreneurship, remember to trust yourself and the foundation you’ve built here at AIHM. The challenges ahead will test not only your knowledge, but also your character, creativity and commitment.
As you leave here today, I urge you all to continue cultivating these values that have been instilled in you. Be Ambassadors of AIHM. Share what you’ve learned, not just in knowledge but in spirit. Inspire others to follow in your footsteps, and contribute to the communities you engage with. Stay curious. Stay passionate. Stay committed to make a difference. And always AIHM Higher.
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