International Academies

International Academies

UN Tourism partners with governments to establish International Academies , ensuring high-quality vocational and managerial education and training.
UN Tourism Academy

Recognizing the importance of tourism education, UN Tourism collaborates with public and private sector stakeholders to establish International Academies.

These International Academies in collaboration with UN Tourism aim to strengthen the tourism workforce in Member States through high-quality and affordable programmes, delivered by UN Tourism-suggested experts or in partnership with top academic institutions.

As independent entities working in collaboration with UN Tourism, these academies benefit from:

  • Strategic Development & Vision: Shaping strategy, content, and curricula for academic programmes.
  • Capacity Building & Training: Acting as knowledge and training hubs to ensure the dissemination of the latest insights and best practices through workshops, seminars, and other educational formats.
  • Student Opportunities: Providing students access to UN Tourism's global network.
  • Knowledge Exchange: Facilitating the dissemination of UN Tourism events and activities of interest to students.
  • Programme Development & Advisory Role: Contributing to the development strategy, work plan, and overall direction of the programme while advising on key strategic areas.
  • Global Recognition & Branding: Access to branding and positioning through the UN Tourism logo and the United Nations communications network.
  • Promotion & Communications: Engagement with UN Tourism Member States and Affiliate Members to promote and support the initiative.

International Academies in collaboration with UN Tourism:

International Samarkand Academy

Launched 2024, hospitality, destination management, faculty training). Examples of programmes are:

  • Tourism Faculty Development Programme (TDFP) to upskill and reskill the professors and instructors of the Academy.
  • Hospitality Management Retraining Programme to empower professionals.
Samarkand Academy
Riyadh School of Tourism & Hospitality

Is currently under development, envisioning to have 80% vocational education on tourism, and 20% at managerial level.

Upcoming Academies: Zimbabwe (Culinary Arts), Zambia (Tourism and Hospitality), Dominican Republic (Tourism and Hospitality).