Integrating Social Inclusion into Hospitality Education: Curriculum Gaps, Policy Enforcement, and Challenges

Abstract

Kenya has resorted to maximizing and developing its tourism and hospitality industries. While advancements and investment in tourism and hospitality are essential, a key challenge is inclusion and, most importantly, social inclusion in the industry. There are social inclusion efforts; however, more can be done in social inclusion through hospitality education. Integration of social inclusion in hospitality education. The hospitality curriculum and hospitality examination still require some improvement. The study assesses the role of education in promoting social inclusion in the hospitality sector. The study will assess and evaluate social inclusion in education in the following aspects: curriculum design, faculty preparedness, policy effectiveness, and stakeholder perceptions. The study was taken in the Lake Region across an analysis of 12 hospitality institutions using mixed-method approaches that combined stakeholder interviews alongside curriculum analysis.  Initial findings revealed that out of the 12 institutions, only three of them implemented structured inclusion strategies. All 12 institutions included aspects of sustainable inclusion and environmental sustainability in their curriculum and teaching methodology, but only the three had a structure of social inclusion. The study assessed some challenges associated with social inclusion, including faculty preparedness, where many educators lack formal training in inclusive teaching methods. On top of the faculty preparedness are institutional challenges and institutional bottlenecks that would limit the effectiveness of attempts to adopt social inclusion policies. The coldest for the study were Educators, students, and employers. All three stakeholders had wide margins of their perception of social inclusion, with students perceiving their institutions as less inclusive than the faculty, administrators, and employers prioritizing workforce diversity over curriculum reforms.

The study highlights that social inclusion has undeniable benefits. Some highlighted benefits of social inclusion include programs that support students' financial needs, well-structured student support systems, and industry collaborations. On the flip side, two strategies have depicted the need for restrategizing. These are Faculty Diversity Training and curriculum integration initiatives. The findings represent the need for curriculum reforms, targeted faculty development, policy enforcement mechanisms and stronger collaboration between hospitality education and the hospitality industry. By addressing the gaps, this research promotes a more inclusive and sustainable hospitality education framework, ensuring that future managers and graduates are fully prepared and empowered to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the hospitality industry.