Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), one of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism's flagship institutions, focuses on innovative education and training in the tourism sector. Now, Coursera, the world's greatest online learning platform, comes to a partnership with DCT, providing DCT's excellent hospitality and tourism offerings to Coursera's 155 million learners in all corners of the earth.
Through this collaboration, DCT will introduce 16 new courses focused on essential skills in the tourism and hospitality sectors, including hospitality marketing, budgeting and events, revenue management, inventory management, front office operations, housekeeping, and many more.
The global hospitality sector is expected to grow to $4.99 trillion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.8%. In the GCC, the industry is set to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% between 2023 and 2028, reflecting the region’s continued investment in the sector. With this growth comes a rising demand for skilled professionals, underscoring the need for targeted education. This partnership with Coursera helps address the talent gap in the industry and supports efforts to equip learners across the region and beyond with the skills needed to thrive in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries.
Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of Dubai College of Tourism, said: “Our partnership with Coursera represents a significant advancement in our mission to provide world-class tourism and hospitality education, aligned with Dubai’s vision to become a global hub for business and tourism. By leveraging Coursera’s cutting-edge platform and our expertise in tourism and hospitality training programmes, we are confident that our 16 new courses will make a meaningful impact on the careers of learners worldwide. This collaboration also underscores our commitment to inclusive education and our dedication to shaping the future of the industry. Together with Coursera, we aim to contribute to the talent pipeline, fostering a new generation of tourism professionals equipped with the skills and knowledge to excel in a rapidly evolving landscape”.
“This partnership with the Dubai College of Tourism marks a significant step in our mission to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant content to learners around the globe”, said Kais Zribi, Coursera’s General Manager for the Middle East and Africa. “This partnership enables us to address the evolving needs of the hospitality workforce, providing access to courses that bridge skill gaps and equip learners with the essential tools for success in today’s competitive job market”.
Coursera is stretching its boundaries by collaborating with more than 325 world-class institutions to enable over 9 million learners across the Middle East and North Africa in their quest to acquire new skills. In fact, this can be seen in the newer agreements, for instance, when Coursera agreed with some of the famous institutes, like Saïd Business School at University of Oxford, Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea, IMD Business School, and the University of London. It also partners with such industry leaders as Amazon, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Xbox.
