Undiknas Faculty of Tourism and PHM Group Forge Strategic Collaboration: Supporting Employees to Pursue Applied Bachelor’s Degrees
Denpasar — Universitas Pendidikan Nasional (Undiknas), through its Faculty of Tourism, continues to strengthen its synergy with the industry, one of which is by establishing a strategic collaboration with PHM Hospitality Group. This partnership is manifested in a human resource (HR) development program that encourages hotel employees to pursue further education in the Applied Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism at Undiknas.
The program has received a positive response from hotels within the PHM Group network, including THE 1O1 Fontana Bali Seminyak, which hosted the tourism industry observation and analysis activity on May 21, 2025. The General Manager of THE 1O1 Fontana Bali, I Wayan Karta, S.E., M.Tr.Par, stated that formal education is an important part of an employee’s career path.
“We encourage our employees to pursue higher education as it is included in the company’s Key Performance Index (KPI). A higher education degree will be a consideration for promotions to supervisory and managerial positions,” said Wayan.
He emphasized the importance of balancing practical skills with theoretical understanding. The collaboration with Undiknas is seen as a great opportunity for hotel employees to gain academic recognition for their work experience, especially through industry-class programs and recognition of working hours as part of practical training.
As part of this strengthened partnership, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Faculty of Tourism at Undiknas and industry partners, including PHM Group. This MoU signifies the commitment of both parties to create a learning ecosystem that is relevant and adaptive to the current needs of the tourism industry.
The Dean of the Faculty of Tourism at Undiknas, Ngakan Nyoman Kutha Krisnawijaya, M.Kom., Ph.D., explained that the faculty, established in 2023, adopts a technopreneurship and smart tourism approach in all of its curricula. The two study programs offered — Tourism Destination and Convention and Event Management (MICE) — are designed to prepare students for the digital era and the transformation of Industry 4.0.
“We equip our students with Smart Tourism concepts based on data, technology, and innovation. Through the development of our Virtual Tourism Lab, which is equipped with VR, AR, and Smart Tourism Destination Management (STDIM) systems, we aim to produce visionary graduates who can respond to the challenges of the future tourism industry,” said the Dean.
This industry observation activity serves not only as a platform for students to gain exposure to the professional world but also as a milestone for the formation of a sustainable collaboration between academia and industry. At the closing of the event, both parties reaffirmed the importance of building synergy to produce graduates who are academically excellent, practically skilled, and ready to face the dynamic modern tourism industry.
“This collaboration is not just an industrial visit, but the creation of a real-world learning ecosystem that directly impacts the development of tourism human resources in Bali and Indonesia,” he concluded.
