Building employability in hospitality industry : Insights from IIMT Gurgaon‐Oxford Brookes University collaborative effort

Purpose – The paper aims to provide insights into how an effective partnership between IIMT Gurgaon and Oxford Brookes University led to employability, curriculum development and research orientation at IIMT. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws from the experience of managing the collaborative partnership for 13 years and being involved in institutionalising the best practices and engagement with the hospitality industry. Findings – The paper discusses the factors which have contributed to building effective university‐industry partnerships and generating employability of hospitality graduates at IIMT. The factors include a state of the art curriculum which focuses on learning outcomes, building competencies and enabling students to be able to do well in their careers. The networking with industry, developing an understanding of expectations, and supervised work experience are all factors that have contributed to the success. Practical implications – There are lessons for industry and universities and policy makers. Originality/value – The paper provides perspectives on building university‐industry partnerships from a perspective of a growing economy.