Description: The data set contains 201 variables and 35 Higher Education and Training Educators completed the web-based online survey. Abstract: The HSRC was commissioned by the National Department of Tourism in partnership with CATHSSETA to undertake a Tourism Human Resource Development Skills Audit and to develop a Tourism Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa.

A mix methods approach was adopted to facilitate the data gathering process including primary and secondary qualitative and quantitative data analysis. One of the primary data gathering activities was the survey of Higher Education Institutions in South Africa who provide Tourism, Hospitality and Conservation and related qualifications through Universities, Training and Vocational Education Training Colleges (TVETS) and Universities of Technology in South Africa, whether offered by public or private institutions.

The study sought to focus on the following focus areas:

A profile of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) providing tourism related qualifications, including spatial location and whether the HEI was a public or private provider;

Identify the nature of Tourism related qualifications offered by these institutions;

Profile of the personnel of HEIs involved in tourism related qualifications, by race, gender and qualifications;

To profile the nature of the qualification provided including the NQF level, the accreditation of the courses offered and format of delivering training and skills development programmes;

Identification of the scale of student enrolment in HEIs for tourism related qualifications;

To understand the role of the institution in facilitating post training work placed training and employment;

To outline the nature of engagement between HEIs and industry stakeholders to ensure curriculum relevance;

To assess the nature of institutional support for learners to transition into the labour market.

To understand the challenges experienced with respect to the provision of tourism related qualifications.

The survey was aimed at understanding the primary question:

"What is the contribution of HEIs to advancing human resource development in the tourism industry which is responsive to industry needs"?

Secondary questions:

What incentivizes HEI to provide tourism related qualifications?

What are the entry requirements for Educators in HEI engaged in the delivery of tourism related qualifications?

What is the nature of HEI engagements with industry to ensure curriculum relevance?

What is the nature of HEI support to learners and graduates to enter the labour market?

What are some of the key challenges HEI experience with respect to ensuring graduates are effectively trained to respond to labour market needs?

Major variables included:

• Educator qualifications
• Curriculum relevance and certification
• Employment and labour market outcomes of graduates
• HEI and industry engagements

Web-based self-completion

All Educators in registered Higher Education Institutions in South Africa, providing Tourism, Hospitality and Conservation Qualifications and Skills Development Programmes in both the public and private sectors.

There was no complete database of all HEIs providing Tourism related qualifications in South Africa. The research team compiled a data base using several sources including the Dept of Higher Education (DHET) and Training Registrar for Private Colleges, list of Service Providers, a CATHSSETA list of HEIs and list of HEIs provided by DHET and the NDT. The list comprised of 79 institutions.

8 Universities of Technology 31 TVETS 12 Universities 28 Private Colleges

This was not considered exhaustive and snowballing due to limitations of access to databases.

Email addresses of educators involved in these various institutions were gathered with some institutions having several representatives on the database. A total of 166 email addresses were sourced.

Realisation:

166 email invites to participate in the survey were sent

21 emails bounced

13 dropped out

35 responses were received.