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Real-world exposure is an essential component of higher education, enabling students to translate academic knowledge into practical competence and industry-ready skills. In line with this philosophy, Taylor’s University integrates experiential learning into the core of its curriculum through initiatives such as the Hotel Takeover Project.
As part of this immersive experience, students from the Bachelor of International Hospitality Management (BIHM) programme undertook a full operational takeover at Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur Bukit Jalil, working alongside industry professionals to manage and run the hotel. This industry-integrated approach is a distinctive hallmark of the programme, reflecting the University’s commitment to preparing graduates who are confident, capable, and career-ready.
Highlighting the critical role of practical experience and industry partnerships in hospitality education, Dr Kandappan Balasubramanian, Head of School of Hospitality, Tourism, and Events at Taylor’s University said “Future hospitality leaders are not shaped in classrooms alone; they are developed through real industry immersion. In a field such as hospitality, where human touch and practical competence are paramount, it is essential to bridge experiential learning with academic study. Initiatives such as our Hotel Takeover Project, led by lecturer Azlinda Hakim, bridge the gap between knowledge and practice.
“Equally important are strong industry collaboration, as demonstrated through our continued partnership with Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur Bukit Jalil, which provides structured mentorship, and a co-created, hands-on meaningful learning environment that significantly enriches student development. This level of real-world immersion with industry partners reflect a forward-looking model for hospitality education to develop future hospitality leaders who are ready to lead from day one,” he elaborated.
For the second edition of the project, Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur Bukit Jalil expanded student involvement across management and supervisory level roles. Students assumed leadership positions across various departments, including Hotel Manager, Front Office Manager, Housekeeping Manager, and Revenue Manager, each paired with industry mentors for guidance throughout the experience.
For Semester 5 student Bhuiyan Md Sadman Rahman, who was appointed Hotel Manager of the project, the role presented an exciting challenge and valuable leadership opportunity. “Knowing that my decisions would directly affect the team and overall operations pushed me to become more disciplined and proactive. The experience reinforced the importance of communication, teamwork, and problem-solving as we had to make decisions quickly. I was surprised by how complex behind-the-scenes operations are, as small issues can escalate quickly if not managed properly,” he shared.
He also emphasised the importance of people management in maintaining service quality. “Being part of this project deepened my understanding of interdepartmental coordination. I realised that hotel departments are highly interconnected, and any delay or issue in one department can affect the entire operation.”
A total of 22 students underwent two weeks of on-the-job training before taking over hotel operations. “The biggest difference between classroom learning and the Hotel Takeover Project was the level of real-time pressure and unpredictability. In class, hospitality concepts are discussed in a controlled and theoretical environment. However, during the takeover, decisions had to be made quickly, and mistakes had immediate consequences. This is an invaluable exposure for me as I head into my internship,” he added.
Siow Jia Ying, a Semester 3 student who took on the role of Revenue Manager, described the experience as both nerve-wrecking and empowering. A typical day for her included analysing room occupancy, monitoring demand trends, adjusting pricing strategies, and collaborating closely with reservations and sales teams to align pricing with operational capacity and guest expectations.
She echoed her teammates’ experience and shared how her role had real time impact on occupancy, revenue and guests satisfaction. “The biggest difference between learning in class and being involved in Hotel Takeover Project was in addressing real-time price adjusting. Mistakes when in class are just theory, but during the takeover, all pricing decisions have an influence. The project showed me that revenue management cannot operate in isolation. It requires much coordination with the front office, reservations, sales and marketing teams to ensure smooth operations while maximising the hotel revenue,” she elaborated.
One of her challenges was making time-sensitive pricing decisions based on historical data and market conditions. “Some of the skills that I improved in were analytical and decision-making, particularly in the interpretation of data within tight timeframes. I had to consider demand patterns, occupancy, competitor pricing, special events, as well as operations before making strategic adjustments.”
David Leung, General Manager of Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur Bukit Jalil, and a Taylor’s alumnus, shared that the decision to partner with the university for the Hotel Takeover Project was driven by a shared commitment to nurturing future hospitality leaders through meaningful, hands-on experience. “This partnership reflects our belief in developing talent through real-world immersion. The overall training exposes students to live hotel operations where anything can happen. It also tested their knowledge, how they lead and solve problems under pressure, while allowing us to identify their strengths, address their weaknesses and unlock their potential,” he remarked.
Looking ahead, Taylor’s University and Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur Bukit Jalil continue to explore opportunities to deepen their partnership through initiatives such as industry sharing sessions, entrepreneurship projects, engagement sessions, career talks, and potential internship placement opportunities for hospitality students, in support of enriching students’ learning experiences and professional development.
To find out more about Taylor’s University and its programmes under the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events, visit: https://university.taylors.edu.my/en/study/explore-all-programmes/hospitality-tourism-and-events.html
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