NEWARK – The University of Delaware is embarking on a new global challenge as it continues the tradition of welcoming international students to its classrooms.
The Department of Hospitality and Business Management through UD’s Lerner College recently announced a new 2+2 program in collaboration with the Beijing Hospitality Institute (BHI). The program will allow students in Beijing, China, to take two years of coursework in their home educational setting and then travel to UD for the next two years of the hospitality program.
At this time, a reciprocal program for UD students to study in Beijing is not available, but it may be a possibility in the future, according to Interim Department Chair Timothy DeSchriver.
“For UD, it gives our world-renowned hospitality a presence in the Chinese academic market and hopefully leads to creation of opportunities for the BHI students,” he told the Delaware Business Times.
To kickstart the program spearheaded by Dr. Zvi Schwartz, DeSchriver said UD was on hand during a half-day student fair hosted by BHI that brought out programming from universities around the world.
For the students who began their college journey at UD, the experience will prove just as important as the college continues to expand its offerings while the Delaware area prepares for an increase in tourism and hospitality opportunities. The First State will soon see an influx in visitors thanks to the state and nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, as well as two major events headed to Philadelphia in 2026 – the FIFA World Cup and Major League Baseball’s All-State Game.
“Hospitality is a growing global industry. Students must have knowledge about different cultures and business models in order to be successful in the workplace,” DeSchriver added.
As of right now, no students are enrolled in the program, but educators anticipate that to change soon.
