University Pavilion Draws Visitors’ Attention at the International Sirha Exhibition in Riyadh
The College of Tourism and Hospitality at King Khalid University participated in the first edition of Sirha in the Middle East, held at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center from October 1 to 3, 2024. This participation provided a platform to showcase culinary skills and related arts, with the College presenting distinguished demonstrations of its Culinary Arts Program, one of its most prominent new academic programs, through which it seeks to prepare a generation of professional and innovative chefs.
The College's pavilion featured a diverse selection of traditional dishes and hot and cold beverages that reflected the richness of authentic Saudi heritage with a contemporary touch aligned with modern developments in hospitality and culinary arts. Visitors to the exhibition had the opportunity to taste these dishes, prepared by the College's male and female students themselves, providing a vivid demonstration of creativity and professionalism despite the relatively recent establishment of the academic program.
In addition to the culinary demonstrations, the College's pavilion featured a documentary film telling the story of the College's establishment and its rapid development since its launch a year earlier. The film highlighted the College's rapid progress and showcased its modern educational facilities, such as smart classrooms and virtual laboratories, which form part of its digital transformation strategy in higher education. The film also highlighted the educational hotel, which provides students with a realistic training environment that simulates actual workplace conditions. The College also distributed informational brochures highlighting its diverse capabilities aimed at enhancing the student experience and developing students' skills to prepare them to enter the labor market effectively and efficiently.
Commenting on this participation, Dr. Reham Mashat, Dean of the College of Tourism and Hospitality at King Khalid University, explained that despite the College's recent establishment, it is making steady progress toward excellence in providing innovative educational programs in tourism and culinary arts. She noted that the quality of the academic programs and advanced training tools offered by the College enable male and female students to acquire the skills required to compete in local and global markets.
Dr. Mashat added that the College continually seeks to expand its presence at local and international events, strengthening its position as one of the Kingdom's promising academic institutions. She also noted that this participation represents a step toward developing distinguished national professionals capable of contributing to the advancement of the tourism and hospitality sector, based on the College's vision of innovation and quality to achieve leadership in this vital field.