Dubai, UAE: Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, and a leader in providing innovative education and training in the tourism industry, has partnered with Coursera, a leading online learning platform, to bring its world-class hospitality and tourism courses to Coursera’s 155 million learners worldwide.

Through this collaboration, DCT will introduce 16 new courses focused on essential skills in the tourism and hospitality sectors, including hospitality marketing, budgeting and events, revenue management, inventory management, front office operations, housekeeping, and many more.

The global hospitality sector is expected to grow to $4.99 trillion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.8%. In the GCC, the industry is set to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% between 2023 and 2028, reflecting the region’s continued investment in the sector. With this growth comes a rising demand for skilled professionals, underscoring the need for targeted education. This partnership with Coursera helps address the talent gap in the industry and supports efforts to equip learners across the region and beyond with the skills needed to thrive in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries.

Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of Dubai College of Tourism, said: “Our partnership with Coursera represents a significant advancement in our mission to provide world-class tourism and hospitality education, aligned with Dubai’s vision to become a global hub for business and tourism. By leveraging Coursera’s cutting-edge platform and our expertise in tourism and hospitality training programmes, we are confident that our 16 new courses will make a meaningful impact on the careers of learners worldwide. This collaboration also underscores our commitment to inclusive education and our dedication to shaping the future of the industry. Together with Coursera, we aim to contribute to the talent pipeline, fostering a new generation of tourism professionals equipped with the skills and knowledge to excel in a rapidly evolving landscape.”

“This partnership with the Dubai College of Tourism marks a significant step in our mission to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant content to learners around the globe,” said Kais Zribi, Coursera’s General Manager for the Middle East and Africa. “This partnership enables us to address the evolving needs of the hospitality workforce, providing access to courses that bridge skill gaps and equip learners with the essential tools for success in today’s competitive job market.”

Coursera continues to expand its reach by partnering with over 325 leading institutions, supporting the skills development of more than 9 million learners across the Middle East and North Africa region. Recent collaborations highlight this ongoing effort, with Coursera partnering with prestigious universities like Saïd Business School (University of Oxford), Real Madrid Graduate School Universidad Europea (Real Madrid UE), IMD Business School, and the University of London, as well as industry leaders including Amazon, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Xbox.

About Dubai College of Tourism (DCT)

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) was established by Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) to be a world-class vocational college that would provide innovative, accessible and exceptional education and training that supports people to enter, enhance or advance within the tourism industry in Dubai. At the campus, DCT delivers its full-time certificate, award and advanced diploma courses in four core subject areas: tourism, hospitality, culinary arts and events. These programmes follow the National Qualifications Framework of the UAE (QFEmirates) and are approved by the Ministry of Education. DCT manages the DET Emiratisation initiative that aims to attract and train Emiratis to work across a range of sectors, including tourism, healthcare, IT and financial services, and the Tour Guide Training platform for becoming a licensed tour guide in Dubai.The college is also responsible for delivering fundamental online training programmes specifically designed for those working within the tourism industry, such as ‘Dubai Way’ (for tourist-facing staff in Dubai) and ‘Dubai Expert’ (an interactive online training tool for international travel agents).

About Coursera

Coursera was launched in 2012 by two Stanford Computer Science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, with a mission to provide universal access to world-class learning. It is now one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, with more than 155 million registered learners as of June 30, 2024. Coursera partners with 325+ leading university and industry partners to offer a broad catalog of content and credentials, including courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates, Guided Projects, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Institutions around the world use Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens, and students in fields such as data science, technology, and business. Coursera became a B Corp in February 2021.