Les Roches and Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches Receive 3 Prestigious 2025 ISTTE Awards

• Les Roches receives 2025 ISTTE Institutional Award
• Professor Edmund Goh of Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches honored with ISTTE Heidi Sung Achievement Award and ranked among the world’s top 2% of researchers
• Professor Edmund Goh and Sarah Belanger receive the ISTTE Best Working Paper Award

Abu Dhabi, October 27^th, 2025: The International Society of Travel and Tourism Educators (ISTTE) has announced the recipients of its 2025 awards during its 44th Annual Conference, recognizing exceptional contributions to global tourism and hospitality education. This year, Les Roches received the 2025 ISTTE Institutional Achievement Award, while Professor Edmund Goh, Associate Dean of Research & Innovation at Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches, was honored with the 2025 ISTTE Heidi Sung Achievement Award and Best Working Paper Award.  Professor Goh has also been recognised among the top 2% of researchers worldwide by Stanford University and Elsevier, this marks his fifth consecutive year (2021–2025) receiving this distinction.

Les Roches has been honoured with the award in recognition of its long-standing impact on travel and tourism education worldwide. In 2024, the institution achieved official recognition as a Swiss University of Applied Sciences Institute, a testament to its academic strength and industry relevance. That same year, Les Roches expanded its international footprint with the opening of a new campus in Abu Dhabi, reinforcing its commitment to delivering globally minded hospitality education in key markets.

In 2025, Les Roches was ranked No. 2 globally for Hospitality and Leisure Management by the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, further cementing its position as one of the world’s top institutions in its field. With more than 16,000 Alumni contributing to the industry worldwide, the institution’s influence spans continents and generations.

Additionally, the 2025 ISTTE Heidi Sung Achievement Award presented to Professor Edmund Goh celebrates a distinguished academic career that spans more than two decades. An accomplished scholar, Professor Goh has published over 150 academic papers and conference proceedings. His research has garnered more than 6,000 citations, with an H-index of 40 and an i10-index of 61—metrics that reflect his sustained influence in the field. Professor Goh and Sarah Belanger, Senior Practical Arts Instructor at Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches, also received the 2025 ISTTE Best Working Paper Award for their project “Visualising the Sequence of Service AI-Generated Flowcharts”.

He has been consistently ranked among the top 2% of global scientists from 2021 to 2025, underscoring his contributions to hospitality and tourism research.

Professor Goh also serves on the editorial boards of 10 leading academic journals in hospitality and tourism. His service to the sector includes a term as Vice Chair of the Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE), and as an external expert auditor for Australia’s Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). He has also received multiple awards for teaching and research excellence throughout his career.

About Les Roches

Les Roches is a distinguished Swiss institution dedicated to fostering innovative and entrepreneurial leaders of tomorrow in the hospitality industry. Founded in 1954 in Switzerland, Les Roches offers undergraduate, graduate degrees and executive programs in Luxury, Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management. Les Roches has campuses across Switzerland, Spain, and the UAE, as well as a partner campus near New Delhi. 

Part of Sommet Education, worldwide leader in hospitality education, Les Roches ranks number 2 in the world’s higher education institutions for hospitality and leisure management (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025).

Les Roches has received official recognition from the Swiss Accreditation Council (SAC) as a Swiss University of Applied Sciences Institute. In addition, Les Roches is also accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

For more information, visit https://lesroches.edu/ 

About Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy - Les Roches

Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy - Les Roches, opened in September 2024, is a groundbreaking institution that sets a new standard in hospitality education by integrating global expertise with a deep-rooted emphasis on Emirati culture. As the first institution of its kind in the UAE, the Academy offers a Bachelor’s in Global Hospitality Management and has launched a Master of Science in International Hospitality Management in 2025, with a Master of Science in Sports Management and Events to follow in 2026. These programs feature a curriculum that includes specialized courses, providing students with a unique blend of international skills and local cultural knowledge.

Equipped with cutting-edge facilities such as a hotel lab, mock reception area, Training Kitchen, Pastry Lab, and a 30-seat Demonstration Lab, the Academy ensures an immersive, hands-on learning experience. In alignment with Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, the Academy is a key player in the emirate’s plan to expand its hospitality sector, nurture local talent, and contribute to the future of the industry both locally and globally.

For more information about the Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy - Les Roches and its academic programs, please visit: https://www.lesroches.ae