UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management was ranked this week as one of the premier hospitality and tourism programs in the world, as rated by ShanghaiRankings’ listing of 500 of the world’s top universities. The ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2020 also ranked Rosen College’s program No.1 in the country.

The college has seen a consistent rise over the past three years in ShanghaiRanking’s listing of the 500 top universities in the world. UCF started with a world ranking of No. 20 and a national ranking of No. 7 in 2017 and has climbed to a world ranking No. 2 and national ranking No. 1 in 2020.

“Even in the face of a global pandemic, with a shift to online learning, we have maintained our exceptional teaching standards, research standards and continuing education offerings to our alumni and industry as we prioritize providing the best experience and value to our students.”

“We are extremely proud of our 2020 ShanghaiRanking as it demonstrates the dedication of our faculty and staff in conducting quality and impactful research and educating the future leaders of the hospitality and tourism industry,” says Dean Youcheng Wang. “Even in the face of a global pandemic, with a shift to online learning, we have maintained our exceptional teaching standards, research standards and continuing education offerings to our alumni and industry as we prioritize providing the best experience and value to our students. Our 16-year-old college is among the best on a global stage and we will continue to strive to serve our stakeholders the best we can.”

The caliber of researchers at Rosen College is a point of pride for UCF and contributes to the ShanghaiRankings. The founding dean Abraham Pizam, present dean Youcheng Wang and Alan Fyall, associate dean of the college, were awarded membership in the International Academy for the Study of Tourism due to their significant contributions to the field of tourism research.

Many other professors are leading researchers in their areas of expertise at a global level. As a center of knowledge creation and dissemination, the college is also home to several influential journals including: International Journal of Hospitality Management (edited by Manuel Rivera); International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management (edited by Fevzi Okumus); Journal of Destination Marketing & Management (edited by Alan Fyall and Youcheng Wang); and Rosen Research Review (edited by Robertico Croes).

The Chronicle of Higher Education says that the ShanghaiRanking is considered the most influential ranking among world-renowned universities. In March, the college was recognized by CEOWorld Magazine as one of the world’s best hospitality schools for the fourth consecutive year.