Hear from Sean Koay, a Master in International Hospitality Management (Jan 2022) alumnus and Business Development Director at KNEAD by CW, as he reflects on his growth with Sunway’s SHTM.

I chose to pursue the Master in International Hospitality Management (MIHM) at Sunway University during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when the hospitality industry was going through significant changes. At that point, I wanted to venture into the field of consultancy and education. Although I already had a degree, I felt that pursuing a master’s degree was necessary as times were changing quickly and information was constantly evolving. For me, enrolling in the MIHM programme was one way to keep myself alert, continue learning and improve myself academically.

Today, I am a Cafe Operator and Business Development Director at KNEAD by CW. Having gone through the MIHM programme, I feel that the experience has helped me grow both academically and professionally. Having a master’s degree has definitely helped me gain more authority when speaking at forums and engaging in business connections.

I was already running my own business before enrolling in MIHM, but the difference I see now is that I am able to look at the industry from both an academic and practical perspective. This has also given me greater confidence when training and consulting for other small businesses that are building their F&B brands.

One of my favourite parts of the programme was definitely writing my dissertation. I had the privilege of being guided by Dr Teh Pek Yen (Senior Lecturer, Sunway University), who took a great interest in my work and supported me throughout the writing process. I also had the opportunity to go on a short trip with visiting emeritus professor, the late Professor Michael Hitchcock, who graciously taught and guided me on my dissertation topic.

Through writing my dissertation, I realised that the experience was about more than just the results of the paper. I came to understand the importance of nurturing and mentoring someone throughout their growth. This was a privilege to experience during my time in MIHM, and I would not be where I am today without these two academicians.

Of course, balancing work and study was definitely a challenge. At that time, I was running a full-fledged F&B business while juggling finance, hiring and sales concerns, especially as the economy started to reopen while I was halfway through my programme.
Thankfully, I had teaching fellows from the School who were kind and understanding of my situation. They encouraged me to slow down, take care of my mental health and continue moving forward steadily with the programme. I would especially like to give a shout-out to Dr Teh Pek Yen, Ms Merry Lum, Ms Karen Lui and Ms Hairani for their invaluable support during this period.

For anyone considering MIHM, I think it is very important to first understand why you want to commit yourself to the programme. For me, I had a clear reason: I wanted to climb higher in the industry and academically.

I would also highly recommend keeping yourself updated with current issues in the hospitality industry and, better yet, having at least three years of experience working in the industry before entering the programme. During my time with MIHM, I realised that experience is incredibly important. It allowed me to contribute different perspectives and nuances of the industry, while also creating interesting conversations with my peers in the classroom.

At the same time, learning alongside people with different experiences gave me opportunities to broaden my own perspective. It was this exchange of knowledge and perspectives that made the learning experience meaningful for me. 

Looking back, I am grateful to SHTM for nurturing me throughout my time at the School, from my diploma studies through to my master’s degree. I sincerely wish the School continued success, and I hope to see the scholarly and skilled achievements of its students as they go on to contribute to the industry in the years to come. My journey with SHTM has been an important part of my growth, and as I look ahead, I will carry with me the words I believe in: “Always be ready to serve.”