THE INTERNATIONAL Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education re-accredited the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management program of the University of Santo Tomas.

The ICE accreditation enables higher education institutions to gain recognition in the globalized world of education, by providing an independent ‘mark of quality’ for prospective international students and other institutions.

To achieve ICE accreditation, institutions must demonstrate their ability to meet the ICE 14 International Standards of Excellence.

All applications are assessed by independent auditors from the ICE Assessment Panel and include a site audit of the applicant institution to verify the claims made in the accreditation application.

The site audit incorporates inspections of campus facilities, and meetings with the applicant institution’s teaching staff, administrative support staff, students, alumni, industry advisory board, and all relevant stakeholders.

Accreditation status is valid for 5 years before rigorous evaluation for re-accreditation is applied.

The ICE was established in 2004 by the Australian Federal Government to develop benchmarks and promote excellence in tourism, hospitality, and events.

Since becoming a not-for-profit organization in 2008, the ICE has developed into a global organization for accreditation, benchmarking, and quality enhancement in tourism, hospitality, events, and culinary arts education, with a network of 44 members in 19 countries across four continents.