The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institute of Eminence, continues to strengthen its emphasis on experiential learning through the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA), where students are trained through a model that replicates real hospitality operations within the academic environment.

At WGSHA, teaching is structured around the idea that practical immersion complements classroom learning. The institute operates several student-run ventures designed to simulate real business environments, including a bakery and café where students manage menu planning, pricing, ingredient costs and profit margins. Another initiative, the Food POD food truck, allows students to develop and sell dishes directly to customers, with their success determined by consumer response.

In the institute’s training restaurants, students manage the entire operational chain, from sourcing ingredients and calculating conversion costs to cooking, serving and marketing their offerings. Customer feedback collected through QR codes at tables also contributes to students’ academic evaluation. Marketing and social media strategies for these ventures are planned and executed by students as part of their coursework.

The learning model also emphasises Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), which include analytical decision-making and problem-solving in real-time scenarios. Alongside academic activities, WGSHA operates a structured pastoral ecosystem consisting of nine societies and 36 clubs, each focused on developing a specific professional competency.

For example, the Gastronomy Society oversees clubs dedicated to regional and international cuisines as well as boulangerie and patisserie, while the Lifestyle Society includes clubs centred on art, wine, fashion and luxury. Students across these societies also organise large events and initiatives. During Janmashtami celebrations, students created dishes inspired by traditional themes, marketed them to the public, organised performances and documented the event digitally.

The institute’s curriculum is periodically updated to align with evolving hospitality practices and is supported by infrastructure that mirrors professional industry settings. Students work with equipment and facilities commonly used in commercial kitchens and hospitality operations, helping them become familiar with workplace environments before entering the industry.

The National Education Policy 2020 encourages institutions to integrate experiential learning into higher education, a principle that WGSHA has adopted through its operational model.

WGSHA also maintains a long-standing industry partnership with ITC Limited through a memorandum of understanding with MAHE. Under the arrangement, the institute’s principal is deputed from ITC Hotels.

The institute is ranked among the top 50 hospitality schools globally and has consistently been placed among the leading hotel management institutes in India by surveys including those by GHRDC, India Today, Outlook and The Week. Its alumni include chefs Vikas Khanna and Maneet Chauhan, as well as ITC Hotels Managing Director and CEO Anil Chadha.

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