Assistant Professor at Marketing , United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates
She remarkable academic journey, extensive research contributions, and dedication to the field of psychology are truly commendable. Your wealth of knowledge and diverse skill set reflect a deep commitment to understanding and addressing critical issues such as bullying, inclusion, and socialization.
🔬 She successful completion of a PhD in Psychology, along with the numerous advanced courses and workshops, showcases your continuous pursuit of excellence and expertise in your field.
🏆 The awards and recognitions, including the First Place in the Poster Award at the University of Stavanger, underscore the impact of your research and the high regard it holds in the academic community.
Professional Profiles:
Education:
Dr. Thouraya Labben served as the MBA Program Coordinator and Associate Professor at the United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi, from August 2019 to July 2020. In this role, she focused on enhancing the existing MBA program to align with industry needs and developing a strategic post-graduate program portfolio to maintain the college’s position as a leading institution. Her key responsibilities and accomplishments included leading national and international market research on post-graduate studies and Executive Education in collaboration with a consultancy company, overseeing the transformation of post-graduate courses/programs for online and blended learning, formulating the post-graduate programs strategy for the CBE, which was approved by the college and university stakeholders, managing budget and personnel, and teaching Strategic Management, Leadership, and Change Management, primarily in the service and hospitality sectors. Dr. Labben also taught Strategic Management in the BBA, MBA, and DBA programs, as well as Human Factor and Social Responsibility in the DBA program, and supervised DBA theses.
Professional Experience:
Dr. Thouraya Labben is the Director of CBE Off-Campus Site in Abu Dhabi and MBA Program Coordinator, Associate Professor at United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi, since August 2020. Her responsibilities include enhancing and expanding the post-graduate programs and Executive Education portfolio. She directly engages with ministries, governmental entities, the private sector, UAEU ALUMNI, and other stakeholders to promote CBE programs and strengthen the college’s presence in Abu Dhabi and UAE through industry relations development. Her notable achievements and roles encompass leading the CAA licensing process of the CBE Off-campus site in Abu Dhabi, establishing the new campus in Abu Dhabi, developing and implementing SOP, managing all related strategic and operational matters, establishing and managing the Executive Education Unit (launched in May 2021), developing open enrollment programs/courses, designing and delivering customized or in-company programs, working on the development of an Executive MBA and an Executive DBA with the University of Geneva, identifying synergies to enhance the program portfolio consistency and relevance to the industry (e.g., micro-masters, microcredentials programs), and developing and launching the STEPS Forum (Seminars and Talks on Executive Education and Post-graduate Studies) while overseeing its content and logistics. The STEPS Forum is organized four times per year.
Teaching:
Dr. Thouraya Labben’s involvement in teaching included delivering courses like Strategic Management in the Hospitality Industry, Hospitality and Tourism Trends, Customer Service Management, and Customer Relationship Management for the BBA in Hospitality Management program. She contributed to accreditation projects for NEASC, HES-SO (Swiss accreditation), and Bologna, and led academic benchmarking projects involving an exchange with several US and European institutions to enhance learning and research quality. She reviewed and developed competency/outcome-based programs for bachelor’s and master’s degrees, focusing on independent and student-centered learning, and conducted executive education and training programs. Dr. Labben conducted studies on programs’ cost and profitability, operational matters, and student number projections. She implemented a 360-degree quality measurement and improvement model with related KPIs for teaching and learning, research and consultancy, and processes. Additionally, she established methods and tools such as course/program evaluation questionnaires, class visits, quality surveys, engagement surveys, benchmarking studies, and industry and academic advisory commissions to gather continuous feedback from stakeholders, including industry and alumni, students and families, faculty and staff, and peers.
Academic Background:
Dr. Thouraya Labben holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Bordeaux, France, which she obtained in 2002. She completed her Master’s degree in Business Administration at the University of Bordeaux, France, in 1995. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce (School of Business), University of Tunis III, Tunisia, which she completed in 1993.
Awards and certificate:
Dr. Thouraya Labben’s professional achievements and awards include:
- 2023: Became a CAA Certified Reviewer and has led several reviews as an ERT member and Chair of the ERT.
- 2014: Received the “Education Leadership Award” from the World Leadership Award Congress & Awards.
- 2015: Received the “Education Leadership Award” from the World Leadership Award Congress & Awards.
- 2015: The EIC was ranked among the Top 30 hotel management schools in the world by Hotelier Middle East.
- 2016: Awarded the “Outstanding Education Leaders in the GCC Award” from the GCC-Africa Leadership Awards.
Research Grants:
Dr. Thouraya Labben has been involved in several research projects, including:
- “COVID-19 Risk Perception and Its Impact on Tourist Behavior: An Investigation of Future Implications on Hotel Services and Offerings,” funded by UAEU (Start-up Grant), where she serves as the Project Leader.
- Trends tracking and prescriber of watch and hotel industry in Switzerland, funded by the Swiss Research Fund, where she is a Partner.
- The opportunity of the introduction of Swiss hotels SME into the stock exchange: a new financial solution for the hotel sector, funded by the Swiss Research Funding, where she is the Project Leader.
- Senior tourism in Switzerland: Future strategies of marketing and communication, funded by the Swiss Research Fund, where she is the Project Leader.
- Senior tourism and strategies for hotel supply optimization, funded by the Swiss Research Fund, where she is the Project Leader.
Publications:
Understanding the relationship between marketing analytics, customer agility, and customer satisfaction: A longitudinal perspective.
The role of destination gender in shaping tourists’ responses toward destinations: The mediating role of destination stereotypes
FACTORS SHAPING DINER’S COVID-19 PREVENTIVE BEHAVIOR: A CASE STUDY IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Cross-cultural examination of decision elements: Youth tourism in Switzerland
Hotel offer adjustments for senior citizen guests: Perception of Swiss hoteliers
Youth travelers’ lodging and dining preferences
The Influence of the Intensity of Collaboration and Type of Management on the Performance of Swiss Hotels
Youth Patrons’ Trip Preferences and Perceptions of Accommodations in Switzerland
Developing the image of the “Young Tourist”: Details from Swiss festivals
E-mail customer service in the Tunisian hotel industry