-

The graduate masters appropriate scientific methods of basic and applied tourism research. He/she has cross-sectional knowledge of tourism with an interdisciplinary nature, which allows him/her to analyze the tourism sector, to conduct research, to formulate solutions of economic and managerial problems with an emphasis on sustainable, responsible, and smart tourism development, to apply innovative tools and business models in tourism within international management of tourism and to generate new scientific knowledge.

The graduate of the study program tourism is an independent responsible individual able to find solutions innovatively and sustainably, thus contributing to the solution of social challenges of the 21st century. His/her profile thus corresponds to the long-term development plan of Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica. Based on a targeted search of domestic  and  foreign  scientific  literature  and  its  critical  evaluation he/she can identify scientific problems of tourism, formulate research questions and compile research design. He/she masters the procedures of scientific work, is able to identify the research gap, and appropriately apply innovative procedures. He/she can formulate and verify research hypotheses and apply appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods in solving scientific problems of tourism. Based on his/her findings, the graduate is able to design, verify and implement appropriate research procedures in an international environment.

He/she is endowed with independent, critical, analytical and conceptual thinking, which he/she is able to apply to the tourism research subject depending on changing conditions. He/she is able to present the results of the research to the professional community at home and abroad. Thanks to his language competence, he/she publishes in respected journals and proceedings registered in the international databases CCC, WOS, Scopus, and others. In his/her scientific work, he/she respects social, scienific ,and ethical contexts. He/she reacts to current issues of tourism development, determines research focus, and coordinates the research team. He/she can apply the acquired knowledge in the educational process and in pracice, and thus contribute to tourism

development in the national and international context.

Learning objectives:

The graduate of the study program tourism has a systematic, comprehensive and complex set of knowledge from tourism of an interdisciplinary nature. The graduate:

• has a systematic, comprehensive and complex set of knowledge of the sustainable tourism development, its pillars, principles, measurement methods, examples of good practice and its integration into strategies in the national and international context,

•   has a deep knowledge of theories, sophisticated methods and procedures for assessing the demand, supply and benefits of tourism at a level that meets international criteria,

• has a systematic, comprehensive and complex set of knowledge of information technology, big and open data in tourism, artificial intelligence, smart tourism businesses, smart visitors, smart tourism destinations, national smart tourism development policies, including knowledge of the context and impact of the smart concept on sustainability, competitiveness and resilience of tourism,

• has comprehensive, in-depth and cross-sectional knowledge of the international tourism market, tourism policy in an international context, the specificities of tourism management in an international context, partnership creation and networking, tourism promotion from public and EU structural funds, quality management, change management and crisis management, including knowledge of current trends in international tourism management, contexts and relations with related fields,

• possess systematic and in-depth understanding of the importance and nature of innovation in tourism at the macro, regional and business levels, co-creation of tourism experience, innovation process, innovation networks, as well as promising business models applicable in tourism. The graduate of the study program tourism has at the same time a wide range of skills:

can actively acquire new knowledge and information related to tourism economics   and   management   with   emphasis   on   its sustainable responsible and smart development; analyze, re-evaluate and use them in theory and practical applications for development of tourism destinations,

· is able to apply and creatively improve and develop methods of quantification of tourism, theories of tourism management, research and innovation practices at the macro, regional and business levels, using knowledge from the latest scientific research,

·  can contribute to the development of the field of study by acquiring new knowledge in solving specific tasks.

The graduate of the study program tourism has a rich acquired and transferable competencies. Graduate:

· has a proactive approach, can make independent decisions in a dynamically changing environment and be responsible for implemented decisions,

· is characterized by independent, flexible, critical, analytical, conceptual and innovative thinking,

· is able to plan and initiate the solution of complex problems/projects of tourism development, including the formulation of goals, means, and methods in the field of economics and tourism management at a level corresponding to international criteria,

•  is able to assess and modify proposed objectives, procedures, and solutions in a broader context in terms of social, ethical, environmental, and other criteria,

• is ready to manage research tasks and teams,

• thanks to his/her language competence, he/she is able to communicate the area of his/her expertise in writing and orally to the professional community at home and abroad,

• is able to apply the acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies in the educational process and in the practice of multinational companies and tourism destinations, and thus contribute to the development of tourism in national and international contexts.

Concepts and tourism promotion specialist

Qualification code: C2422007-00760 SK ISCO-08: 2422007

Project specialist

Qualification code: U2421003-01032

SK ISCO-08: 4415003

Specialist in self-government strategies and development

Qualification code: C2422999-01535

SK ISCO-08: 2422999

Marketing manager

Qualification code: C1221002-00711

SK ISCO-08: 1221002

Brand manager

Qualification code: C2431006-00741

SK ISCO-08: 2431006

Specialist in marketing analysis and market research

Qualification code: C2431002-00759

SK ISCO-08: 2431002

University teacher - assistant professor

Qualification code: U2310003-00429 SK ISCO-08: 2310003

Written submissions from exteranal stakeholders on the indicated Occupations are included in l_Attachment_4_Stakeholder:Report, Indicated_occupations

There are no regulated professions, so there was no need to ask for approval.

The evaluation of the employability of graduates at MBU is part of the international project Horizon 2020 docEnhance. Among its other activities, a career tracking report for doctoral graduates was carried out. Besides MBU in Banská Bystrica, 8 other EU Universities were involved: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), UiT Arctic University of Norway Tromso (Norway), Maastricht University (Netherlands) ), Technical University of Munich (Germany), University of Alcala (Spain), University of Chemistry and Industry Prague (Czech Republic), MNOVA University of Lisbon (Portugal) and University of Sassari (Italy). The answers of more than 2,200 respondents revealed many interesting findings.

Project webpage: https://docenhance.eu/career-tracking/

The employability of graduates is also evaluated on relevant feedback from graduates following guideline no. 2/2022 of MBU. A questionnaire survey was conducted from January, 24th to January, 31^st 2022 based on the evaluation of the quality of education of graduates. The sample consisted of 6 graduates, while the results in relation to employability are as followed:

-         The graduate performs work related to the completed study program: 83%

-         Completion of the study program should also be recommended to other applicants: 100%

example:

Ing. Jaroslav Kubaľa, PhD.

position: executive director Premium Star Hotels

Ing. Miroslav Knižka, PhD.

position: executive director Horeca Group, s. r. o.

Mgr. Ing. Daniela Chrančoková PhD.

position: Chair of the Regional Tourism Organization Banskobystrický kraj Turizmus

Ing. Jiří Pěč, PhD.

position: executive director of the destination management

organization Central Slovakia

Ing. Zuzana Jobová, PhD.

position: destination marketing specialist, Dobrý kraj BBSK

Ing. Juraj Buranovský, PhD.

position: executive director Tourism Innovation Centre

Mag. (FH) Radúz Dula, PhD. position: Country Manager Slovakia

Amazing Places&Kouzelná místa v ČR s.r.o. Praha, ČR

Ing. Petr Studnička, PhD. position: Head of department

Vysoká škola hotelová a ekonomická (Institute of Hospitality Management and Economics), Praha 8, ČR

Ing. Ivana Magátová, PhD.

position: Consul General, Slovak Consulate General in Shanghai, China

The evaluation of the study programme quality is carried out at three levels with different sets of employers being defined for each level of evaluation:

1. Evaluation of the study programme quality in the process of its creation

The following employer participated in the process of creating the study programme:

• pelicantravel.com s.r.o., Námestie SNP 6, 811 06 Bratislava; Monika Strehárová – Customer Service Manager.

Employers' representatives prepared the stakeholder report, where they formulated comments and provided feedback on selected characteristics of the study programme. The person responsible for the study programme prepared a separate report on the scope of processing the comments, which is part of the accreditation file.

2. Evaluation of the study programme quality in the process of its approval

In the approval process of the study programme, the following stakeholders may make comments on the quality of the programme:

-         employer's representative in the Council for Internal Quality System Faculty of Economics MBU in Banská Bystrica,

-         employer's representative in the temporary working group of the Council for the Internal Quality System of the MBU,

-         employer's representative in the Council for the Internal Quality Assurance System of the MBU.

3.    Evaluation of the study programme quality by employers' assessment report

Assessment received from any other employers is provided in accordance with MBU guideline no. 2/2022, where it is possible to request assessment report from other representatives of employers. When preparing the Description of the study programme, no such evaluation had been carried out.

The rules for the design of study plans within the study programme in terms of their definition defined in the MBU Directive no. 1/2021 Creation, modification and approval of study programmes and submission of applications to the Slovak Accreditation Agency for Higher Education in accordance with the ECTS Users' Guide 2015 and Act no. 131/2002 Coll. On Higher Education Institutions. The rules for study plan design in the study programmes are also defined in the Study Rules of Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/study-rules-and-other-documents/study-rules-of-the-faculty-of-economics-mbu-in-banska-bystrica/

-        credit evaluation of courses depends on the time required of the student's work, usually in the range of 1800 hours per academic year in full-time study and usually 1440 hours per academic year in part-time form of study, including independent study and independent creative activity, which represents an average of 30 hours / 1 credit.

-        the allocated credit grant reflects the time burden of the student needed to obtain the prescribed learning outcomes

-        time and content sequence of courses in the recommended study plan is determined so that by completing it the student achieves the required knowledge, skills, and competencies

-        profile courses are defined only from the group Compulsory Courses (PP), Compulsory elective courses (PVP)

-        credits for profile courses are usually higher than for other courses

-        share of credits for profile courses at least ½ the total number of credits for Compulsory Courses (PP)

The recommended study plan is available in the academic information system AI2 and is publicly accessible on the faculty’s website https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/.

The recommended study plan contains the names of compulsory courses, compulsory elective courses, credit subsidy of the course, basic educational activities and their area in classes, recommended semester, student workload in classes, and teachers. All information sheets contain learning objectives and outcomes of the course, identification data on the course, course completion conditions, study literature, division of the student workload. Information sheets are available in the academic information system AiS2 and on the faculty’s website https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/.

There are no prerequisites or co-requisites in the study plan of the Tourism study programme. For each course within the recommended study plan, the educational activities used are determined, including their hourly allowance. Educational activities in all courses are carried out by a combined method, which is also stated in the information sheets of individual courses of the recommended study plan. The syllabus is a mandatory  part  of  the  information  sheets  of  all  courses  of therecommended study plan. The individual worksheets of the courses state the student's workload and the share of individual activities (eg participation in direct teaching activities, work on seminar work, self- study, etc.) in the total student workload. The credit subsidy of the courses reflects their complexity and the intensity/degree of the student's workload. It is listed for each course in the recommended study plan. Each course information sheet identifies the university teachers who are involved in providing the course. Information about individual persons, including their contact details, is published on the website of the Faculty of Economics, MBU. The place of delivery of the study programme in the Faculty of Economics of Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica.

Number of credits for compulsory courses required for proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies: 86 (study part 36, state exams 20, contribution of top international quality JCR, SJR) 30)

Number of credits for compulsory elective courses required for the proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies: 48 (study part 18 , scientific part 30)

Number of credits for optional courses required for the proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies: 6 (study part)

Number of credits for the final thesis and the defence of the final thesis required for the proper completion of studies: 40

Number of credits for professional practice required for proper completion of the study / completion of a part of the study: 0.

The study programme Tourism has established and previously published rules, criteria, and methods for evaluating study results. The rules of learning outcomes verification and student assessment and the possibilities of corrective procedures are defined Study Rules of MBU https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/.

The verification methods of learning outcomes achievement, criteria and the conditions for course completion are listed in the information sheets of the SP courses and communicated to the student at the beginning of the semester. Students are evaluated in continuous and final assessment, with monitoring the knowledge acquired through all forms of teaching and through self-study, as well as the level of elaboration of the assigned works, if such works are part of their study obligations. The achieved level of knowledge and skills is assessed based on predetermined criteria. The results of the continuous assessment are an important part of the course assessment if this type of evaluation is defined in the conditions of course completion. The final evaluation takes place during the period of completion of study obligations. Regular and corrective dates are published well in advance in the academic information system AiS2.

The results of student verification and evaluation are published for the student in the academic information system. At the student's request, the teacher is obliged to provide the student with feedback on the evaluation result. The possibilities of corrective procedures against the evaluation are defined in the study regulations of MBU, Art. 14 https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/. In addition, students can contact the chairman of the field subcommittee of the relevant study programme, person responsible for the study programme, the head of the department (training place) and the Vice-dean for Science and Research, who are obliged to deal with each student complaint.

The conditions for the recognition of education or part of education are defined v study regulations of MBU, Art. 7,16 and 17

https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/.

The list of topics of final theses defended in the previous academic year is published on the website https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/

Rules for Assigning, Preparing, Reviewing, Defending and Evaluating Final Theses in the Study Programme

The rules related to final theses are defined in Directive No. 2/2021 – Formatting of Written University Papers, Final Theses and Habilitation Theses https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/state-exam-and-final-thesis.html

They are also specified in the UMB Study Regulations, Articles 14, 18 and 36 https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/ and are discussed in detail within the compulsory course Diploma Seminar.

Organisational guidelines concerning the defence of diploma theses are published on the department’s website in the section Department Announcements. Each teacher in the study programme proposes thesis topics only within the compulsory and compulsory elective courses that they teach. The topic of a diploma thesis should be sufficiently specific to indicate its content and main objective. When formulating the topic of a diploma thesis, it is necessary to bear in mind that the outcome should be a proposal of a unique engineering solution to a particular problem.

Opportunities and Procedures for Student Mobility

Supporting individual student mobility is one of the strategic priorities of Matej Bel University (UMB) in the field of internationalisation. This priority is elaborated in detail in the document Internationalisation Strategy available at: https://www.umb.sk/en/international/strategy-principles-and-goals/ and in Directive No. 4/2025 on Erasmus+ Mobilities at UMB:https://www.umb.sk/medzinarodne-vztahy/referat-medzinarodnej-spoluprace-14927/erasmus/erasmus/

Information on international mobility opportunities is currently published on the Faculty of Economics UMB website https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/student-mobilities/

Rules for Compliance with Academic Ethics and Consequences of Violations

Compliance with academic ethics is emphasised throughout the entire duration of study. Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica has developed and published a Student Code of Ethics, and the Faculty of Economics UMB has also established its own Student Code of Ethics of the Faculty of Economics UMB. Both documents are publicly available in full on the websites umb.sk and ef.umb.sk.

Students are continuously informed about the principles and rules of academic ethics:

• in the first year of bachelor’s studies through the courses Introduction to University Studies and Speech Culture,
• when preparing seminar papers and projects,
• in the master’s programme within the Diploma Thesis Seminar,
• and through the relevant year coordinators.

Teachers consistently verify the originality of submitted seminar papers, studies, or projects.

According to the UMB Study Regulations, Article 2, paragraphs 10 and 11, failure to comply with academic ethics or cheating during the fulfilment of study obligations may lead to the submission of a motion for disciplinary proceedings. https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/ Disciplinary offences are addressed by the UMB Disciplinary Committee, whose status and activities are regulated by the Disciplinary and Procedural Rules of the UMB Disciplinary Committee https://www.umb.sk/student/know-how-pre-studenta/studijne-predpisy/disciplinarny-poriadok

UMB has also established an Ethics Committee, which addresses issues related to the observance of academic ethics by both employees and students. Relevant information regarding the Ethics Committee and its responsibilities is available on the university’s website:

https://www.umb.sk/univerzita/univerzita/o-univerzite/akademicka-etika-umb/eticka-komisia/

At the same time, Matej Bel University has developed a Framework for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence at UMB, which aims to ensure that students and teachers use AI responsibly, ethically, and in accordance with the fundamental values of UMB:

https://www.umb.sk/student/know-how-pre-studenta/ramec-zodpovedneho-vyuzivania-umelej-inteligencie-na-umb.html

Procedures Applicable to Students with Specific Needs

The university and its organisational units provide applicants and students with specific needs with appropriate adjustments and support services and create an environment that promotes equal opportunities for studying at UMB.

At the Faculty of Economics UMB, a coordinator for students with specific needs has been appointed. The coordinator provides support to these students in adapting to the university environment and assists them in resolving various study-related situations: https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/students-with-special-needs.html

Procedures for Submitting Complaints and Appeals by Students

Procedures for submitting complaints and appeals by students are defined in the Directive on Handling Complaints, available at:https://www.umb.sk/univerzita/verejnost-a-media/podnety-peticie-a-staznosti/staznosti/.

The list of courses and information sheets (IL) are attached to the internal accreditation file. Course information sheets are available in the academic information system AIS2 and are publicly available at https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/

The AR timetable is available on the Faculty's website:https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/doctoral-study-phd/schedule-of-the-academic-year.html

The current timetable is available on the Faculty's website: https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/doctoral-study-phd/, https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/doktorandske-studium/informacie-o-studiu/rozvrh-doktorandskeho-studia.html

prof. Ing. Vanda Maráková, PhD.

professor

[email protected]

048/446 2216

EF UMB | Maráková Vanda, prof., Ing., PhD.

prof. Ing. Kristína Pompurová, PhD.

Department of Tourism

[email protected]

048/446 2211

https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/11599

predmet: Analýza sektora cestovného ruchu (Tourism sector analysis)

prof. Ing. Vanda Maráková, PhD.

Department of Tourism

[email protected]

048/446 2216

https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/11230

predmet: Medzinárodný manažment cestovného ruchu (International tourism management)

Udržateľný a zodpovedný rozvoj cestovného ruchu (Sustainable and responsible tourism development)

doc. Ing. Jana Marasová, PhD.

Department of Economy

[email protected]

048/446 2617

https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/11215

predmet: Udržateľný a zodpovedný rozvoj cestovného ruchu (Sustainable and responsible tourism development)

doc. Ing. Tomáš Gajdošík, PhD.

Department of Tourism

[email protected]

048/446 2215

https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/25053

predmet: Inteligentný rozvoj cestovného ruchu (Smart tourism development)

doc. Ing. Andrej Malachovský, PhD.

Department of Tourism

048/446 2218

https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/11214

predmet: Inovatívne nástroje a podnikateľské modely v cestovného ruchu (Innovative tools and business models in tourism )

Research profiles of persons responsible for the profile courses of the study programme are available at https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/

The list of teachers of the study programme contains all those who participate in the teaching of compulsory and elective courses in accordance with the recommended study plan and information sheets of courses. The list of teachers with a link to the Central register of university employees and contacts is a part of the accreditation file. The list of teachers of the study programme is available on the faculty’s website: https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/

The schedule of teachers' workload in accordance with the number of hours and seminars of the study programme, isolated view of spreading the teacher's workload in the given study programme is given in Annex3 of Directive no. 1/2021.

The list of supervisors of the dissertation theses is attached to the application for accreditation of the study programme. and is available on the faculty’s website: https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/

The scientific and pedagogical characteristics are available in the academic information system AiS2 and is available on the faculty’s website: https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/

Ing. Branislav Očkaik, MSc. - student of 2nd year, study programme Tourism (3. stupeň) - [email protected]

prof. Ing. Zdenka Musová, PhD.,

Vice-Dean for Scientific Research Activities;

[email protected] 048 446 2140

Administration Officer for Research and Doctoral Study:

• PhDr. Ingrid Balážová, [email protected], 048 446 2141,

Social affairs officer:

• Jana Lobbová, [email protected], 048 446 1152,

Coordinator for applicants and students with special needs:

• doc. Ing. Radoslav Kožiak, PhD., [email protected], 048 446 2014,

International Relations Officer:

• gr. Jana Prašovská [email protected] , 048/446 2123

Other administrative staff:

• Mgr. Terézia Petková - MBU ID office, helpdesk, [email protected] ; [email protected]; tel. č.: +421/48 4466514
• Ivana Kapustíková - vhief, AIS Report Officer, helpdesk , [email protected], +421-48 4466213,
• Ing. Pavol Lupták - ICT administrator, helpdesk, [email protected], +421-48 4462165,
• Milan Lichý - ICT administrator, helpdesk, [email protected], +421-48 4462169,
• Michal Kindl - ICT administrator, helpdesk, [email protected], +421-48 4462166,

At EF MBU we are constantly trying to innovate and modernize the technical equipment in classrooms and lecture halls, as well as the equipment available to the staff. Doctoral students at EF MBU attend the teaching part in a special seminar room, which is called "Center for Doctoral Student Development" (abbreviated CRD in Slovak). This room is equipped with 25 seats, an interactive 65" touch screen with PC, video conferencing equipment, a projector and audio equipment, which is also used for workshops or other scientific and educational events for doctoral students, or implemented directly by doctoral students. In total, the faculty currently has 410 desktop computers at its disposal. Classrooms, lecture or seminar rooms and meeting rooms used by 16 teachers for teaching are equipped with 50 desktop computers. Students use 92 thin client PCs in the classrooms, through which they connect to the school servers, and 87 computers are used by students in the computer labs. The remaining number of desktop computers are used by staff in their offices. The Faculty also has approximately 200 laptops, which are primarily used by staff for work at home or on business trips, or some meeting rooms are equipped with laptops. All lecture theatres, classrooms and meeting rooms are equipped with video projection equipment in the form of projectors (45 pcs.), TVs (12 pcs.), 55" and 65" touchscreens (3 pcs.), interactive whiteboards (3 pcs.), touchscreen monitors for PCs in classrooms and lecture theatres (15 pcs.) Classrooms, lecture halls, meeting rooms and special seminar rooms also include video and audio equipment that enable seamless online or hybrid teaching - videoconferencing sets (7 pcs. in total), webcams (50 pcs.), omnidirectional microphones (50 pcs.). At the same time, staff also have webcams, omnidirectional microphones or headset and microphone sets in their offices, graphic tablets with stylus or pen tablets. The Faculty has 8 computer rooms (7 in Banská Bystrica and 1 at the IMS in Poprad), 3 of which are equipped with RDS clients (92 in total), through which students connect to the RDP Server, and 5 computer rooms equipped with desktop computers (87 computers in total). All our students and staff can also use the possibility of remote access to the MBU servers from their private desktops or laptops using an encrypted VPN (via the RDP client on their PC they connect to our RDS server) and thus have the possibility to use the necessary software also during distance learning without restrictions. The faculty has 10 large multifunctional centrally managed printers with scanner and copier at the disposal of all staff - in addition, staff have a total of 106 other printers and multifunctional devices (printer, scanner and copier) at their disposal. All computers and laptops are connected to the Internet via cable. We have a total of 77 Wi-Fi AP devices deployed in the faculty, of which 32 are CISCO and 45 are Ubiquiti, which serve the needs of the educational process for both staff and students. In the premises of our faculty, students have at their disposal, a branch of the university library with a study room, which is complemented by 2 other study rooms.

All information about the study programme, including information sheets for individual courses, is available in the Academic Information System (AiS2). Basic information and the recommended study plan for each study programme is available on the faculty's website and in the study guide of our faculty. Course syllabi, credit eligibility criteria and qualitative assessments are included in the courses created for each course within the LMS Moodle e-learning portal (LMS). The LMS is on the Moodle platform, and is intended as the primary tool for managing distance learning (materials, lectures, scripts, assignments, tests, deadlines, assessments, etc.) Within the courses in the LMS, students have access to all study materials needed to successfully complete and

master the course.

Access to study literature, information databases and other information sources:

In addition to the traditional printed study materials available in the University Library, students can also access electronic book resources, scholarly articles and other publications through the University Library. Each campus PC can connect to 20 paid publication databases to which 17 we have licensed university access (e.g., ProQuest eBook Central, Emerald, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, and HST, among others). Students can also access the above mentioned online databases from the comfort of their home via a VPN connection. Scientific monographs, textbooks and scripts from the work of our teachers are being gradually digitized and made available to students through the Virtual Reading Room and the MBU Repository in accordance with the Open Access Policy of the University of Matej Bel in Banská Bystrica.

The MBU University Library has 5 reading rooms, an absent borrowing office and the Matej Bel Education Center. The economics study room provides students with absentee and full-time loans, user registration, counseling and bibliographic information, reprographic services, the possibility of returning books via bibliobox, they have 32,292 book documents and 37 titles of periodicals in the form of scientific and professional journals, daily newspapers, weeklies, and monthly magazines.

Access to information technologies:

Students of EF MBU have rich and very flexible access to information technologies. In case of technical problems with information systems, students and staff can turn to the technical support website helpdesk.umb.sk (https://helpdesk.umb.sk/), where they can find general information, guides and procedures for user accounts, Office 365 accounts, AiS2, LMS Moodle, internet and Wi-Fi connection in the faculty and dormitories, and student ID cards.

Students have access to timetables in AiS2, through which they register for final and midterm exams, receive midterm and final assessments. Teachers communicate with students through their student mailboxes or the possibility of sending mass mailings via AiS2 or the respective course in LMS Moodle.

Each student and instructor has access to five Office 365 licenses (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, OneDrive, PowerBI, Teams, Whteboard, and others) based on their student or staff university account.

Each department operates departmental sections on the college website to inform students of important information, news, etc.

Part of the software equipment available to students for the needs of the educational process is, in addition to applications available in Office 365 or MS Office 2016/2019, R and R-Studio, statistical software IBM SPSS 28, SAP, Power BI, SQL, Inkscape, CorelDRAW, 7Zip, WinRAR, JAVA, Adobe Reader (in some cases Adobe Acrobat Pro), QGIS, Notepad++, web browsers Windows Explorer or Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Irfan View, VLC player, Total Commander, PC Translator, Abbyy Fine Reader or video recording software (in some classrooms it is Camtasia, in most cases Open Broadcaster Software) and others.

Distance education is mainly implemented through regular videoconferencing online meetings according to the schedule for the semester through the MS Team application, which also allows the use of audio lectures, document sharing, chatting, and the creation of independent study groups.

Each course taught in a given semester has a separate team, whose members are teachers and students of the relevant course. In parallel with MS Teams, LMS Moodle is used as a tool for providing study materials in the form of teaching texts, lectures, assignments, data files, solutions and video presentations. LMS Moodle is also used for continuous and final submission of student assignments and providing control in the form of tests and providing feedback to students. In addition to MS Teams, educators use Zoom or Google Meet or Cisco Webex in some cases. Our educators have the option to use the education license from Slido for increased student interaction when teaching online or getting feedback.

If special software is required and installed in the computer labs, students have secure remote access to these computers via an encrypted VPN (they connect to our RDS server via the RDP client on their PC) and thus can use the required software even when teaching remotely without restriction.

Access, manuals of e-learning portals

In the case of distance (and hybrid) learning, online learning is delivered via MS Teams. All students are gradually added to the courseteam, with whom the teacher then conducts online lectures, exercises, seminars, consultations, etc.

Instructions for face-to-face teaching, including tutorials, are available to students and teachers at Helpdesk.umb.sk (both Slovak and English versions of the support are available) (https://helpdesk.umb.sk/sk/23/zakladne-informacie-ms- teams.html) -the tutorials also include videos (which are also available for teachers and students partly in the IT Services course in the LMS https://lms.umb.sk/course/index.php?categoryid=182 or also on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxzjGZonsfzV7RTjvqlUizBMq8 WeORF_N). Students and staff can also contact the ICT administrators at EF MBU (https://helpdesk.umb.sk/user/local_admins), who can also help them via remote access.

Procedures for the transition from contact teaching to distance learning

The transition from face-to-face to distance learning can be implemented de facto immediately, since, as mentioned in the sections above, all the classrooms and lecture halls in which the teaching takes place are equipped with the necessary technology that allows the transmission of audio and video via the Internet.

Courses are created in LMS Moodle for the subjects of the study programme. The use of the portal by students and staff is governed by Directive No.3/2016 on the use of e-learning at UMB, which is available at the beginning of the environment (https://lms.umb.sk/). Each student is instructed in detail at the beginning of their studies (1st year of study) in terms of the use of e-learning support and other necessary tools and systems at the induction meeting (https://youtu.be/Po6youDiKj4). In case of problems and questions, he/she benefits from further tutor consultation sessions. Each lecturer updates the course at the beginning of the semester and sends students access information (passwords).

In addition to the syllabus and course prerequisites, the courses also contain links to online classes via MS Teams or ZOOM, videos of lectures with explanations, various assignments, support forums and discussions, polls, study materials, and other activities.

Student assessment can also be conducted through the courses. In case of need (e.g., current pandemic situation), we also switch seamlessly to distance learning in all courses of the study programme in the case of full-time teaching.

The study programme Tourism contributes to the fulfillment of the long- term goal of Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica fand focuses on cooperation with public and private sector partners, primarily through cooperation with individual tourism organizations (eg Destination Management Organization Central Slovakia, Regional Destination Management Organization Banská Bystrica, Development Agency of the Banská Bystrica Self-governing Region, npo, Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic – Section of Tourism, Snow Park Donovaly). The most significant is the cooperation with the Development Agency of the Banská Bystrica Self-governing Region and Institute of Hospitality Management and Economics, Praha, ČR which employs several graduates of the Tourism doctoral study, while the condition for employment in the second organization is a PhD degree in tourism. The Faculty of Economics MBU is the only institution in the Czech Republic and Slovakia that offers a doctoral programme in tourism.

Our partners cooperate with the Department of Tourism through lectures, praxis and professional internships for students, joined preparation of study materials, support of student´s participation in problem solving of scientific-research and projects for practice, as well as through their active participation in dissertation defense.

The key partners of the Department of Tourism, which guarantees the the Torism study programme, are published on the Faculty of Economics MBU´s website https://www.ef.umb.sk/katedry/katedra-cestovneho-ruchu/partneri-katedry/. The department cooperates in a long-term view with important international partners from Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. Cooperation with the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany is particularly important. The internationally recognized scientific and pedagogical personality of prof. Harald Pechlaner, our decisive partner in providing educational activities at the Faculty of Economics MBU  https://www.ef.umb.sk/katedry/katedra-cestovneho-ruchu/doctor-honoris-causa.html. Last but not least, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as well as International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism (AIEST), based in St. Gallene, Switzerland, ensure the worldwide exchange of knowledge and experience for doctoral students and young researchers and allow personal contacts with tourism industry experts. Scientific seminars and workshops for doctoral students have been provided by experts from Slovakia and abroad such as (prof. Harald Pechlaner and prof. Roman Vaubel from Germany, prof. Peter Nijkamp from the Netherlands, prof. Terry Stevens, prof. Colin Lawson and prof. Emmanuel Thanassoulis from the United Kingdom, prof. Barolomé Deyá Tortella and prof. Lluis Mundet i Cerdan from Spain) and many others.

Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica offers its students rich opportunities for social, sports, cultural, spiritual, and social activities (https://www.umb.sk/studium/student/volny-cas/ ). In the field of sports activities, students have the opportunity to participate in various sports clubs (athletic club, women's basketball team, gymnastics club, university hockey team, mountain club, karate club, judo club). The sports club for all offers students the following activities: swimming pool, sports games - floorball, football, volleyball, fitness - gym, Power Zumba, Country dances, jumping, classical and sports massage.

In the area of ​​artistic activities directly at the University, there are three artistic ensembles: the University Choir Mladosť, the University Folk Ensemble Mladosť, and the Chamber Orchestra Mladosť. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the activities of the UNIS student theater ensemble; the ensemble is open to students who have an affinity for theater and want to be part of it. The University Dance Center offers various dance courses for students.

MBU students can participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award program (https://youtu.be/BSy4TKWuD1I). It is a comprehensive development program that gives young people aged 14 to 24 the opportunity to develop their abilities and character traits for real life, fulfill their potential, and help them succeed in life. University students can not only participate in the DofE, but they can also be educated in the methodology of this program and become program leaders.

For leisure activities, the Faculty of Economics offers several suitable spaces for students in its outdoor area (seating areas on benches, in good weather directly on the grass). In the faculty buildings, there are 2 cafes, a chill-out relaxation zone, 2 respiration zones where students have access to PCs and the internet and use them for project meetings, studying, etc. Furthermore, there is the Economic Study Room and Self-Educational Center. Students and staff have a canteen and buffet directly at the faculty, in addition to several vending machines.

Students regularly organize fun quizzes for students or "Beánie" (faculty student ball). In addition to activities offered directly by the faculty and university, the city of Banska Bystrica also provides rich opportunities for leisure, with which the university actively cooperates and regularly informs students through social networks, the web, emails, and notice boards in faculty premises.

The opportunities and conditions for the participation of students in the Tourism Economics and Management program in mobilities and internships are governed by Directive No. 4/2025 on Erasmus+ mobilities at UMB https://www.umb.sk/medzinarodne-vztahy/referat-medzinarodnej-spoluprace-14927/erasmus/erasmus/ and are published in a separate section of the EF UMB website https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/student-mobilities/. The call for applications for mobilities is published every year in the first half of the winter semester. Mobility applicants submit an application, a motivation letter, a CV, and proof of foreign language proficiency. Subsequently, a pre-selection of participants takes place, consisting of the evaluation of submitted documents and a personal interview (in-person or online). The results of the pre-selection are communicated to students after the allocation of the Erasmus+ grant by the National Erasmus+ Agency. After completing the mobility, the Vice-Dean for Academic Affairs confirms the recognition of ECTS credits obtained during the mobility based on a confirmed transcript of records.

In addition to study opportunities, students of the Tourism Economics and Management program also have the opportunity to participate in internships in Slovakia or abroad. Within the Erasmus+ internship program, in which Matej Bel University is involved, students have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of organizations on the Faculty of Economics website or approach a selected company or organization within EU countries. The current offer of internships is published on the https://www.umb.sk/medzinarodne-vztahy/som-student-umb/chcem-ist-na-staz.html. In recent years, an increasingly popular form of mobility for internships has been post-graduate mobility, which can be completed within 12 months after completing studies at EF UMB and often serves as a significant milestone for international career opportunities, as indicated by feedback from students.

Required abilities and necessary admission requirements Admission conditions are the same for all third-degree study programs at the Faculty of Economics, MBU in Banská Bystrica, and are based on Directive no. 7/2021 on doctoral studies, Article 4. Admission procedure. Applicants for the study program tourism, 3 rd degree must meet the basic personal and knowledge requirements according to the Slovak Qualifications Framework - SQF (SKKR) at level 7, according to which the 2nd-degree graduates have extensive professional and methodological knowledge in the field of economic and managerial theory and practice, can use this knowledge to identify and solve problems in this area. Detailed conditions for admission to the 3rd degree of study and information for applicants can be found at:

The basic condition for admission to doctoral studies is the completion of the second cycle of higher education. Applicants for studies who have completed a previous degree abroad are obliged under Act No.422/2015 on the recognition of evidence of education and on the recognition of professional qualifications and on the amendment and supplementation of certain acts, as amended, to submit the recognition of evidence of education obtained outside the Slovak Republic. The decision on the recognition of educational qualifications is part of the documentation. Another condition is successful completion of the entrance examination. The admission procedure and the conditions for admission to doctoral studies are set out in the document Admission possibilities and conditions. Before the start of the admission procedure for doctoral studies, the faculty announces the topics of the dissertations for which the applicant may apply during the admission procedure. A supervisor is appointed for each of the topics. The PhD candidate must apply for one of the topics listed: https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/applicants/doctoral-study-phd/ The admission examination for full-time applicants is combined and comprises three components: presentation of a written dissertation project by the candidate in English, assessment of the candidate's previous activity in scientific research (publications and research activities), and the average grade achieved during the second cycle of higher education. The maximum number of points that can be obtained by a full-time applicant is 100. The admission examination of a candidate for a part-time form of study comprises two components: presentation of a written dissertation project in English, assessment of the candidate's previous activity in scientific activity (publications and research activities). The maximum number of points that can be achieved by an applicant for the external form of study is 90.

Parts of the admission examination for full-time and part-time applicants shall be held before the examination board in person or by distance learning. The composition of the examination board for all study programmes shall be determined by the dean of the faculty on the basis of the proposals of the chairpersons of the departmental subcommittees of the individual doctoral study programmes. The examination committee consists of at least three members. The supervisor whose topic the candidate has applied for may be invited to join the committee with the consent of the chair of the committee. The results are published on the faculty's website on the day of the entrance examination. The admission of the candidate is decided by the Faculty Admissions Committee. The composition of the Faculty Admissions Committee shall consist of at least two members of the faculty management, the faculty secretary and at least two members of the examination committee. A record of the result of the admission examination shall be drawn up. The Faculty Admissions Committee shall determine the threshold for admission and submit a proposal for admission of successful candidates to the Dean. Candidates will be admitted to the study in the order of their total score achieved in the admission procedure within the planned capacity of the study programmes in the individual forms of study. The results of the admission procedure are recorded in the academic information system. Applicants who have fulfilled the conditions for admission are sent an admission decision with other relevant documents.

In the academic year 2025/2026, 2students expressed an interest in studying the study program, out of which all 2 complied with the admission criteria.

In the academic year 2024/2025, 2 students expressed an interest in studying the study program, out of which the 1 complied with the admission criteria.

In the academic year 2023/2024, 3 students expressed an interest in studying the study program, out of which the 1 complied with the admission criteria.

In the academic year 2022/2023, 1 student expressed an interest in studying the study program, out of which the 1 complied with the admission criteria.

Procedures for monitoring and evaluating students' opinions on the quality of the study program are defined in Directive 2/2022 Rules for evaluating the quality of education at the UMB in Banská Bystrica Vnútorné predpisy súvisiace so zabezpečovaním kvality | Vnútorný systém kvality | Centrum pre zabezpečenie kvality a akreditáciu).

The assessment of the quality of higher education at UMB is usually carried out as follows:

• Evaluation of the quality of teaching and teachers of the study program by students after completing a compulsory or elective subject,

Evaluation of the quality of provision of the study program and other support activities by students no later than the day of passing the state examination,

• Evaluation of the quality of the study program by graduates, at least one year after the regular completion of their studies,
• Evaluation of the quality of the study program by other stakeholders.

The assessment of the quality of teaching and teachers of the study program includes all compulsory and elective subjects that the student enrolled in during the academic year and completed in the respective semester of the academic year. The quality of teaching and teachers of the study program may also be assessed for elective subjects if such assessment is appropriate and can contribute to the improvement of the quality of education provided. The assessment of the quality of teaching and teachers of the study program is carried out in physical or electronic form, with the rating scale ranging from 1 as the best rating to 5 as the worst rating. The minimum scope of assessed areas of questions includes:

• Clearly formulates criteria for completing the subject at the beginning of the semester and adheres to them.
• Respects the established schedule of teaching hours.
• Periodically assesses the level of students' knowledge.
• Guides students to independent work, creative and critical thinking.
• Motivates students to deepen their knowledge of the subject.
• Stimulates interest in the subject, e.g., with current practical information.
• Encourages professional and open discussion during the teaching process.
• Objectively evaluates students.
• Convinced me that studying his/her subject makes sense.

The subject of assessment is the level of teaching quality and the level of pedagogical competence of the teacher.

The assessment of the quality of provision of the study program and support activities is carried out no later than the day of passing the state examination, with the minimum scope of assessed areas including:

• Suitability (composition) of subjects forming the study program in relation to the declared profile of the graduate.
• Logical sequence and continuity of subjects.
• The content of the study program responds to current knowledge.
• Possibility of choosing elective subjects developing professional specialization.
• Opportunities for studying professional subjects in a foreign language.
• Quality of services of the study department in providing information and assistance to students through advisory activities.
• Accessibility and use of the Internet and computer technology.
• Availability of recommended study literature in the university library.
• Material and technical background for study: classrooms, study rooms, material and technical background for students with specific needs.
• Possibility to study part of the program abroad.
• Awareness of the conditions and course of study of the study program.

Gathering feedback by evaluating the quality of the joint study program by graduates is usually carried out in electronic form, at least once for the standard length of study of the respective study program, and it is recommended to conduct the evaluation of the quality of the study program by such graduates who have completed their studies regularly for at least one year. The subject of assessment is the respective study program and the level of achievement of the goals of education of the respective study program from the perspective of graduates.

An employer is represented on the study programme board and regularly participates in informal meetings with the person responsible for the study programme, as well as with the persons responsible for delivering the core (profile) courses. Feedback from employers was also part of the international Erasmus+ project SMARTBUS, the results of which are available at: https://www.smartbuss.eu/sk/dashboard/

The person responsible for the study programme ensures the evaluation of feedback, which mainly includes the analysis of data, identification of problem areas, and the formulation of conclusions and recommendations. The conclusions from the evaluation of the obtained feedback are discussed by the study programme board if the conclusions include proposals for measures to modify the study programme or any of its comprehensive parts. The conclusions of the feedback evaluation in the study programme board may also be discussed with the participation of additional students from the study programme. If it is relevant for improving the quality of the study programme, the person responsible for the study programme may also propose additional measures to enhance quality.

The results of the questionnaire survey are discussed at meetings of the Dean’s advisory board and are also published in a shortened form in the report on teaching activities. At the university level, the results of the questionnaire survey are published on the university’s website. The results of surveys aimed at collecting feedback are archived in the academic information system. Each teacher has access to the survey results concerning their own performance, while the person responsible for the study programme and the head of department have access to the results of the questionnaire survey for all teachers involved in the study programme and for the department’s teachers.

The results of the student surveys are published at:Výsledky študentských ankiet na EF UMB | Študentské ankety | Ekonomická fakulta, Univerzita Mateja Bela

According to the procedures in Directive 2/2022, the quality of the study programme is also assessed through the following statements evaluated by the graduates (rating from 1 to 5):

- The graduate performs work related to the study programme completed

- It is appropriate to recommend the completion of the study programme to other candidates

- The teachers of the study programme are interested in cooperation with the graduate

- The faculty also provides follow-up educational activities expanding knowledge in the given study programme. In addition to the following areas, other areas related to the study programme are evaluated for graduates of the study programme:

- The suitability (composition) of the courses constituting the study programme in relation to the declared profile of the graduate

- The logical sequence and continuity of the courses

- The content of the study programme is rreflects current knowledge.