Arun Upneja
Dean, BU School of Hospitality Administration
Arun Upneja, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Hospitality Administration (SHA)
Dr. Upneja, a forward-looking strategic thinker with an inclusive/collaborative leadership style, became Dean of SHA in 2013.
As Dean, Dr. Upneja has embarked on a transformational change in SHA with a heavy emphasis on industry-relevant research combined with an increase in the rigor of classes, a focus on the globalization of curriculum and partnerships, and the addition of graduate degree programs.
With his leadership, SHA has hired many world-class researchers. Additional accomplishments include expanding the scope and audience engagement in SHA’s scholarly publication, Boston Hospitality Review; developing a Classroom-to-Classroom initiative that partners a class at SHA with multiple, different international universities; and initiating the establishment of the annual SHA Leadership Summit, which attracts top-tier global executives and industry icons. At SHA, he has overseen the introduction of new and forward-thinking degrees and multiple concentrations in the curriculum that offer an expansive view of hospitality as well as equip undergraduate and graduate students to take on the challenges and opportunities in the ever-changing and exciting hospitality landscape.
Dr. Upneja has devoted his career to serving as both a practitioner, innovator, and teacher of hospitality administration. He earned his B.S. in Hotel & Restaurant Management, his M.B.A., and his Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Houston. He also holds a B.A. in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Jammu in India. Additionally, Dr. Upneja worked in hotel management with Mumbai-based Indian Hotels Company Limited for several years.
An accomplished scholar, Dr. Upneja has won numerous awards for his research, including the prestigious John Wiley & Sons Lifetime Research Achievement Award (2007) from the Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education and multiple best paper awards. Dr. Upneja has also delivered hundreds of talks and workshops for the hospitality industry.
Prior to his tenure at BU SHA, Dr. Upneja held the positions of Professor of Hospitality Financial Management (14 years) and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the university-wide Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University.
As SHA proudly marks its 40th anniversary with a year-long celebration, Dr. Upneja looks to further catalyze the innovation and collaboration that puts the school at the forefront of hospitality research, scholarship, and practice.