Dr Violet Cuffy was a much loved and respected Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Events Management, PhD, MSc, AICB, BEd and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She sadly died in December 2021.

Dr Cuffy made a valuable contribution to the field of tourism, events, research and advancing the body of knowledge in the field.

She very much enjoyed working within higher education with special interest in principles of education and training.

She always ensured her teaching was engaging and research led in preparing graduates to address 21st century challenges and for responsible citizenship.

Dr Cuffy was well known for her contribution to the regional arts and festivals community in Bedfordshire and more widely. She is also remembered for the outstanding work she contributed to the University's Race Equality Network (REN). She co-organised and co-chaired external University events on the decolonisation of the curriculum. She also recently completed a research project on local Creole languages in the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Dr Cuffy will be sorely missed by her colleagues at the University of Bedfordshire. Our thoughts and deepest sympathises go out to her family and friends.

Qualifications

• PhD Sustainable Tourism Management - University of Surrey
• MSc Hospitality and Tourism Management - University of West Indies
• AICB Associate of Canadian Bankers - Institute of Canadian Bankers
• BEd (Hons) Home Economics with Teacher Training - University of Technology
• Certificate Education Management and Supervision - University of the West Indies

Teaching Expertise

• Course Leader for Events Management
• Tourism Management
• Both Undergraduate and Graduate Programmes
• PhD Supervision
• Programme Validation

Research Interests

• Cultural events and festivals
• Carnival studies
• Diaspora, heritage and culture
• Lifelong education and training
• Entrepreneurship and small business development
• Community tourism
• Product development and management
• Destination management
• Island tourism

Recent Publications

• Cuffy, V., (2019) An insider-outside Exploration of Dominica’s Kalinago Culture, Indigenous engagement, research partnership, and knowledge mobilization.
• Cuffy, V (2017) Lifelong Tourism: Current and Future Trends in Scottish Universities, in Pierre Benckendorff and Anita Zehrer (eds) Handbook of Teaching and Learning in Tourism, Edward Elgar Publishing ISBN: 978 1 78471 479 6
• Cuffy, V., 2015, Widening Access to Tourism and Hospitality Higher Education: the Queen Margaret University (QMU) Academy Model, CHME 2015, University of Manchester, May 2015
• Cuffy, V., Tribe, J and Airey, D (2014) “Collaborating Planning for Lifelong Tourism Education and Training” in Proceedings of Council for Hospitality Management Education (2014). Annual Research Conference. May 28th-30th 2014. Buxton: CHME ISBN 9780901437754
• Cuffy, V., Tribe, J and Airey, D (2012) “Lifelong learning for Tourism”, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol 39, Issue 3, pg 1402 -1424
• Cuffy, VV (2006) “The Development and Application of a Strategic and Holistic Tourism Education and Training Model for the Commonwealth of Dominica” in Education and Development in the Commonwealth: Comparative Perspectives, by UNESCO Chair of the Political Economy of Education and Centre for Comparative Education Research & the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Research Colloquium.

Book Chapter

• Cuffy, V., and Nair, B., (2021) Events tourism: a critical debate for the 21st century, in Cuffy, V., Bakas, F. and Coetzee J.L. Willem, Events tourism: critical insights and contemporary perspectives, Routledge, Chpt 15, 251-256
• Cuffy, V (2018) Carnival Tourism, Chapter 9, in Special Interest Tourism: Concepts, contexts and cases, (ed) S Agarwal, G Busby and K, R Huang, CABI www.cabi.org/bookshop/book/9781780645667
• Cuffy, V., The future of lifelong tourism education (2018) in Cuffy, V. Airey., D & Papageorgiou, G. (2018) (ed) Lifelong Learning for Tourism: key concepts policy and implementation, Routledge ISNB 978 -1-138-22242-7 (HBK) Chpt 13, 213-221
• Cuffy, V (2017) Lifelong Tourism: Current and Future Trends in Scottish Universities, in Pierre Benckendorff and Anita Zehrer (eds) Handbook of Teaching and Learning in Tourism, Edward Elgar Publishing ISBN: 978 1 78471 479 6

Edited Books

• Cuffy, V., (forthcoming 2021) (ed) ‘Carnival, Culture and Tourism’ CABI
• Cuffy, V., Carr, J., Joseph, K. (forthcoming 2021) (ed) Creole Cultures in a Changing Global Contexts
• Cuffy, V., Coetzee, W., and Bakas F. (2020) (ed) Event Tourism: critical insights and contemporary perspectives ISBN-13: 978-0367361679, ISBN-10: 0367361671
• Cuffy, V., Airey, D., & Papageorgiou, G. (2017) (ed) Lifelong Learning for Tourism: Concepts, Policy and Implementation, Routledge ISNB 978 -1-138-22242-7 (HBK)

Unpublished Work

• Cuffy, V (2014). “An investigation into the impact on curriculum co-creation on hospitality and Tourism University programmes on student academic performance” the Gastronomy, Events, Tourism and Hospitality seminars, 10th Dec. Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
• Cuffy, V (2010) “From Womb to Tomb” A Comprehensive Analysis of Tourism Education and Training in the Commonwealth of Dominica, Doctoral Thesis, University of Surrey
• Cuffy, V (2004) Tourism and Hospitality Training Needs Assessment: Dominica, dissertation submitted for the degree of masters of science, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica

Conferences and Workshop Presentations

• Demystifying Research: mixed methods and ways of seeing, the researcher’s dilemma, Moving Beyond the Linear Model: The Role of Mixed Methods Research in an Age of Complexity, Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA) Conference 2016, The Calman Learning Centre, Durham University, Durham City, 3rd – 5th August 2016
• Imbedding Carnival in the Curriculum, Celebrate the compelling case for carnival learning Conference, Carnival Network South, Portsmouth Guild, Portsmouth April 29th – 30th 2016
• Cuffy, V., & Akwasi Adu-Ampong, E., (2015) Tourism Education Development Interventions in Afro-Caribbean Countries: a place-based approach, Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE) Conference, Creating Impact, St Anne’s College, Oxford, December 10-11th 2015
• Cuffy, V., (2015) Lifelong Tourism Education, UNWTO Conference on Talent Development and Education
  in Tourism, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain December 1-2, 2015
• Cuffy, V., (2015) An evening of public engagement: Impacting Scottish Tourism Through string university-industry collaboration, joint Queen Margaret University & Tourism Society Scotland project, 25th November, 2015, Queen Margaret University
• Cuffy, V (2015) What’s the point: an examination into the work placement agenda in tourism Higher Education, Critical Tourism Studies Conference, 2015, Croatia, June 2015
• Cuffy, V (2015) Widening Access to Tourism and Hospitality Higher Education: the Queen Margaret University (QMU) Academy Model, CHME 2015, University of Manchester, May 2015
• Cuffy, V., 2014, “An investigation into the impact on curriculum co-creation on hospitality and tourism university programmes on student academic performance” Gastronomy, Events, Tourism and Hospitality (GETH) seminars, Queen Margaret University.
• Cuffy, V (2014) The impact of co-creation of experiential learning in tourism and hospitality placement programmes on student overall academic performance Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE) Royal Society of Edinburgh, December 4-5th 2014
• Cuffy, V., Tribe, J and Airey, D (2014) “Collaborating Planning for Lifelong Tourism Education and Training” in Proceedings of Council for Hospitality Management Education (2014). Annual Research Conference. May 28th-30th 2014. Buxton: CHME ISBN 9780901437754
• Cuffy, V (2014) “Co-Creation of Experiential Learning for Tourism and Hospitality Placement Students” Association for Tourism Higher Education, Annual conference presentation,, December 5th-6th, 2014, Edinburgh: ATHE 2014
• ‘Insider Impact on a qualitative case study in the Commonwealth of Dominica’, Doctoral Student Conference, University of Surrey, 21st June, 2010
• ‘Insider Impact in a qualitative study of tourism education and training in the Commonwealth of Dominica’, 7th Qualitative Research Conference, Bournemouth University, 8th-10th September 2008
• ‘Tourism education and training: a strategic and holistic approach’, 11th International Conference on Education, Athens Institute of Education and Research, Athens, Greece, May 2008
• “The Development and Application of a Strategic and Holistic Tourism Education & Training Model for the Commonwealth of Dominica”, Poverty Alleviation Seminar, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, Cumberland Lodge 28-30th July 2006

Consultancy

• Empowering Education, Business Development, Luton 2020
• Ram Tech, Business Development, 2020
• Austim Beds Project, Business Development, 2017
• Bulton & Turf Project, Business Development, 2017
• Intern (July 2006–January 2007), Tourism Development Consultancy, Emerging Markets Group (EMG) Ltd, An independent firm associated with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, London, UK
• Community Tourism Business Development Officer (2005-2006) on consultant team to Ministry of Tourism, Dominica, EU funded Ecotourism Development Programme, Government Headquarters, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica
• Eco Inns Sites and Services Association (ESSA) (2005) Consultation to tourism association, Roseau, Dominica

External Roles

• External Examiner, University of the West Indies
• External Examiner, at Plymouth University
• Founder & Host, The Making Connections Round Table Show
• www.facebook.com/makingconnectionsrt
• www.youtube.com/channel
• Founder & President International Orators, Toastmasters International Club
• Founder & Chair, The International Creole Research Network
• Founder & Chair, Waitukubuli, Culture and Tourism Initiative
• Board Member, UK Centre for Carnival Arts
• Board Member, Dominica National Disaster and Development Fund
• Area Director 32, Division H (UK) Toastmasters International
• Tourism Society, Member Education Committee

Reviewer

• AHRC/ESRC Grants
• Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education.
• International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management (IJCHM)
• Ad hoc Critical Tourism Studies

Grants Awards & Projects

• Vice Chancellor Award, Beds Talk Fund, 2020, Decolonising Artistic and Cultural leadership/ transforming the creative industries, £1,500
• Creole Conversations: (2019-2020) A Heritage Documentary Series, focused of Dominica's Creole Cultural Heritage a collaborative project by the University of Bedfordshire and Konmité pou Etid Kwéyòl (KEK) Cultural Division, Dominica, sponsored by Arts and Humanities Research Council bit.ly/37F0pRb
• Vice Chancellor Award, Beds Talk Fund, 2019, Building Bridges: Fostering Intercultural Engagement/Embracing Diversity, £1,500
• AHRC/ESRC GCRF, 2017, The Kalinago of Dominica: Establishing an indigenous framework for the UNESCO ICH Convention, 2018, Indigenous engagement, research partnership, and knowledge mobilization Grant AH/R004498/1, £5,000
• GA 9654104 2018, Creole Fest: building bridges across cultures; ESRC National Festival Social Science & Convenor of the 2018 Creole Fest Conference
• Dominica as a Centre of Excellence for the Preservation & Celebration of the Creole Culture - funded by, AHRC/ESRC GCRF