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Arun Upneja to step down as BU hospitality dean
He will return to the faculty after a one-year sabbatical following 13 years as dean.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 24, Jul 2026
- 17:48 EDT
- 14
Arun Upneja / Boston University
Indian-origin professor Arun Upneja will step down as dean of Boston University's School of Hospitality Administration (SHA) on July 31, the university announced.
Upneja will take a one-year sabbatical before returning to Boston University as a faculty member. Tanya Zlateva, dean of Boston University's Metropolitan College, will serve as interim dean beginning Aug. 1.
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"After guiding the school through a period of transformative growth, I feel it is the right time to step back," Upneja said in a statement. "This transition will allow new leadership to comprehensively review everything we have built and bring a fresh perspective and new energy to guide the school into its next chapter."
In a June 30 letter to faculty and staff announcing the leadership transition, outgoing Provost and chief academic officer Gloria Waters credited Upneja with transforming the school by strengthening academic offerings, expanding industry-focused research, and building international partnerships that raised SHA's visibility.
Waters said Upneja launched multiple graduate programs and developed expertise in hospitality real estate education that enhanced the school's global reputation.
During his tenure, SHA also expanded its profile through symposiums, international venture competitions, and digital thought leadership platforms.
Appointed dean in 2013, Upneja introduced the Classroom-to-Classroom initiative, connecting SHA students with peers at partner universities in countries including France, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and India.
The program brings students together on cross-border academic projects designed to build collaboration and intercultural skills.
Under his leadership, the school also introduced STEM-certified master's programs in hospitality management and hospitality real estate, the latter described by the university as the only hospitality school-based master's degree in real estate in the United States.
SHA also added graduate concentrations in events management and real estate development and finance and recently launched a master's program in sport and entertainment management.
Upneja also established the annual SHA Leadership Summit, bringing together global hospitality executives and industry leaders.
According to the university, the school's standing improved significantly during his tenure, rising from being unranked globally before 2019 to ranking among the top 22 hospitality programs in the United States.
"I am profoundly proud of the supportive employee and student culture we have cultivated," Upneja said. "We have intentionally nurtured a positive, inclusive environment where innovations are welcomed, diverse perspectives are valued, and dialogue flows freely."
Following his sabbatical, Upneja said he plans to return to teaching, describing it as his "true calling: educating, guiding, and mentoring the next generation of industry leaders."
He also intends to convene structured dialogues between academia and the hospitality industry and explore applications of artificial intelligence to automate repetitive tasks while preserving human-centered guest experiences.
Born and educated in India before pursuing advanced studies in the United States, Upneja earned a bachelor's degree in economics and business administration from the University of Jammu, a bachelor's degree in hotel and restaurant management, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in accounting from the University of Houston.
Before entering academia, he spent six years in hotel management with the Indian Hotels Company Limited's Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. He later served for 17 years at Pennsylvania State University before joining Boston University in 2013.
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