The School of Hotel Administration (SHA) at Cornell was ranked the No. 1 hospitality and hotel management school in the world for 2015 by CEOWORLD magazine.

Michael Johnson, SHA’s Bradley H. Stone Dean and E.M. Statler Professor, said it was an honor for the school to be recognized with the ranking.

“It’s a testament to a lot of hard work by our students, faculty, staff and alumni around the world,” Johnson said.

The ranking was based on a survey of 18,000 hospitality recruiters and senior managers of luxury hotels around the world.

At SHA, students develop deeper understanding of standard business principles such as knowing who their customers are and what they need, Johnson said.

“SHA students not only learn these principles but work intentionally, through their curriculum, to develop a deeper understanding of what is emotionally important to customers,” he said.

The school’s focus has always been on preparing students to become leaders in the hotel and restaurant industry as well as in a growing number of industries where hospitality is becoming a competitive advantage, from health care and senior living to sports management, Johnson said.

“By practicing in real-life scenarios like concept fairs, business competitions and projects with our alumni, SHA students start the process of becoming expert service and product developers and skilled business leaders,” Johnson said. “SHA students graduate as ‘doers’ with the added expertise of developing services that will attract customers away from the competition. Thanks to all of the recruiters and industry professionals who support our students and value their education.”