Another Successfull Year With Hospitality Management

With yet another year behind us it is exciting and encouraging to see that so much has been accomplished at Stenden South Africa. We have seen the name change of EISS International to Stenden South Africa and the opening of â"Recessâ which is a tuck shop that that sells anything from toasted sandwiches to chips and cold drinks. The exterior of the campus has had a complete overhaul
and the improvements can not help but be noticed.

This year, Stenden South Africa has been on the SABC midday news on television, local radio, in newspapers, national magazines such as Wineland and South African Wine and on the blogs of wine makers such as Bruwer Raats, Cathy Van Zyl and Karl Lambour. This has brought tremendous exposure not only to Stenden but also Port Alfred. The name change has also resulted in a new fresher looking website which should be up and running in the next few days. Of course, what is most exciting about this year is the noticeable increase in student numbers which is a result of the dedication and enthusiasm of both our academic, marketing and support staff.

I am pleased to say that student enrollments are up 30 % in comparison to this time last year. We look forward to greeting approximately 135 Grand Tour students and 40 first year South African students in February next year. This is going to bring with it a number of challenges and changes and as a team we are ready to face them head on.

Looking back, we had many exciting developments at our campus. When one trains students to manage five star hotels, all tangibles and intangibles should reflect this aim. This will be our main focus for the new year and the years to come; excellence in all we do. As such, many staff members at Stenden South Africa are currently involved in further studies and research to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of our field. Also, we are constantly growing and strengthening our network with leading hotels in the industry to ensure the best placement opportunities for our students.

However, excellence works both ways. Each student we deliver to the industry should embody a drive for excellence and as such we will keep asking a lot of them under the motto: â"be Early, be Prepared, and be Excellentâ'. Particular students see something that can be improved and take charge in a constructive manner taking ownership. I am also proud to confirm the involvement of all hotel management
students in the Port Elizabeth stadium for all eight soccer matches hosted there during the FIFA World Cup. We aim to provide students with a diverse exposure and felt - despite the logistical challenges
involved - we could not let this opportunity pass. In addition our network with the industry is growing and strengthening.

Stenden South Africa is a hospitality management institution and offers the best hospitality courses and international hospitality management degree in South Africa.

Venice Hosts International Hotel Conference and Hospitality Management

The conference examines and debates issues that are relevant to the industry in today’s uncertain economic climate. Professor Don Craig from Stenden South Africa, together with Prue Nairn and Jody, represented Stenden International and took part in debates ranging from industry trends in Africa and the Middle East to human resources dilemmas.

Of particular interest, human resources is taking a back seat in the recession and the importance of F&B service knowledge and operations is regarded as paramount. A representative from Movenpick Hotels (CEO of Company) has said that F&B is the heart beat of the hospitality industry and it is essential that hospitality management skills produce graduates with a substantial knowledge of F&B. This was echoed by Intercontinental Hotels who say that no longer is a cursory knowledge enough but that students need to be conversant with international trends. Internationalisation was another theme which permeated the conference. Graduates from the Hotel Management Schools must be dedicated, disciplined, multi-lingual and single minded in their commitment to the industry. In today’s uncertain times there is no room for people looking for a free ride. Interesting financial indicators were given by various economists and statisticians, with most predicting an upturn in the economy
towards the end of 2010. A speaker from Fisher Waterhouse quoted from a “Batman” movie saying that the darkest hour is always before the dawn and drew analogies to the current economic situation.

In a concluding message to students at Hospitality Management Schools a clear and concise three
step recipe for success was given.
1. Be early
2. Be prepared
3. Be excellent That says it all.

Wine Module Update through Jorn’s Eyes Jorn Wagemans, one of Stenden South Africa’s first Advanced Wine Module Students, expressed his views on the wine module.
Not only are this group of students intelligent, but they have a fantastic work ethic and know how to enjoy themselves. It is all about balance.
The Advanced Wine Minor in Port Alfred is the greatest experience regarding wine that I have had so far. Studying for over 5 months about wine sounds like a great Château Margaux: perfect! And that
it is. But it is also a lot of hard work to get to the final goal: your Diploma Certificate from the Cape Wine Academy. Handing in a paper of 15 pages every week, preparing for Problem Based Learning sessions and studying for the toughest exam papers you have ever seen does not really feel like a holiday. This is, however, all comprised by the great experiences we had while following this
Wine Minor in South Africa.
This includes having a champagne tasting in one of South Africa’s best hotels together with Adrian Gardiner (CEO of the Mantis Group) covered on national television or going away for weekends
on safari, skydiving or hiking (which is one of SA’s perfect activities for hotello’s). But these activities do not only make this one of the best minors ever, the tasting that we have twice a week are also really great. Drinking the best wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, South Africa and the rest of the world does not really feel like school.
And last but not least are the final weeks of our study to be spent in Cape Town. This is still scheduled for us, but visiting the most beautiful wine estates and be best wine makers in the region of Cape Town for two weeks already sounds pretty good. All in all, you can compare this study with making your own wine: It is a great experience, involves some sweat and short nights, but
the end is (when done well) a marvelous product that will evolve into something unique and special when treated right, during the years following which you can enjoy every single day: Your own little
world of wine!

Stenden South Africa is a hospitality management institution and offers the best hospitality courses and international hospitality management degree in South Africa.

Source: http://www.articlerich.com/Article/Venice-Hosts-International-Hotel-Conference-and-Hospitality-Management/811126

Higher Education in Hospitality Management

Welcome to the Stenden South Africa Hospitality Management Institution

‘Against the backdrop of a flourishing South African tourism industry, Stenden South Africa, leaders in hospitality management aspires to provide the most holistic and comprehensive Hospitality Management Courses available to students. Stenden South Africa accreditation and partnerships mean that the Institution is truly in a position to craft the future leaders of the hospitality industry’

Stenden South Africa is situated in the picturesque seaside town of Port Alfred, halfway between Port Elizabeth and East London in the Eastern Cape. It is the only Private Higher Education Institution offering a three year B.Com Degree in Hospitality Management in South Africa. Stenden South Africa is affiliated with the world renowned Mantis Collection of Boutique Hotels and Private Game Reserves.

History of Stenden South Africa Preface

It was a great privilege to be associated with the founding of a Hospitality University in South Africa. The one experience that was both thought and life changing for me was my first visit to CHN in the Netherlands. I was never a great scholar because for me I found the theory extremely difficult to follow, however as soon as I was able to see the practical side of the theory it was all so easy. At CHN the emphasis on the practical side of learning meant everything to me. All the courses I saw had a practical side to them, how easy it would be for the students! If this was the model we were to bring to South Africa I desperately wish to be part of it.Throughout my business career in the Eastern Cape and all the new ventures my team and I have brought to the Province none have been easy, however all have succeeded. It is with pride that I was part of the original structure of EISS and it is with humility that I now serve as Chairman of the Board of Governors and I praise my colleagues in the Netherlands for persevering with their endeavors, both financially and with effort and time to ensure that this University becomes one of the success stories of not only our Province but South Africa.

Sifra Kooi, alumni of CHN University, the Netherlands and lecturer at EISS prepared the information for this book by conducting interviews and wrote the base text.

We like to thank all people who participated and helped to develop this book.

The start of EISS / Initiators of EISS / The birth of EISS

The idea which led to the formation of the Educational Institute for Service Studies (EISS) was conceived by the Christelijke Hogeschool Nederland (CHN). The CHN University is based in the Netherlands and since its establishment in 1987 it developed an international focus. The vision was and still is to establish five to seven campuses around the world.

Mr. Klaas Speelman, Director Global Campus Sites, Mr. Bert Vroon, President of the Executive Board and Mr. Klaas-Wybo van de Hoek, Director of the CHN International Hospitality Management Institute, Mr. Douwe Tamminga, Chairman of the Board of Governors,, Mr. Joris Paulussen, IHM staff member, was the team that developed the idea and took the initiative to negotiations between the CHN and the South African business people.

In the meantime a group of South Africans considered the idea of establishing an educational facility.

Mr. Isaac Mabindisa, former administrator at University of Fort Hare SA, Mr. John Hughes, owner of the Grand Hotel and Mr. Raymond Mhlaba, First premier of the Eastern Cape, Councilor Louise Swanepoel, Ndlambe Town Council, provided the initiative in South Africa.

Mr. John Hughes approached Mr. Adrian Gardiner (ownner of the Mantis Collection of Hotel Groups) , and a businessman with interest in wildlife conservation and tourism industry, to take part in the developing of a hotel school.

During a hospitality conference in Berlin, Germany, delegations from the two parties met, and they discussed establishing a hospitality training institute in South Africa.

After the visit of a panel with Ms. Kurti Mennen as chairperson from the Department of Education in January 2002, the CHN University of Port Alfred was granted provisional registration and accreditation with one of the conditions being that they could not continue with the name, CHN University Port Alfred.

After discussion the name: Educational Institute for Service Studies (EISS) was chosen. With this name, the options are open to offer other study directions, for example education, retail business and social work.

In January 2003 EISS welcomed their first thirteen South African First Year students. These students enroled for the international hospitality management, eight week modules.

Students from CHN University in the Netherlands came to South Africa to follow modules or to do internship at EISS. There were International Hotel Management (IHM), agric-tourism, Retail Business Students (RBS), Office Management (OM), Educational and Social Care Students. This is now called: the Grand Tour®.

Source: Hospitality Management