Five-star education at the UK’s first hotel school

The future leaders of the hospitality industry are to learn their profession in a historic 18th-century country house being transformed into the UK’s first hotel school - based entirely in a fully operational hotel.

Wivenhoe House in England is undergoing a 10 million pounds refurbishment and will open in 2012. It will combine a luxurious country house hotel and innovative hotel school for student hoteliers across the board.

“The unique programmes will be delivered by academic and industry experts, allowing students to graduate within two years equipped with the skills and experience that employers want,” said a spokesperson.

“The practical and vocational learning, gained entirely within the hotel, will lead to work-based fast-track degree-level qualifications in hotel management and culinary arts.”

The Edge Hotel School - a partnership between the independent education foundation Edge and the University of Essex, eastern England - has announced that the hospitality education would be provided by the university’s academic partner, Kaplan Open Learning.

“The hotel school is working closely with key partners in the hospitality industry to ensure the education is relevant, up-to-date and reflects the needs of the industry.”

Professor Colin Riordan, who is vice-chancellor of Essex University, said: “This extension of our existing partnership with Kaplan Open Learning enables us to deliver innovative, high quality hospitality education within the working environment of the hotel. Together, we will develop a new flexible learning model which combines academic quality with employability.”

Alan Jenkins, Kaplan’s director responsible for hospitality programmes, said: “We are delighted to extend our excellent partnership with the University of Essex and to join Edge in developing this innovative two-year programme.

“Students will earn a bachelor of arts (BA) degree and a qualification accredited by the Institute of Hospitality, giving them excellent career prospects. The programme integrates theory with practice-based learning, and students will have a unique opportunity to work in the school’s luxurious country house hotel, equipping them with the skills needed in a diverse and changing industry,” he added.

Refurbishment is progressing of the magnificent grade-two listed Wivenhoe House that will restore much of its Georgian and Victorian finery and provide 16 individual suites and bedrooms.

Demolition of the 1980s extension has also commenced, making way for a new garden wing with a further 24 bedrooms, a bar and brasserie for up to 100 people and conference and meeting rooms. To link the historic house with the new wing the design takes the form of a Victorian garden wall, viewed from the outside, while internally it comprises a long gallery.

Kaplan Open Learning (KOL) is a partnership between education and training company Kaplan and Essex University and offers degree courses entirely online. The hospitality courses offered through the Edge Hotel School will be KOL’s first on-site programmes. Online courses on offer include business studies, financial services and criminal justice (http://www.kaplan.com/).

Scheduled online classes connect staff and students through both live audio and chat rooms to encourage active discussion and interactive learning in real time. The courses offer multiple start dates throughout the year with a continuous 52-week academic calendar, and allow students to study wherever they have access to the internet.

The foundation degree is awarded by Essex University and a third-year course can be taken that leads to the award of a BA (Honours) by the university.

Edge is an independent education foundation. It is dedicated to raising the status of practical and vocational learning, so that all young people have the opportunity to achieve their potential making future workforces equipped with the skills to be successful in the modern economy.

Edge believes that “learning by doing” is as important as academic learning, and that “there are many paths to success” (http://www.edge.co.uk/).

The University of Essex, founded in 1964, is one of the UK’s leading academic institutions and the most internationally diverse campus-based university in the UK.