Swiss hotel school Les Roches trains up Shanghai 6th Aug 2004 Back   I’m nervous as I wait to interview the Dean of the Les Roches hotel school in the lobby of the Westin, Shanghai. It’s a bit too close to going back to school, and interviewing a teacher seems all back to front too. Memories of yawning in the back row, uncontrollable giggles and being endlessly told off come flooding back. But when Cait (pronounced Corche) Noone breezes in through the glass doors radiating smiles and greeting me in her soft Irish brogue as if we were friends already, I start to relax. And there’s little prompting needed to find out all about her new project - bringing the renowned Swiss hospitality school Les Roches all the way to China. The crème de la crème of hotel management schools, the original Ecole Les Roches, based in the Swiss Alps, was founded by Marcel and Jean-Pierre Clivaz fifty years ago. Just five years after conception its reputation had spread outside Europe, with enrolment mushrooming to over 200 students a year from 50 countries and 5 continents. In 1979 English took over as the teaching language and the school changed its name to Les Roches Hotel and Tourism School. Since then it has never looked back, gaining approval from the Swiss Hotel Association and America’s New England Association of Schools & Colleges, NEASC, (“If it’s good enough for Harvard it’s good enough for us,” says Noone), and just seventeen years ago Les Roches was bought, lock, stock and beer barrel, by Laureate Education Inc., based in the US. So if at first it seems incongruous to have a Swiss company target China as their first overseas college, I am quickly reminded that not only is it a truly international company but also 45% of the Swiss based Les Roches intake is in fact Chinese students. “I think many Chinese students are attracted to the possibility of studying overseas,” says Noone by way of explanation. “The Clivaz family ho founded the Les Roches School started to develop excellent working relationships with China some time back. [Today] it is worth noting China has become a world leader in many developing and emerging markets.” In addition, Noone gives me a brief background of the curriculum, (as Dean this is her baby), and emphasizes that what is being taught is not Swiss. “Switzerland is perceived as being a wealthy country, a bit snobby, with private education and ski holidays, but I’m lucky, I haven’t come across that,” she states, frankly. “The Swiss Hotel Association is the oldest association in the world, and Swiss hospitality education started a long time ago, but what we teach is not Swiss. We teach international hotel standards.” “It’s an internationally approved curriculum, which is continually updated and advised from people working in the industry, so it isn’t boring stuffy academia. Our instructors have education qualifications and industry experience, and we put the curriculum out in the open. International hotel companies review it – Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, Kapinski, Radisson, Starwood, Hilton etc.” The full-time program is 18 months plus ten months internship. That’s 28 months training, both practical and academic. “At present we are recruiting for our September intake and the interest has been good to date. The caliber of students has been very high.” The school has already started running part-time courses which are attracting students who already work in hospitality but are looking for additional skills. “We are currently running ten part time programs and we have had good support from the hotel industry in Shanghai. In addition some international hotels have now approached us to consider doing some exclusive training for their properties. This really excites us and proves a need for our product in China.” “We teach everyone in English,” insists Noone. “They all start with six months intensive English which they must pass. I have a wicked reputation,” she adds with a smile. “I’m terribly strict.” And when she goes on to say “I want the school to be known for excellence in hospitality,” I have no doubt but that it will be. The application form is the first taste of the tough love that this school brings to China. Potential students must write a one page essay on why they want to join the college. “If they write that they like the idea of easy money, that’s just not good enough,” says Noone. “They must be willing to learn. Traditionally China has taught rote learning. But we’re not here to do that. We want people to think and make decisions. We are here to create leaders for the Chinese hotel industry. Chinese people by nature are often very shy and reserved, we want to teach students to open up a little and express themselves freely. They must be able to make a decision and stand by that decision. “We want to instill some passion.” Noone herself, is the epitome of passion when it comes to the overlap between education and the hospitality industry. She went to hotel school in Ireland, a state school in Killybegs on the north west coast. “It was my first taste of hospitality education. I always knew I’d go into education.” And although her duties as Dean have her incredibly busy, setting up the school, taking full responsibility for the curriculum, directing the faculty, leading future development in teaching, training teachers and devising consulting programs, she hopes to be able to get into the classrooms too. “Teaching is my great love,” she says fervently. “Being in the classroom, demanding attention and participation. Of course, I’ve aspired to being a Dean, and I’m very happy, it’s a great position. I am included in every aspect of the business, not just the academic side.” As Dean she is in a great position to hire the teaching staff, and has very definite views on what makes a good teacher. “A good teacher will have many skills not least of all they will have a real passion for the subject they teach. A good teacher is an excellent communicator. That includes having and using listening skills. Listening to students, understanding their strengths and weaknesses from an early stage can be a huge motivational tool for students.” “I want Les Roches to become the number one international hotel school in china and in Asia. It’s a really big objective.” It’s on its way already. With strategic partners Jin Jiang, the largest Chinese hotel group with 129 hotels, and backed by some influential Chinese VIPs, Les Roches has gone into China with their eyes wide open, and with all guns blazing. “To our knowledge we are the first joint venture international hotel college which is licensed,” points out Noone. “As such we don’t really have a competitor, there is no hotel school here but we are based at Shanghai Normal University and will work closely with them, and the very well known Shanghai Institute of Tourism who have been very supportive of our work.” And it’s a great time to be getting into the world’s fastest growing economy. “China is going to be on the world stage soon so there will be a big demand for good hospitality personnel. It’s not just Beijing with the Olympics in 2008, it’s the whole country. The Expo in 2010 is going to be amazing. It will be the first opportunity to showcase what they can do.” Although original plans were to target Beijing first, the partnership with Jin Jiang persuaded them to start off in Shanghai, whose population is renowned for their raw ambition. Noone appreciates their motivation and has also been working hard to include potential students’ parents. “Chinese parents are very interested in their children’s future and education. It is a great asset. It is always encouraged in Switzerland and I will encourage this here too. Having a great relationship with the parents means that there’s a trust.” At the end of the day following this quality and intensity of education means that it’s a win-win situation for everyone: the student, the parents, the teaching staff and of course the hospitality industry itself. “It is great to see current students on internships at Hyatt, Westin, Hilton. It makes it all worth it,” smiles Noone. “Worth the long hours, assignments, projects they have to do - I can see the reward in it. There’s nothing greater than seeing 5,600 young people running around campus. That is real life. “Then I see past students working in hotels and it gives me a huge sense of pride. That little bit of information I gave you – look how you’ve used it and what you’ve done with yourself. We don’t take credit but we are proud we can enhance the learning experience.” Courses: Full time: Hotel Operations Management Program: includes 6 months intensive English language studies and a 10 month internship in the hotel industry. Following successful completion of the 2 year course in Shanghai, students can continue into a third year of education in Switzerland to obtain a Swiss Hotel Association Diploma, and a fourth year for a Bachelor of Business Administration. Financial credit is available, and the top two students of the two year course in Shanghai go forward to receive full scholarships for two years’ education in Switzerland. Part time: Executive Seminars Hospitality business consulting programs – English language, Pre-Opening, Take-Over, Executive development, General Manager development, Junior Management program, Rooms Division operations program, Service with style... Check out their website at www.lrjj.cn