DLS-CSB bares first international double-degree program

MANILA, Philippines - The De La Salle-College of St. Benilde School of Hotel Restaurant and Institution Management (DLS-CSB School of HRIM) announced today the existence of the Philippines’ first and only transnational international double-degree program in partnership with Institut Vatel, one of France’s leading private hotel management schools.

Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management (B.S. IHM), graduates will be conferred with two degrees: a Philippine bachelor’s degree or B.S. IHM and a French bachelor’s degree or Licence de Management du Tourisme, spécialité Hôtellerie Internationale, a degree fully recognized by the European Union (EU).

Signed between the DLS-CSB School of HRIM and Institut Vatel back in November of 2006, the double degree program was approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) under its new transnational guidelines.

The DLS-CSB School of HRIM found a formidable partner through Institut Vatel, known as one of France’s leading private hotel management schools, and boasts of three- to five-year courses, from a bachelor’s and master’s degree in International Hotel Management, and an MBA in International Hospitality Management.

Institut Vatel is known globally for preparing students for middle and higher management positions in a booming sector of the tourism industry and has likewise developed a strong network through which its International Training department assists each student for internships and employment in reputed hotel chains all over the world. To date, Vatel boasts of 16 hotel schools across four continents that train an elite group of 3,500 students, with 1,700 located in France.

“This agreement… is unlike other standard educational cooperation agreements that usually only involves an exchange of students. Here, we and Vatel jointly developed the curriculum and programs to make the programs more responsive to the needs of a ‘globalized’ education,” explains Leticia Delarmente, dean of the DLS-CSB School of HRIM.

The new program covers 11 semesters, one semester more than SHRIM’s current B.S. in Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management program. The program also includes intensive French language training and an expanded internship and externship training. It includes the basics of hotel management such as front office operations, professional housekeeping, beverage management, sales and marketing, as well as hospitality accounting. More importantly, it also covers unique courses such as intercultural management, oenology/wine appreciation, European tourism economy and culture, global trends and international law.