KOLKATA, India — In a significant step towards enhancing the hospitality sector as well as the quality of hospitality education in India, the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) and Speciality today signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at IIHM’s prestigious Global Campus in Salt Lake, Kolkata. This brings one of India’s best known Restaurant companies and the world’s biggest hospitality education brand together in a ground-breaking partnership which will benefit both hospitality students and the hospitality industry. The partnership aims to bolster education, training, and industry collaboration to further elevate the quality of hospitality professionals in the country.
After the IIHM leadership team warmly welcomed the Speciality Restaurants leadership team at Bacchus, IIHM’s VIP Lounge, the attendees proceeded to the David Foskett Auditorium where the MoU was signed. The signatories were Dr Suborno Bose, Chairman and Chief Mentor, IIHM and Mr Debashish Ghosh, General Manager – Brand Standards and Guest Relations, Speciality Restaurants.
Dr. Suborno Bose, Chairman and Chief Mentor of IIHM, expressed his enthusiasm for this historic collaboration by stating, “This partnership with Speciality Restaurants Ltd. is a testament to our commitment to providing students with the best education and industry exposure. Together, we are crafting the future of hospitality, where education meets excellence. Let this memorandum be the recipe for success, where theory meets practice, and where our students become the future leaders who propel the hospitality industry to greater heights.”
Anjan Chatterjee, Chairman & Managing Director, Speciality Restaurants, expressed his gratitude and thoughts on this transformative alliance, saying, “We are grateful to Dr Suborno Bose and IIHM for signing this MOU which helps us generate and absorb qualified manpower. Dr Bose has not only helped stand alone restaurant chains like ours but also the entire industry in general. Today is an iconic day, which binds us together and makes us stronger.”
Guests and attendees were also given a guided tour of the IIHM campus, providing them with a first-hand glimpse of the institute’s world-class facilities.
The MoU, which came into effect immediately, solidifies the partnership between IIHM and Speciality Restaurants, reflecting their shared commitment to advancing educational opportunities for students and promoting mutually beneficial linkages in the hospitality sector. Under the MoU, the key objectives and provisions are outlined as follows:
Background: The partnership aims to foster long-term collaboration in higher education, enhancing the learning experience for students pursuing Hospitality Management. It intends to create highly employable Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) 1-Year Certificate holders.
Speciality Restaurants’ Role and Responsibility: Speciality Restaurants will provide essential inputs to IIHM for curriculum design, industrial training, guest lectures, faculty development programs, student placement, and operational exposure.
IIHM’s Role and Responsibility: IIHM will oversee student selection, offer dedicated classrooms, and conduct a 1-year course, including industrial training and exams.
Program Management and Quality Assurance: Speciality Restaurants will provide material for dedicated classrooms and both parties will nominate representatives to monitor the MoU’s implementation.
Placement of Students in India: Speciality Restaurants will recruit the students of IIHM given admission under this MoU at the entry-level position in India subject to their final selection by the authorised Selection panel.
This collaboration between IIHM and Speciality Restaurants holds great promise for the future of the hospitality industry in India, emphasizing education, skill development, and industry engagement. The signing of the MoU is a significant milestone in the journey to elevate the standards of hospitality and tourism in the country.
