Doha, 20 May 2014

Stenden Hotel Management School, based in the Netherlands, and affiliated to Stenden University Qatar, proudly announces that, following an intensive documentation audit, the Stenden Bachelor and Associate Degree in International Hospitality have been accredited by the acclaimed Institute of Hospitality in the UK.  Stenden Hotel Management School is the first institution in The Netherlands to gain accreditation by this highly regarded global organisation. In doing so, Stenden joins a select group of international partners including Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Emirates Academy and a number of leading universities in the UK, including the University of Derby.

Recognition by the Institute of Hospitality confirms that Stenden Hotel Management School offers programmes of the highest quality that are relevant to the needs of the industry. The Institute provides assurance that both the Bachelor and Associate Degree are appropriate for professional career development within the hospitality industry and match international benchmark criteria. According to the Institute of Hospitality 'the strong philosophy of having 'Real World Learning' at the core of the Stenden programme as well as offering Work based Learning and Industrial Placement both in the Stenden Hotel and other Stenden institutions, nationally and internationally, is to be commended.'

Professor Robert Coelen, Executive Dean of Stenden Qatar, said: "Blowing one's own trumpet as to how good an institution is, often has low credibility. This is why organisations exist that independently assess the quality of educational offerings. The Institute of Hospitality is one such institution. It is highly regarded by the industry and offers accredited programs a truly credible accolade of quality and appropriateness in preparing graduates for careers in the industry. We are truly proud to be offering a program thus accredited!"

The Institute of Hospitality represents professional managers in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries and has a worldwide membership in over 100 countries. Being a benchmarking organisation for hospitality, the Institute is recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Acknowledging the scope of the industry and the potential content of the industries' educational programmes is the main role and responsibility of the Institute. The aim of the accreditation is to encourage the highest professional standards within hospitality, leisure and tourism. The key component that was assessed for the Stenden Hospitality programmes was the nature of hospitality as an area of academic and applied study.

The programmes will be added to the register of accredited courses displayed on the Institute of Hospitality's website.
(https://www.instituteofhospitality.org/accreditation/Accred/accredited_programmes)

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About Stenden University Qatar:
Stenden University Qatar (SUQ) is the region's only vocational hospitality and international business management college and the leading institution for hospitality and tourism training in the Gulf.

Stenden University Qatar has been in operation under the patronage of Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani since 2000. It educates and prepares first rate graduates to lead international hospitality, tourism and business through its four-year Bachelor programme in Business Administration, with majors in International Tourism Management and International Hospitality Management. These are taught by an international faculty from more than 20 countries to students representing more than 40 different nationalities.

The university's highly-acclaimed Problem Based Learning (PBL) teaching methods foster independent active learning to ensure students are fully equipped to work in the industry, having experienced both theory and practice. This approach ensures SUQ students have the confidence and ability to lead group discussions and the skills and know-how to work in the best hospitality and tourism organisations in the world. Many of SUQ's graduates also end up working in the banking, finance, and insurance industries. Their ability to understand true customer focus makes them desirable employees.

International learning is key to the Stenden philosophy.  Students spend time in Stenden campuses abroad as well as in professional learning companies, gaining valuable work experience in the real world.  SUQ aims not merely to teach its students but to cultivate an open mind that is curious about the world around them.  The calibre of graduates is reflected in the fact that all SUQ graduates are 98% employed in less than four months after they graduate.

www.stenden.com/en/locations/qatar

About Stenden International
Stenden has a global student population of approximately 11,000 students and employs nearly 1,000 employees. The university of applied sciences has locations in Leeuwarden (main location), Emmen, Groningen, Meppel, and Assen, and foreign campus sites in Doha (Qatar), Bangkok (Thailand), Port Alfred (South Africa) and Bali (Indonesia), each offering a specific set of educational programmes. In total, there are three Associate Degrees, 21 Bachelor's programmes and five Master's programmes in the Service Management, Education, Care, Economics and Engineering domains. Stenden has 18 lectorates that are partially responsible for connecting the programmes and the industry through applied research.

© Press Release 2014