Helwan University, Marriott International, and the Professional Development Foundationannounced that 80 students completed a first-of-its-kind bachelor of hotel operations management degree in Egypt.
Hospitality training programme Tahseen celebrated its first graduating class in Egypt. The programme was developed by Marriott International in partnership with Helwan University and the Professional Development Foundation.
The company created the unique programme for Egypt in 2018 to support its commitment to further enhance tourism education in the country. The inaugural graduating class featured 80 students who just completed the degree.
Dean of Helwan UniversitySoha Abdel Wahab commented that“The Bachelor of Hotel Operations Management is the only programme in Egypt that connects both academic study and experience in a professional environment. This programme provides highly qualified calibres of talent who are ready to work and make a valuable contribution in the hospitality industry.”
For his part, Satya Anand —Presidentof Marriott International for Europe, the Middle East,and Africa — said:“ Tahseen is focused on providing young people with the skills and experience to grow and thrive in the hospitality business and to be part of the success of Egypt’s travel and tourism sector. As a company, we remain committed to enhancing tourism education in Egypt and developing the next wave of exciting and impactful local hospitality leaders in the country.”
Tahseen was launched in 2018 in partnership with Helwan University and the Professional Development Foundation to focus on fast-tracking the next generation of hospitality leaders by providing them with first-hand experience of the industry and a springboard to launch successful careers in hospitality.
In 2019, the programme received the Ministry of Higher Education’s approval in Egypt and earned the bachelor’s degree accreditation. Today, the Bachelor of Hotel Operations Management Degree is earned upon completion of a four-year programme broken down into one year of university, followed by three years consisting of 16 weeks each of classroom learning and 32 weeks each of onsite training across Marriott International’s properties in the country.
Following the completion of the programme, Marriott International plans to offer the graduates full-time roles within its properties in Egypt across functions such as the front desk, Reservations, sales, events, marketing, human resources, food and beverages, housekeeping, and finance.
Looking ahead, Tahseen has nearly 100 students currently enrolled and scheduled to complete their bachelors’ degree in the coming years. The programme also plans to welcome more than 50 new students this year.
Tahseen is an integral part of Marriott International’s strategy in Egypt, where the company’s current portfolio encompasses 18 properties with more than 7,000 rooms across eight brands. The company currently has more than 9,000 Egyptian nationals employed across its portfolio, representing 99% of its workforce in the country.
“We at PDF believe that our partnership with Helwan University and Marriott International will provide a newly highly qualified calibre of graduates to further support the tourism industry. It truly gives us great pleasure to be part of this success, and we are eagerly looking forward to celebrating the graduation of more students, so that we keep impacting more lives every year, ”said Mohamed Farouk — Chairperson of the Professional Development Foundation (PDF).
