New chapter for high-end tourism in Montenegro

(September 23, 2016) Establishment of the International Hospitality and Management of the Faculty of Culture and Tourism of the University of Donja Gorica has been celebrated today on the ceremony held on University Donja Gorica. With no doubt, these Studies will be beneficial to the whole tourism industry as a long term investment in education and support development of human resources.

The key players in this CSR program as an unique inter-sector partnership initiated by Azmont Investments, have each their important role: VATEL brings its know-how and expertise, UDG will operationally run and execute the International Hospitality School seated in Montenegro all in line with VATEL’s franchising agreement.; Azmont Investments has provided the financial support used for buying franchise that will serve to the International Hospitality School operations in next 11 years.

“Azmont Investments embarked its journey in Montenegro in 2012. As a Company, we are well known as investor of Portonovi – a lifestyle destination that we are building on the stunning, secluded shores of Montengro’s Boka Bay. But, being in Montenegro for us means far more – we are here to support and contribute to the community as responsible corporate citizen. Today, we celebrate together the official start of the first year of the first International School in Hospitality Management area in Montenegro, which is the first International School in High Education System of Montenegro ever. We acknowledge and thank the Government of Montenegro, with whom we work closely; but more important we share the same vision and dream. Government and respected Ministry recognized importance of International School in Hospitality and supported us. For all of us here it is important impetus and great responsibility.”, pointed out Mr. Rashad Rasullu, Advisor to the Chairman of Azmont Investments.

Rector of University Donja Gorica, Professor Veselin Vukotic, proudly stressed the importance of this institution and the whole process: ''With opening of the international studies in hotel management UDG has strongly stepped on an international platform. We believe our achievement, which encourages us and obligates us at the same time, is that we are the first and only higher educational institution in Montenegro which has two accredited programs and EU-International hotel management, and post-graduate studies statistics that are accredited by Eurostat and the European Commission in Brussels, only within period of 10 years from the first college that is part of the UDG and 6 years from the legal establishment of UDG. '' And as professor Vukotic emphasized, students are the most important. ''We have 65 of those who enrolled in this study program. I am sorry that because of the standards and the accredited number we were not able to accept at least twenty students, who we refused. I greet students of this program who bravely accepted the challenge to be the first generation, the first swallow of a new tourist culture.”

‘’Vatel 1st Worldwide Business School Group in Hospitality & Tourism Management is very proud of its collaboration with Azmont Investment and the University Donja Gorica for the establishment and the launching of Vatel School in Podgorica. Students are already studying and being trained to join the hospitality industry in Montenegro or overseas. Those future graduates will be awarded with a double degree Montenegrin and European base on the “learning by doing” training philosophy. Through its training philosophy, Vatel is very glad to support the development of the hospitality industry in Montenegro by training the Montenegrin future managers and leaders. Manpower is the keystone for Montenegro in order to reach its ambition to be an Elite touristic destination.’’, said Mr. Alain Sebban, President and Founder of Vatel Group.

At the very beginning, these prestigious studies have already exceeded expectations and have around 70 students that have enrolled International Hospitality studies for the first time. To remind, upon completion of the academic studies, our students will receive EU diploma from this International School. Having so many interested students is great initial sign that all parties in the process did the work rightly and that we have solid baseline to grow and have the best International Hospitality School for our country and tourism industry. And to be a role model in the Region.

Minister of Sustainable development and tourism, Mr. Branimir Gvozdenovic strongly supported the idea of strengthening future professionals engaged in tourism and hospitality. “We are glad to support all the activities initiated by company Azmont Investments in opening the first international hospitality school in Montenegro, which will educate domestic cadre for successful career in hospitality, tourism and hotel management and enable them to address the needs of the most demanding clients. It is highly important to realize such program with internationally reputable business school as Vatel is, acknowledged as the leading international school in the field of hospitality and management in tourism for more than 30 years of its existence. Synergy of creativity, knowledge and experience of UDG and excellence in the field of hospitality of Vatel school grants knowledge and skills to the attendants of the program. This program will enable them to beat the challenges of modern international management in tourism and hospitality.” pointed Mr. Gvozdenovic.

Mr. Predrag Boskovic, Minister of Education, welcomed the first students of the first school of this kind in Montenegro. ‘’Dear students, you have got an unique opportunity to gain knowledge, skills and competences in tourism, hospitality and management, all this according to standards of well-known French University Vatel. All this is possible thanks to University of Donja Gorica and Azmont Investments. Having these studies now we show our openness for innovations within educational system and high education. This is all done aiming to create human resources, as most valuable asset, but also to make to competitive on European and global market. On these markets, there are no limits for knowledge, skills and competences. For this reason, dear students, it is important to know that you are given opportunity to be more educated, competent and   skilled professionals in tourism and hospitality of our country; not to forget that you may become carrier of dynamic touristic development of Montenegro’’.

To the end, invitation has been given to the all other companies from hospitality sector to support UDG and Vatel and their establishment of first international hospitality school in Montenegro through establishment of their own scholarship and CSR programs. As it could be heard, all should work together and share know-how, and make the School in a way to meet the needs of the growing Portonovi Resort but also similar projects in Montenegro and of all stakeholders working in tourism and hospitality. With no doubt, all parties will benefit from its outcomes.