Bahrain Institute of Hospitality and Retail (BIHR) is the centre of academic excellence in the Gulf Co-operational Council (GCC) region providing an internationally recognised standard in hotel and tourism management education.

Nigel Viegas, executive director of BIHR speaks about the current course curriculum benefits for Indian students along with his take on the hospitality industry in India and worldwide. Excerpts:

Q. Why is BIHR focused on enrolling Indian students this year?

Bahrain Institute of Hospitality and Retail – Swiss Hotel Tourism and Management Institute, Kingdom of Bahrain (BIHR HTMI) has tied up with hotel schools in India for a study abroad and exchange programme, research projects, industrial training, student internships, and placement.

This milestone will provide unskilled and semi-skilled individuals another height and a bigger step to realise every Indian dream- to obtain guaranteed job placement overseas.

This will help them broaden their academic and social experience overseas, experience the benefits of an international educational standard and a guaranteed job abroad with high pay along with the opportunity to travel and the possibility of obtaining a supervisory or managerial position at the workplace.

Enrolling Indian students and different nationalities diversifies the student population on campus and attracts a healthy collaborative learning platform and environment. The industry requires culturally diversified workforce thereby providing a more promising career for graduates.

Q. What sets this hotel management course apart from the same in India?

It boasts a Swiss-inspired hospitality school campus with simulated learning labs including one of GCC’s largest training kitchens with state-of-the-art equipment.

There are students from more than 16 different nationalities studying here, encouraging multi-national and cultural diversity and is non-biased to any nationality or culture.

Q. What kind of placements is provided to students on completion of the course?

BIHR provides guaranteed internship and employment opportunities to all its students with its industry partners in Bahrain and overseas.

A systematic globalstudent services aid is provided ensure that the welfare of universal students is taken care of at all times.

Q. What does the course highlight specifically and why should Indian students choose to study abroad?

A graduate with an international hotel certification can achieve managerial positions within two years and in some cases within the first year as compared to an entry level with no formal education. The demand for the hospitality industry is currently growing due to the boom in the tourism industry across the globe.

Today, one can have positions in the airlines, hotels, restaurants, and the cruise industry which is one of the fasting growing industries in the world including other tourism sectors. A passionate individual can even create his own business as an entrepreneur.

Q. In what ways can the hospitality industry improve in India?

Upgrade in the curriculum, partnership and a tie-up with accrediting bodies from the worlds’ most prestigious hotel and tourism schools will enable India to blend in with an international standard curriculum and provide an international standard learning environment. Only then will its graduates have global competence to meet the growing demand in the industry.

Q. How do Indian students opt for this course and what is the selection procedure?

The international five-star hotels are looking to hire talented graduates, especially from India as they believe that these graduates have the passion, diligence, and the potential in promoting the “right service” in a professional and efficient manner.

The people of India are known for their hospitality and dwell well in this field. Regardless of race, any person can choose the career path that they want to undertake.

Parents, teachers, social media and the community have a big role in shaping one’s dream and career. The motto befitting this is, “Your passion is your commitment. You have to love what you do and desire it”.

Q. What are the course requirements?

Candidates must be18 years old and above, should have English proficiency with TOEFL and/or IELTS band score of 5.0 with +2 level graduate.

Q. How many Indian students have graduated from the course previously?

BIHR from the time of inception in 1999 to date has trained a total of 8,000 professionals who have graduated and have been successfully placed in the industry.

Around 2,850 of them are international students from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries.

Considering the boom in the hotel industry in Bahrain, there is a huge gap for professional young graduates to fulfill supervisory and management positions.