Accra Technical University and African Hospitality Limited (AHL), owing company of Accra Marriott Hotel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance hospitality education. This partnership, sealed on May 21, 2024, aims to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical industry experience.
In many parts of the world including Ghana, there is a huge gap between Academia and industry – this is to say that, students in many levels of education are very brilliant, they write exams and get best of marks in final examinations but struggles to put whatever they learnt to practice which has been one of the major challenges of employers.
Prof. Amevi Acakpovi, Acting Vice-Chancellor of ATU, highlighted the collaboration’s potential to foster growth and innovation. Mr. Luciano Scelza, General Manager of Accra Marriott Hotel, emphasized the importance of giving students hands-on experience to complement their studies.
The MOU focuses on practical training, research collaboration, and knowledge transfer. It aims to produce a job-ready workforce and improve the employability of ATU graduates. Additionally, staff at Accra Marriott Hotel will have opportunities for certification from ATU.
This milestone marks a significant step in the partnership between ATU and AHL – Accra Marriott Hotel, setting new standards of excellence in hospitality education.
According to Mr. Luciano Scelza, as the company strives to offer the best services as far as hospitality is concerned, they consider it a huge responsibility to also impact lives in the society.
“In our pursuit of excellence, we have not only strived to provide unparalleled hospitality but also be a beacon of home and compassion in our communities. As a mother of fact we are really present in the community — it is part of our corporate social responsibility”
The brief ceremony was graced by some members of ATU Management, Faculty members of the HCIM Department, the Area Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr. Richard Collins, the Area Operations Director, Mr Johan Cronje and other representatives of Marriott International.
