Colliers International, a global leader in commercial real estate services, has signed a memorandum of umderstanding (MoU) with the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, the leading provider of hospitality education in the Middle East.

Colliers said its tie-up with a world-class institution such as the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management aims to provide students (the general managers and industry leaders of the future) with a practical and industry-focused skill set in hotel asset management and the opportunity for some students to develop into the future managers.

Colliers International was selected for its extensive track record and expertise in the area of asset management, with 12,753 keys under its belt. The company’s asset and project management divisions offer three main service lines: Technical and pre-opening services; operational and financial reviews, and acquisition/disposal due diligence.

"We are excited to collaborate with The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management in fostering the asset managers of the future,” stated Filippo Sona, the director, head of hotels at Colliers International Mena.

“This collaboration highlights the birth of asset management experience and the added value the Colliers International hotel asset management team brings to the hospitality education and industry sector,” observed Sona.

Leading this initiative with Sona is Damien Rizzi, senior asset manager at Colliers International Mena.

Dr Stuart Jauncey, the dean at the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, said: "To be working in such close collaboration with one of the world's leading hotel asset management consulting firms is very exciting for this university and especially for our students."

"We are very committed to the employability of our graduates and to the provision of real skills that students can apply throughout their careers. There is often perceived to be a gap between education and industry and this model of teaching and learning certainly addresses this issue. Initial feedback from the students attending these classes has been absolutely excellent," he added.-TradeArabia News Service