Its aim is to tackle the acknowledged deficit of emerging leaders in the global hospitality and tourism industry.
Peter Lederer, chairman of Gleneagles Hotel, will chair the International Leadership School in Scotland (ILSS). David Cochrane, chief executive of the Hospitality Industry Trust in Scotland (HIT Scotland), will take on the position of chief executive. The partnership will join forces with three academic institutions; Strathclyde Business School in Glasgow, which will develop a two-year executive masters degree in hospitality and tourism leadership alongside Cornell University in New York and École hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland.
ILLS will also offer a series of executive education modules for senior management. An international advisory council, including Sir David Michels, chairman of the British Hospitality Association alongside other senior industry figures from some of the world's largest and leading hotel groups, will offer guidance and ambassadorial support to the ILSS management board. Brian Lang, principal emeritus of the University of St Andrews, will chair the advisory council. Lang has been responsible for the co-ordination of the academic content of the school, alongside the deans of the three academic institutions.
Lederer said: "The hospitality and tourism sector is a key contributor to the global economy, worth in excess of $1.8 trillion annually. To that the industry grows and fulfills its potential, there is an urgent need to provide the best and most appropriate training at the highest levels for what is now a very complex and high-tech business. "This initiative is not just about the UK, as it seeks to tackle the wider market, bearing in mind the international nature of modern tourism and hospitality. We need more than just good management in our sector; we need first-class leadership too." The executive masters degree will focus on developing senior leaders able to outperform in an international and increasingly digitally led industry. The programme is scheduled to start in January 2012.
Susan Hart, dean of Strathclyde Business School, added: "The formation of this partnership presents the perfect opportunity for Scotland and the UK to lead the way in the sector globally. "It is a ground-breaking approach bringing together the industry and three leading academic institutions, all of whom have the expertise and resources to make a major impact on the hospitality and tourism sector." It is expected that 25 participants will form the first cohort for the executive masters course. The Scottish Funding Council, along with support from Scottish Enterprise, provided start-up funding.
