IMC Krems strengthens tourism education in Uzbekistan

IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences and the Uzbek Agency for Vocational Education have entered into a far-reaching educational partnership. During a ceremonial event at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna, Azimjon Khusanov, Director of the Agency for Vocational Education, and Udo Brändle, CEO of IMC Krems, signed the agreement in the presence of President of the National Council Walter Rosenkranz and IMC founder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board Heinz Boyer.

The cooperation is based on a decree issued by the President of Uzbekistan. As part of the initiative, two hotel management centres will be established at educational institutions in Namangan and Bukhara. The objective is to train both tourism professionals and trainers according to international standards, thereby making a sustainable contribution to the quality of tourism education in Uzbekistan.

Practice-oriented education with a strong industry focus

The educational concept places a strong emphasis on hands-on learning, with at least 60 per cent of the curriculum dedicated to practical training. To support this approach, teaching hotels will be established at both locations, replicating the operations of a real hotel environment, including reception, housekeeping and food and beverage services. A further key component is the train-the-trainer approach. Local teaching staff will be specifically trained and certified to deliver practice-oriented education.

“At IMC Krems, our focus has always been on providing a sound, practice-oriented education. Our goal is to prepare students as effectively as possible for the demands of the labour market through learning that can be applied directly in professional settings. We therefore see it as particularly important to bring this proven, application-oriented approach to international projects as well,” emphasises Ulrike Prommer, CEO of IMC Krems.

Udo Brändle adds: “Our founder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Dr Heinz Boyer, a true pioneer in international higher education, often points out that nothing is more international than tourism. As one of the most global industries, tourism creates employment and development opportunities around the world. Through this project, we are continuing to expand our activities in Uzbekistan. We already run successful academic programmes together with the Tashkent State University of Economics, where more than 200 students are currently being educated according to IMC Krems standards.”

Through the introduction of international curricula and close cooperation with local employers, the project aims to strengthen service quality in Uzbekistan’s tourism sector over the long term while further enhancing the employability of graduates.