The Excellence Programme
In this 20 week programme you get to deepen your knowledge about the hospitality business by working on an real-life business case, which you get to present to an industry jury at the end. This extracurricular activity at the Hotel Management School Maastricht allows you to grow as a person and experience the hotel industry like no other! You will get exclusive guest lectures and you will be able to network with professionals from the industry.
What does the Excellence Programme look like?
The Excellence Programme is a programme by and for students. This means that the content, the guest lectures, the field trips and everything else in the programme is organised by students. After you have participated in the programme, you get the chance to be part of the organising team yourself!
During a field trip (to e.g. Antwerp, Cologne, Rotterdam) you will visit an existing location which will be the base of your hospitality project. With additional instructions on budget, dimensions and other guidelines, you are challenged to create a unique concept (in the theme of hospitality) and deliver a successful project!
The focus of the programme
The Excellence Programme consists of four pillars:
- Concept Development
- Market Research
- Finance & Investment
- Marketing & Sales
These four pillars all relate back to the business case. Every week you will get an inspiring guest lecture from an expert of the industry, related to one of these four pillars. The knowledge you gain on these topics can be immediately put into practice! This programme allows you to extensively develop your professional and personal skills. Learn to organise events, strenghten your communication and presentation skills, think outside the box and become a true leader in hospitality.
Why should you join?
The Excellence Programme is a unique extracurricular activity that allows you to take the additional step beyond the regular curriculum. Thanks to our network of alumni and widespread connections, you get to experience exclusive company visits and guest lectures from professionals of the industry.
Being part of the Excellence Programme is a commitment and an honorable achievement. Within and outside of the Hotel School it is seen as a strong indicator for your further professional future. Upon successfully completing the programme you will receive an official certificate of completion, signed by the director of the Hotel Management School Maastricht. This will give your CV a boost and makes you stand out from the crowd.
You can apply for the programme once you are in module 5 and 6 of your bachelor. After a careful selection process, based on both academic and personal performance, only 5% of all eligible students are allowed to enter the programme. The Excellence Programme is fully in English.
Student competitions
As of year 3 of your education you will be able to participate in international hotel school competitions. As a student in the Excellence Programme you have priority in joining competitions. You can also develop your leadership, teamwork and organisational skills by e.g. joining the HSMAI Student Council.
Examples of student competitions and events you can participate in:
