Deutsche Hospitality Launches Its Own Hotel Management School

The Steigenberger Academy has returned to the DH Family, and Deutsche Hospitality has thus become the only hotel group in Europe to have its own state-recognised initial and continuing training venue. Ulrich Bensel, CHRO of Deutsche Hospitality, will become Managing Director of the Steigenberger Academy. Responsibility for day-to-day running will remain with Bettina Wolf. Deutsche Hospitality has taken the Steigenberger Academy back in house with the aims of countering the shortage of skilled workers within the sector and of offering even more attractive continuing training opportunities to its approximately 11,000 employees. Located in Bad Reichenhall, the academy boasts a proud tradition which stretches back for more than 70 years. It formed part of Steigenberger Hotels AG during the period from 1972 to 2011.

“The reintegration of the Steigenberger Academy means that a training venue steeped in tradition is coming back into the Deutsche Hospitality fold,” said Marcus Bernhardt, CEO of Deutsche Hospitality. “The well-founded quality of the training provided at the academy and the IT infrastructure of our shareholder Huazhu form a combination which will allow us to design a modern and hybrid training and development environment. Staff training and continuing training is an important strategic objective which makes a crucial contribution to the company’s success.”

Ulrich Bensel, CHRO of Deutsche Hospitality and now Managing Director of the Steigenberger Academy, went on: “Pupils and students benefit from a friendly environment in which there is easy access to all facilities. This culture later opens the door to a highly variegated world of work within Deutsche Hospitality’s eight hotel brands. State-recognised courses and programmes are taught by experienced specialists to make sure that precisely tailored solutions are developed. We will also continue our collaboration with existing partners in the education and training sector, such as the International University of Applied Sciences. Our goal is to adapt the teaching provision of the academy to the current demands of our industry on an ongoing basis. We will also be seeking constant expansion.”

The Steigenberger Academy is a state-recognised vocational school and school of hotel management. It has been one of the leading establishments of its type in Germany since being founded in 1948. A wide range of initial and continuing training programmes is available for all career levels. The academy also offers bachelor’s degrees in Hotel Management and Tourism Management in the form of a top-up degree programme which is delivered in conjunction with the distance learning arrangements of the International University of Applied Sciences. Generously proportioned and modern teaching rooms are available on the campus in Bad Reichenhall in order to prepare trainees and students for the professional demands that lie ahead. Those who complete programmes and courses at the Steigenberger Academy are perfectly equipped to pursue a career in the hospitality sector. Notable alumni include Eva Maria Rühle, Deputy Chair of the Baden-Württemberg branch of the German Hotel and Restaurants Association (DEHOGA) and Managing Director of Reha-Klinik Schwäbische Alb in Bad Urach, Gregor Lemke, Managing Director of Augustiner Klosterwirt GmbH and long-serving Board Member of the Alumni Association, Emanuel Grosch, General Manager of the Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort as well as Markus Fränkle, Managing Director of the hotel Der Blaue Reiter GmbH & Co. KG.