MSc International Hospitality Management at Brighton AND Marking the 30 years since the fall of the Berlin wall!

A hospitality management education legacy story at the University of Brighton.

The  history and makings of  our  MSc in International Hospitality Management goes back over well over 30 years. Mike Boella, one of our Fellows and colleague instrumental in setting hospitality management courses in our University reminisces:

“As I am celebrating 30 years since the Berlin Wall was knocked own and nearly 40 years since Brighton Polytechnic students did their industrial placement there I rediscovered this old photo:

You can clearly see my name and the name of our University on this part of the Berlin Wall.  Our hospitality management students had to do six months work experience. We had a good offer from a top Berlin hotel and I thought it could be a good placement, but it was in West Berlin, surrounded by the communist East Germany. Some parents were worried so I checked the situation with the Foreign  Office. Was told it was quite safe, so we went ahead. I visited the students to make sure everything was OK. The manager said the students were OK but must learn to carry out instructions before discussing them!  I went through Checkpoint Charlie to see East Berlin, a bit risky for me because I had done my national service with British military intelligence! I discovered a stunning difference between east (very poor) and west (just like an affluent British city).

Our long legacy of hospitality management courses in the University continues with our MSc in International Hospitality Management which continues to celebrate the ideals of innovation, creativity and freedom of thought, both in theory and in practice!