HTLacademy

Management Seminars for the Hotel, Tourism and Leisure Sector

The Tourism and Hospitality Management Department at MODUL University Vienna and PKF hotel experts invite you to study business class at the HTLacademy, a cutting-edge educational program for professionals in the areas of leisure, tourism and hotel management.

This innovative new program offers tailor-made courses geared towards professionals working in the field of hotel development, financing, and consulting. The program consists of four courses, taught in English, that participants can take either individually or as a package in order to complete a full certification.

Our courses consist of three intensive days at MODUL University Vienna, situated on Kahlenberg with a stunning view of Vienna. Leading academics and industry experts will share their know-how to present theory and apply it to the practice of tourism and hospitality management. Not only will participants advance knowledge in their desired business fields, but will also benefit from meeting and networking with like-minded international senior-level executives in a stimulating environment.

Each course includes a pre-course assignment that must be completed before the course begins. The completion of the pre-course assignments is crucial for an optimal learning experience and successful in class participation. Assignments, which may take the form of readings, projects or problem sets, will be available on our internal web platform no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of your course.

A course confirmation will be issued separately after the completion of each course. Please note that because attendance is mandatory, we reserve the right to withhold certificates from participants who do not fulfill the attendance requirements.

Credit Transfer for MODUL University’s MBA in Tourism Management program
Participants who fulfill the admission requirements for the MBA program (http://www.modul.ac.at/thm/mba/enrollment), may consider enrolling in the MBA in Tourism Management program at a later stage of their career, hence transferring credits from HTLacademy courses to the MBA program. In order to transfer the credits earned from one HTLacademy course, participants must apply for a post-course assignment when registering for the HTLcademy. At the end of a three-day course, the respective course leader(s) will provide candidates with adequate learning materials and instructions on how to complete the assignment. The assignment has to be submitted within four weeks after the course has taken place. The assignment will be assessed by the course leader(s) who will determine the final grade for the course. A course with a positive grade can be credited as an elective course for the MBA in Tourism Management offered by MODUL University. Post-course assignments involve an additional cost of €200 per assignment.

Courses 
In 2011, the HTLacademy program offers the following courses:

Hospitality Trends and Concepts (12-14 September 2011)

Course instructors: Michael Widmann, Christoph Hoffmann
Learn about the prevailing trends in the hospitality sector with a focus on hotel development and get an overview of new concepts, new players, and new brands in the hospitality industry, with an emphasis on the profitability of different concepts. The following topics will be addressed:
• The role of tourism in the global economy
• Shifting tides: demand patterns
• Real estate vs. operations
• City hotels vs. resort hotels
• Budget vs. luxury hotels
• Standardization vs. individuality
• Operators & brands
• The role of architecture & design
• The role of technology
• The role of human resources

Hotel Development (15-17 September 2011)

Course instructor: Russell A. Smith, Alaeddin Babaoglu
The course provides an overview of the hotel development process. This will include master planning, site appraisal and development team composition for individual hotel projects. There will be a focus on the evaluation of hotel deign proposals for guestrooms, meeting and function rooms, public areas and back of house in terms of metrics and functional layout. Insights into construction costs, lease agreements, operator selection and management contracts will be gained. No prior knowledge of the field of hotel development is required, as this course will be delivered accordingly. The course will include cases, exercises, group discussion and lectures. Assignments will be required for pre-course and overnight completion during the course.

Hotel Finance and Investment (19-21 September 2011)

Course instructors: Karl Knezourek, Niels Nielsen
The course provides the foundations for an extensive exploration of the areas of Finance and Investment. We explore the methods used to evaluate investments in hotel projects and acquire the analytical tools and techniques used to make strategic financing decisions. In addition, different sources of financing hotel projects will be introduced. One of the overarching purpose of this course is to help managers to both appraise financing alternatives and make strategic financing decisions. Participants will also sharpen their team and project management skills.

The following topics will be addressed:
• Time Value of Money (Discounting, Compounding)
• Investment Decisions (NPV, IRR, MIRR, Discounted Payback Period, Annuity)
• Cash Flow and Cost of Capital (CAPM, WACC)
• Introduction into Risk and Return
• Financing Instruments (Equity & Debt)
• Valuation of Financing Instruments
• Strategic Financing Decisions

Successful Leadership (22-24 September 2011)

Course instructor: Elisabeth Kaiser, Susanne Helmy
This course will enhance participants’ understanding of crisis communication, change management and reputation management in a dynamic and complex business environment. Participants will also familiarize themselves with the necessary techniques and skills to effectively deal with stakeholder relations, participation, and resistance in project development processes.

Topics include:
Understanding how creeping crises, slow-burn and sudden crises can be dealt with, avoided or their impacts minimized. Concepts of crisis communication will be introduced.
Identifying how innovative techniques of change management can both help limit communication mistakes in change projects and cope with resistance.
Detecting organizational values, symbols, cultures and rituals in an attempt to motivate and empower teams. Issues or ethics, failures and intercultural challenges will also be addressed.
Assessing how the principles of reputation management can benefit an organization in its daily business life and in specific situations.
Understanding how strategic project coaching can help dealing with stakeholders’ resistance to change and their lack of participation in the development of projects of public interest.

All courses are held in English.
Individuals who participate in all four courses will earn a Certification in Hotel Development granted by MODUL University. This can be done either in 2011 or at a later year.

Application deadline: 16 August 2011
Please download the application form here

Fees: 1,290 EUR per course; Fees include instructional materials, networking lunches and coffee breaks.

Minimum number of participants per course: 10
Maximum number of participants per course: 25

Admission 

Courses are open to professionals with at least three years of related professional work experience. Courses are taught in English, therefore, a strong command of English is a prerequisite for acceptance to the program (for our English skills criteria, see http://www.modul.ac.at/thm/mba/enrollment).

Course enrollment will be on a first-come-first-served basis, but we will make every effort to place you in your course of choice. In the unusual event of a course cancellation, anyone enrolled in that course will be advised of other available courses offered at the same time.

Once you have been accepted to the HTLacademy Management Development Program, you will receive a confirmation letter and invoice that serves as your official registration.

Participants accepted for the HTLacademy will receive access to the registered participants section at least four weeks before the start of the course. Additionally, prior to your arrival we will provide you with further information about your stay in Vienna.

Please be aware that participants should pay in full the course fees and complete their pre-course assignments before classes begin.

Payment and cancellation policy 
To secure a place in the program, a minimum deposit of 200 Euros per course must accompany your application form. Full payment for courses is due by August 15th, 2011.

The deposit and all course fees should be paid by wire transfer to MODUL University’s bank account as indicated on the program application form. This is the only accepted mode of payment.

You may cancel your participation in the program before July 31st, 2011 and receive a full refund of all course fees paid. If cancellation occurs on or after July 31st, 2011, the minimum deposit of 200 Euros will be forfeited. Cancellations received after August 16th, 2011 will not be eligible for a refund.

Some practical travel information 
The HTLacademy courses will be held at MODUL University which is located on Kahlenberg, a scenic hill that overlooks the capital city of Austria. MU’s facilities include state-of-the-art classrooms, a well equipped library and a computer lab. Participants will enjoy wireless internet access. Breaks will be catered in a lounge area where participants have the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with their international counterparts. Lunch will be served at the restaurant next door.

Travel to and from MODUL University is possible via public transport. For further details, please visit the following link: http://www.modul.ac.at/map

Participants are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements and paying for them at their own expense. However, we have negotiated special HTLacademy hotel rates for your stay at the 25hours hotel in Vienna. The 25hours hotel is located on Lerchenfelder Straße 1-3 in the 7th district. Prices per night for the HTLacademy participants will be 110€ (breakfast extra for 10€ per person). See the following link for additional information: http://www.25hours-hotels.com/wien Please also note that complimentary shuttle service to and from our recommended hotel will be available on class days. Lodging rates are subject to change due to availability.

Participants, who attend more than one course and stay over the weekend, will be able to join in our weekend site visits (further information will be available soon).