An international audit panel visited the school for two days last September. During this time probing interviews were held with lecturers, students, and representatives from the larger hotel chains. In addition to this, the panel examined in depth the study materials, exam assignments and student final thesis reports.

The conclusion of the audit panel was as follows: “Hotelschool The Hague has an excellent educational programme, excellent lecturers and a very well-equipped learning and working environment through which its students are trained to become ‘all-round’ hospitality professionals who are very highly valued by the hospitality industry and related sectors. The school positions itself therefore not only among the absolute top of comparable Bachelor programmes in the Netherlands, but certainly in other countries also.”

“This is due to the fact that Hotelschool The Hague is a small, independent institute of higher education offering programmes in the area of hospitality management only. Further, the staff-student ratio and intensive programme with its clear focus on practical experience are also contributory factors. The school focuses not only on training social and communication skills, but also on the students’ self-directive capacity and professional competencies. This makes the students and graduates of Hotelschool The Hague much sought after for work placements and by companies; their career opportunities are therefore excellent”.

“At the end of the second day an oral feedback session was held in which we heard that the panel was very positive. That we have scored excellent on 11 of the 16 criteria is not only fantastic for the school and its staff, but especially for our students. After all, they are our ‘raison d'être’, everything revolves around them. We are proud that we have achieved this together.” says Clemens Berendsen, Board of Directors member, Hotelschool The Hague.

Berendsen continues: “Of course, the good accreditation outcome does not mean that we can now sit back. Indeed, it motivates us even more to operate as an excellent educational institute and we shall do everything to retain this wonderful mark of quality. The opening of our splendid new school in Amsterdam in Jan Evertsenstraat/Staalmeesterslaan will also contribute. Due to this, from August 2012, we will have two schools that are equal in appearance, service, facilities and quality.”

Also Thom de Graaf, chairman of the HBO-raad (Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences) is very pleased with the good results: “With its fulltime Bachelor in Hotel Management programme Hotelschool The Hague belongs to the best worldwide. How do you continue, if you’re there already? Even that has been taken care of, for the members of the audit panel, who are all from different countries, stated with some regret that it was a little early to be able to measure the new curriculum: further growth is already visible. It is fantastic to see such an inspiring example in our association of HBO schools. Congratulations”.