London hotels partner with Regent’s University on luxury hospitality degree

The Savoy, The Peninsula London and Hotel Café Royal have partnered with Regent’s University London to launch a new course designed to tackle skills shortages in the luxury travel industry.

The three-year BA (Hons) Luxury Hospitality Management degree will offer students the opportunity to spend two days a week working within their chosen partner hotel, allowing them to gain hands-on experience and build industry relationships. 

The course will also include modules on accounting, operations, marketing and guest experience.

Regent’s University London hopes the programme will “ensure a stable pipeline of talent” and address the widening skills gap in the hospitality industry. 

Adam Frost, the university’s director and course leader, said: “Luxury hospitality brands are hungry for young, fresh, new talent that will define the voice of the industry for years to come. Our course is a strategic partnership with London’s most iconic hotels to ensure our graduates don’t just understand luxury hospitality, they live it. 

“They’ll leave with more than just a degree, but with a portfolio of real-world experience and a network of industry leaders, setting them on a fast track to management success.”

Rolf Buehlmann, managing director at partner hotel The Peninsula London, added: “Luxury hospitality is built on enduring values and a commitment to excellence. This partnership with Regent’s University London is a strategic investment in the future. It isn’t just about training students, but cultivating the next generation of leaders who will uphold and elevate our standards for decades to come.”

Franck Arnold, managing director and regional vice-president at The Savoy, said the course addressed the “real-world demands” of the service sector. “Hospitality requires new courses based on the actual needs of the profession,” he said.

“Regent’s University London is tackling this educational gap by collaborating with us to create a course that directly addresses the real-world demands of luxury hospitality. That is very different.”

A two-year Master of Arts Luxury Hospitality Management course will also be launched this September, providing additional skills to those already working in the luxury hotel industry who want to advance their careers. 

The course will be taught through six one-week residential modules to fit around work schedules, according to the university.