The Rector of the
Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Carles Solá, and the Vice Chairman of
Sol Meliá, Sebastián Escarrer,
have formed a strategic alliance with the primary objective of jointly developing projects to improve the university education of
students aiming to pursue careers in the tourism and hospitality industries.
Amongst other things, the agreement includes co-operation in the preparation of content and materials at all levels in the educational
cycle up to postgraduate studies, combining both practical and theoretical instruction. One of the features of the agreement is that
all of the students attending the
Catalonia Hotel School will receive practical training in the hotel located on the university campus,
which will now be managed by Sol Meliá.
The agreement also includes an objective to extend the use of the educational model to other countries, in line with the growing
globalisation of the industry and making use of the international network of Sol Meliá.
Sebastián Escarrer explained that "this strategic agreement is another demonstration of our policy of working closely with public
administration and co-operating with institutional partners. We now have agreements with several universities, particularly with the
Balearic Islands University (UIB), and we have also participated recently in projects with the
University of Wisconsin-Stout (USA)".
In 1999, the hotel company achieved earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 33,258 million
pesetas - 200 million euros -, a 36% increase over the previous year.
Source:
Sol Meliá