SHANNON College of Hotel Management has been described as a “hidden gem” by the head of Shannon Chamber.
Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes made the comments on a recent visit to the institution.
400 students are currently enrolled in the college learning all aspects of hotel management, with over 3,000 students all around the world having studied in Shannon since the college was first established.
Now part of the University of Galway’s College of Business, Public Policy, and Law, all degrees awarded from Shannon are university level.
“Shannon College of Hotel Management is a remarkable, yet relatively hidden asset in the fabric of Shannon,” Ms Downes said.
Based on the estuary drive to Shannon Airport, Shannon College of Hotel Management is spread over several different buildings, which is something the college wants to change.
Adrian Slyver, head of the college, said that “our ambition for the future of the college is to grow student numbers and further enhance our reputation through increasing our global ranking”.
“To achieve all of this, and to be regarded as the best in the world, we need to develop a modern facility in Shannon.”
“Leading hotel colleges, such as Cornell or Harvard, don’t have the educational facilities or life skills ethos that we have, but they have amazing facilities,” Mr Slyver said.
The college has a 100 per cent employment record and links with 147 hotels in over 17 countries, with the Chamber CEO saying that the future plans for the college mirror the plans for the town of Shannon.
“We are incredibly proud to have a college of this stature in our membership. Its ambitions mirror our vision for Shannon, which is to ensure that Shannon’s legacy for pioneering, inspirational, and entrepreneurial achievements perpetuates and is recognised,” Ms Downes said.
