From November 13 to 17, 2023, education managers and entrepreneurs from Brandenburg’s hospitality industry had the opportunity to find out about student and apprentice exchange opportunities within the framework of Erasmus+ in Athens as part of their HOGAVET project.

The DEHOGA Brandenburg Focus Group “Internationalization of vocational training” was a guest of TourX partner AKMI International. The study visit was also a follow-up result of the previous joint efforts in the TourX project to initiate new, bilateral cooperation opportunities between European partners in vocational education and training.

In addition to the opportunity to visit the hospitality labs of the Metropolitan College, the focus was on many discussions with students. Both the German guests and the Greek hosts discussed how a corresponding internship exchange could be organized in the coming year.

This HOGAVET study visit with its synergy effects will also have an impact on Work Package 3 in the TourX project.

An important result was the signing of a further cooperation agreement between DEHOGA Brandenburg and AKMI International. Olaf Lücke, Managing Director of DEHOGA Brandenburg and Theo Grassos, Director of AKMI International agreed, to continue to actively support the initiated cooperation between the educational institutions and companies.

Thanks to the AKMI International team with Myrto and Ioannis, who worked in the background to ensure a perfect planning and a lasting impression of this visit. Thanks also to Beatrice from MUNDUS for her mentoring to a successful HOGAVET-project application.

This TourX domino effect, triggered by the 2023 HOGAVET study visit, will be followed by further activities. In the coming year, the DEHOGA Focus Group will use the experience gained in Athens also to further intensify its activities with its Italian and Spanish TourX-colleagues.

The start has been made, the new year 2024 is already waiting with new challenges.