The international luxury hotel group Kempinski Hotels and the Swiss Education Group (SEG) have joined forces in an exciting new partnership that will add value to the student experience as well as to the talent pool of the hotel group. Through this close collaboration a worldwide Talent Development Programme will provide SEG students exclusive opportunities for internships and job placements in over 34 countries. SEG schools will further benefit from the expertise and insights provided by Kempinski in developing course components that reflect the realities and trends of the luxury hospitality industry. On the other hand Kempinski Hotels will further enjoy outputs from creative projects worked out by the students and implemented in selected hotels around the globe.

"We are very much looking forward to working closely with the Swiss Education Group", shares Martin R.Smura, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board at Kempinski Hotels. "For more than 120 years, we have been setting the standard for European luxury in hospitality and offering outstanding careers to young and ambitious talents is certainly key to our success. Today, new generations of employees continue to evolve our traditions and enrich our entrepreneurial heritage."

"Our global Talent Development Programme with Kempinski Hotels provides our students highly-coveted internship opportunities with one of the world's top hospitality business groups", added Yong Shen, Chief Executive Officer Swiss Education group. "It is a great testimony of the value that leading global employers place on the educational experiences SEG schools offer."

Kempinski will also collaborate closely with Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland (CAAS) one of SEG's four schools, through various initiatives. As the leading culinary institute in Switzerland and one of the finest in the world, CAAS is internationally renowned for its quality and excellence in culinary education. As part of their curriculum, students enrolled in the Bachelor of Culinary Arts programme will work with representatives from the luxurious hotel group to develop product lines, such as a chocolate fondue mixture and a cake ("Lady in Red"), and will take part in a dessert competition.

Tanja Florenthal, CAAS dean, shares her enthousiasm for this new collaboration: "This partnership will allow our students to showcase their creativity and innovation skills, while at the same time, benefit from learning from a prestigious group such as Kempinski Hotels."

Furthermore, Kempinski Hotels has been designated as a premium event partner for the next "Cook 'N' Battle", a global culinary competition organised by CAAS which will take place in 2021. The virtual regional qualification rounds will start in February and the global final will take place on campus 4 June 2021. Kempinski chefs will play an active role in the competition as jury members.