In order to cultivate future catering entrepreneurs, the Department of Hospitality Management, STUST, and Silks Hotel Tainan jointly ran the Elite Academy. The first program of the Elite Academy, which ended a few days ago, adopted independent learning and emphasizes spontaneous learning motivation. Different from the past teaching mode, it changed the conventional learning and used the innovative teaching mode of industry experts and university alliances, making participating students feel that this program was a very novel experience.

【The Department of Hospitality Management, STUST, cooperated with Silks Hotel Tainan in organizing Elite College: General Manager Jing-wen Li of Silks Hotel Tainan (middle in the first row), Dean Rui-shing Chang of the College of Business Administration, STUST (middle of the first row Right), Mei-lan Lin, Chair of the Department of Hospitality Management (first row, middle left), and all the students of the program.】

The program of the Elite Academy was optional in nature, which started from students’ exploration, put students close to the front line of industrial practice, and were taught by the senior executives and chefs of the Silks Hotel Tainan. The program content covered various essential knowledge, as such the calculation and allocation of funds, manpower, materials, and rental costs. In addition to the explanation of theoretical programs, there was also catering skills training for micro-entrepreneurship. Unlike general classrooms, where the knowledge of entrepreneurship are presented in different disciplines, the program adopted the bucket-style innovative teaching concept, presenting the entrepreneurial process and precautions as well as the required meal production capabilities in different units. In the programs, the exploration of micro-entrepreneurship skills in catering and tourism was transformed into the key ability of the industry. Therefore, the program offered the production of basic desserts, the preparation of catering for breakfast and lunch, the practice of coffee, the creative development of non-alcoholic and bartending drinks, and 12 hours of workplace experience as the final step, so that students could fully learn to know the spirit and business process of micro-entrepreneurship.

【Chef Yi-cheng Lai of Silks Place Tainan was teaching in the Elite Academy Program.】

For the three-month intensive program of micro-catering and tourism entrepreneurship of the Elite Academy, the satisfaction of the participants was as high as 4.67 points on the five-point scale, which was indeed a very high evaluation. The Department of Tourism Management, STUST, carefully designed the Chinese and English versions of the study certificates and the full attendance certificates for the students who completed the program. They were awarded to students to encourage them to realize their dreams on the road of catering micro-entrepreneurship. In addition to building professional knowledge and practical skills for micro-entrepreneurship, the most important thing in the program was to cultivate students' thinking and attitude towards micro-entrepreneurship.

【General Manager Jing-wen Li (right) of Silks Place Hotel Tainan was presenting a study certificate to Yi-hua Li, a student from STUST.】

President Deng-maw Lu of STUST said that STUST has been promoting close interaction between industry elites and students, allowing students to first-hand inherit the wisdom of industry teachers in terms of practical skills, and integrating professional field knowledge, practical skills, and industry development trend. As an industrial university, STUST can revitalize teaching, enhance students' interest in learning, and create infinite possibilities for the future of its students.