If you want to shape the future of hospitality, there’s now more reason than ever to choose Les Roches, with the launch of our new and exclusive Certificate in Artificial Intelligence. It’s the first of its kind to be applied directly to the hospitality industry.
Taught in Crans-Montana, the new certificate will be offered as an optional course to Bachelor students in the latter stages of their program, as well as to all postgraduate students. It is the product of a partnership we’ve forged with aivancity, the Grande École of Artificial Intelligence.
As you’d expect from Les Roches, the certificate course is fully grounded in the ‘real world’ of hospitality business. It challenges students to devise an AI solution that can be applicable to the hospitality industry. (Cymbalta) Those who opt to take the course will receive three days of face-to-face learning, featuring expert faculty from Les Roches and aivancity, plus visiting specialists (see below). The participants are then given two further days to imagine, and prototype, their AI solution.
Partners in innovation
The Certificate in Artificial Intelligence represents a true partnership of pioneers. Established in Paris last year, aivancity positions itself as a hybrid higher education institution, integrating both technical skills in AI but also business and ethical skills and knowledge. It is the first higher education institution in France to adopt the status of “mission-driven company”.
For our part, we are fast establishing Les Roches as the international hub of hospitality innovation. This includes the launch last year of Spark, our global innovation sphere, together with our world-first Master’s in Hospitality Strategy & Digital Transformation. We can now offer a combination of incubation services, on-campus product/service testing, and cutting-edge program content which is unique within our sector.
Christine Demen-Meier, our Managing Director Worldwide, notes, “Innovation and technologies are the core of Les Roches’ very DNA. After the creation of a dedicated ‘digital’ Master’s and the launch of the Spark Innovation sphere, this certificate is another step forward to advance the integration of technology within our curriculums.”
Why learn about AI?
Artificial intelligence applications are already found at every stage of the customer journey in hospitality.
As Tawhid Chtioui, Founding President and Dean at aivancity, remarks, “Artificial Intelligence has become one of the keys to success for any company that wishes to improve the whole of its business processes – from production to customer relations – in all activity sectors. The hospitality and tourism sector is, in that sense, a huge territory of opportunity and exploration for AI.”
So the technology is here today. What hasn’t caught up is the AI expertise within the industry. In a survey by Skift, only 39% of executives said they were “quite confident” they had the necessary talent on board to deliver their digital objectives.
This certificate is our way of helping to address the industry’s acknowledged talent shortage.
Learn from the best
A host of subject matter experts from both institutions, and beyond, will be bringing their know-how to this certificate course. They include:
- Dr. Doreid Ammar, Professor and Academic Director, aivancity
- Scott Dahl, Program Director for the Master’s in Hospitality Strategy & Digital Transformation, Les Roches
- Dr. Ysens de France, Associate Professor, aivancity
- Eric Boniface, Managing Director, and co-founder, Substra Foundation
- Maurizio Caon Ph.D., AI Business Expert, and Les Roches visiting faculty
- Hugo Hadjur, Associate Professor, aivancity
- Max Starkov, industry tech thought leader, and Les Roches visiting faculty
The new Certificate in Artificial Intelligence will be available from September 2021. Get in touch with us if you would like to find out more about it, or any of our innovation-focused initiatives.
