Reid Kerr College
Showcase for Excellence : Sharing cultures and developing essential skills in hospitality programmes through international partnership
In 2006, staff from the college’s hospitality section established a partnership with colleagues in
St Petersburg’s College of Economics and Technologies of Catering
, which has led to ongoing exchanges and shared experiences for learners and staff.
In February 2009, for the second consecutive year, three learners from the college’s hospitality programmes and three staff members joined Russian colleagues in preparing, cooking and serving a Burns Supper to 215 paying guests in a
St Petersburg hotel. The success of the event has led to a growing reputation for the college with its Russian partners, and the arrangement of a number of future partnership activities. For the Scottish learners involved in this and previous activities arranged through the partnership, it has been an experience which has significantly developed their skills for citizenship and employability, as well as their vocational skills. Exposure to the culture of another country has enhanced their awareness of cultural diversity. To extend their skills and knowledge of Scotland and its cuisine, arrangements have been agreed for Russian learners and staff to visit the college. This visit will be led by the Reid Kerr hospitality learners. At the time of the external review, a further group of Reid Kerr hospitality learners was about to continue the partnership through another visit to St Petersburg, again preparing a
Burns Supper.
This project has led to enhanced experiences for the college’s hospitality learners who visit Russia. It has also developed into a wider project, involving the business community in St Petersburg, and a developing range of cultural exchange activities with Russian colleagues and learners. The college and its Russian partners have well-advanced plans to extend the project activities to learners and staff from the hair and beauty departments of each college.