Lanith Diploma Offers 60 Scholarships

VIENTIANE – Lanith, Laos’ award-winning national tourism and hospitality institute, is offering 60 scholarships to the top Lao applicants for its two-year Lanith Diploma certificate programme, opening at Vientiane’s Pakpasak Technical College in October 2013.

Lanith Teachers Present Scholarship Opportunities 
at Leading Vientiane High School

The Lanith Diploma scholarships are available for three international-level certificates: Food and Beverage Service Operations, Accommodation Operations, and Travel and Tourism Operations.

All courses are taught in the Lao language by internationally educated Lao instructors and are open to both career-minded students and current tourism and hospitality staff and teachers.

To qualify for the Lanith Diploma scholarships, candidates must be secondary school graduates, while preference will be given to those with two years of work experience, English language skills and a university degree, all of which are required for the international scholarships for potential teachers.

Application forms can be downloaded at Lanith.com or the Lanith Facebook page, and must be completed and emailed, posted, or presented in person at Lanith’s Pakpasak office before 23 August 2013. Candidates can also request an application by contacting talent@lanith.com.

A Flurry of Eager Candidates Filling out 
Lanith Diploma Applications

Nisaxonh Sourivong, an instructor in the Lanith Diploma’s Accommodation Operations certificate programme, previously won a Lanith international scholarship, which led to her present position at the institute.

She said studying in Europe opened her eyes to the international method for teaching, which actively engages students, gives them hands-on experience, assigns group and personal projects, and requires class participation, rather than only offering a theoretical education.

“I want to transfer the knowledge I gained,” she said, adding that raising the nation’s service quality is imperative if the tourism industry is to profit.

Lanith instructor and course designer, Souliphon Phengxay, noted, “Students are keen on our new concept of student-centred learning, and this ‘coaching’ method of learning through experience instead of just listening and taking notes…role playing, individual assignments, independent learning, field trips, video and audio…they love it all.”

Lanith places great emphasis on human capital development (HCD), the most recent travel industry trend, which puts more weight on its staff providing a personalised experience to attract visitors and guests.

Lanith Chief Technical Advisor Peter Semone said, “While hotels seek innovative ways to present their ‘hardware’ such as rooms, facilities, and restaurants, they are shifting much of their emphasis to HCD, as the staff, or ‘software’, play just as an important role in the visitor’s experience.”