On Monday 17th February 2020, premium luxury hotel Villa Rosa Kempinski signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Strathmore University School of Tourism and Hospitality. One of the provisions in the agreement is that students from the prestigious school will get a chance to intern at the reputable hotel chain.
The number of students accepted for internship programs will be dependent on Strathmore University’s needs and Villa Rosa Kempinski’s capacity. The hotel chain will also provide job shadow opportunities for two Strathmore University staff members every year, for a period of one month each for industry exposure.

Strathmore DVC-Academic & Student Affairs, Elizabeth Gichanga (left) and Kempinski Kenya Managing Director Roberto Simone (right)
In the agreement signed, Strathmore will also offer a 15% discount on tuition fees to Villa Rosa Kempinski staff who will join a special exempt degree programme. Additionally, Kempinski staff who hold a 3- or 4-year diploma in hospitality management will also be free to apply for a special exempt programme for a Bachelorโs degree in Hospitality Management as long as they meet the admission requirements as set by the Commission for University Education (CUE).
Mr Roberto Simone spoke at the event saying, “This deal will ensure that we have the best staff in the market and our people get relevant training. For instance, data analytics is where the world is headed and I think our staff could benefit from that at Strathmore.”
Strathmore University Deputy Vice-Chancellor- Academic and Student Affairs Elizabeth Gachenga added, “We are delighted by this deal. We believe that co-operating will unlock many opportunities for both parties and are glad that our students and staff will benefit.”