How does the start of the academic year unfold at Vatel Bordeaux ?
In September and October, Vatel Bordeaux begins its 31st academic year, welcoming new Bachelor and MBA students. The school supports each student’s integration into either the French or international section of their program, whether in full-time studies or through apprenticeships.
A classic intake at Vatel Bordeaux
During the intake period, students attend meetings organized by the academic team to discover the school, understand its operations, and fully immerse themselves in the environment.
School presentation
Firstly, first-year Bachelor and MBA International Hotel Management students attend a general introductory meeting led by the Founder-President, General Director or Director of Studies.
They begin by learning about the history and origins of the Vatel Group, followed by an overview of the school’s international scope. Indeed, Vatel has 50 campuses across 30 countries on 4 continents.
Then, the specific history of Vatel Bordeaux school is presented, from its founding by Régis Glorieux and François de Laurens Castelet up to the present day, including the creation of the Marco Polo exchange program. Finally, the Hôtel Vatel**** and the Les Tables Vatel restaurant are also introduced, as they are integral parts of Vatel.
Teams presentation
Secondly, each department at Vatel Bordeaux introduces itself to the students, with team members explaining their roles within the school.
The following academic services are presented:
- Studies addresses all academic-related questions, including the school’s code of conduct, scheduling and course platforms, absences, and more.
- Corporate Relations covers the professional aspects of their program, including hands-on practice, internships, apprenticeships, regulations, and grading criteria.
- Student Affairs introduces services available to students if they encounter challenges with certain procedures (housing, daily life, etc.), provides information about the Student Council (BDE) and student life events, and hands out their Vatel scarf or tie.
- Communication shares the channels where students can access information about the school and explains how they might participate in communication initiatives.
Class photo
Thirdly, all first-year and new students officially mark the start of the academic year with a class photo, along with individual photos for the school’s student directory.
Professional practice initiations for first-year students
As future hospitality professionals, first-year students participate in professional practice initiations. In collaboration with the restaurant manager at Les Tables Vatel Bordeaux, students learn essential practices in restaurant service. These sessions cover the basics of table setting, serving, and clearing, helping students quickly become autonomous during their practical training periods.
Integration between students and teams
At Vatel Bordeaux, the relationship between staff and students is a top priority. The school aims to simplify student integration and provide strong support from the very start of their program. So, various activities are organized to help students get to know each other.
Team building activities
This year, students in the French program had the opportunity to participate in a team building event at an ideal place for interaction: the Mériadeck bowling alley. Through this group activity, they were able to bond with each other and with the academic staff while enjoying a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
Visits of Bordeaux
Guided by Marie Fleur Fourquet, a long-time instructor at Vatel Bordeaux, city tours were organized for 1st-year students. The aim is to help them familiarise themselves with the city where they will study for the next 2 to 3 years, making them feel at home while soaking in the streets and history of Bordeaux.
Vatel Quest by Student Affairs
Moreover, new students also take part in the Vatel Quest, an orientation race around Bordeaux created by the Bordeaux school and organized by Student Affairs. This activity allows 1st-year students to discover the city in a fun and interactive way. In a nutshell, they start at point A in order to reach point B, where they send a photo as proof to receive a clue leading to point C, and so on, until they arrive at the partner bar for the arrival.
Integration parties organized by Student Council
In addition, ‘extra-curricular’ party nights and events are very useful for creating links with people we don’t know. That’s why, at the start of each academic year, BDE organises an integration party in partnership with Joya Bar Restaurant, just a few steps from the school. Here, students get together to party the night away. Members of the BDE and Student Affairs are on hand to ensure that the evening runs smoothly.
The intake specificity for international classes
The international aspect at Vatel Bordeaux is crucial, with the school welcoming international students eager to explore the hospitality and restaurant industry in France, particularly in Bordeaux. This commitment to internationalization has led to nearly 1/3 of the classes being offered in an international curriculum.
Ice Breaker workshops
Ice Breaker workshops are organized to encourage students to meet and connect from the very first days. They are composed of several activities prepared according to the nationalities represented in the group, including a general knowledge quiz, bingo and a case study on intercultural conflicts in the workplace. Students also engage in discussions, asking each other questions to get to know one another while exploring interculturality and other fascinating topics.
Intercultural lunch
For international students, an intercultural lunch is planned, where each student is encouraged to bring a food or drink item from their home country to share with their classmates. This is a friendly instant where they can discuss with the academic staff and one another over a meal, fostering connections and cultural exchange.
A tour of Bordeaux in English
As for french classes, international students have the chance to visit the city. Guided by James Perosi-Doughty, English visits are designed to help students get their bearings and find their bearings in the city, so that they feel at home from the moment they arrive.
Discovery team building
For international students, the team building takes place in the Bassin des Lumières to discover an emblematic place of Bordeaux: its submarine base, built during World War 2. Now occupied by ephemeral digital exhibitions, the Bassin des Lumières is billed as the world’s largest digital art centre. This makes it a must-see for newcomers to Bordeaux.
Teachers’ intake
The Bordeaux school aims to offer a pleasant working environment that is conducive to learning, as well as moments of conviviality between the academic team and teachers. To this end, a back-to-school evening is organised for the guest lecturers at the start of each school year.
A conference
Firstly, teachers had the opportunity to attend a conference led by Aurélie Planté on the subject of: ‘Understanding your students and building a teaching adaptation strategy to take account of their specific developmental and generational characteristics.’ Here, the aim was to help the teachers and the academic staff to better understand exchanges with students.
Welcoming meeting
Secondly, the traditional welcome meeting was presented by the Director of Studies. She outlined the challenges and goals for the new academic year and extended a warm welcome back to returning teachers, as well as a heartfelt greeting to the new who are joining the team this year.
Back-to-school cocktail
Then, to conclude this beautiful evening, academic staff and teachers took part in a cocktail party on the theme of ‘Travelling around the world.’ Once again, the international side of Vatel was represented, with dishes from the 4 corners of the world carefully prepared for the cocktail reception. It was an opportunity for all those involved to meet and exchange ideas in a friendly and pleasant setting.
But it’s not over yet, with new students arriving for the start of the new academic year in November/December!