Course catalogue

Beverage Knowledge & Service Skills
In the Beverage Knowledge & Service Skills course, the student learns to inform and advise the guest about dishes and drinks in a professional manner. The student learns to project a hospitable attitude and to create and monitor a safe atmosphere. You will gain extensive knowledge about the Alcohol Act, the aspects of alcohol, drugs, gambling, safety provisions and conversation models as part of social hygiene. You will have the knowledge of processing (telephone) reservations, operating cash register systems, applying different serving methods and preparing drinks.

During this course, a company visit is made to a Michelin star or equivalent restaurant to introduce students to the business operations and gastronomic principles of a top restaurant in the hospitality industry.

General Management Challenge
In this module the basic principles of management will be highlighted, together with an externally sourced business simulation (Edumundo). Standard topics like the managerial environment, planning, strategy and innovation will be rolled out, but also areas like communication, operations, control and information management will pass in review. There will be an additional focus on the knowledge and skills required to efficiently handle teams in an international setting. The domestic and the international manager share many management challenges, and as such they will have to be prepared to tackle those in the process of becoming successful. For the international manager, factors like geographic, cultural, psychographic, economic and ethical aspects are more prominent than for his/her domestic colleague. Only the managers who are aware of the principles of management, who are technically proficient and who have the capabilities to successfully manage complex organizations, will be successful in their international endeavours.

Business Events
During the Business events course, we specifically look at (large) business events and the problems that sometimes arise. The course is tested with a practical assignment and a presentation. The practical assignment is a portfolio in which the students work out 4 different cases according to a template. These 4 cases are linked to the 4 different event formats within the business market: Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions.

Hospitality in Practice
This course is an introduction to the world of the hotel industry. The student acquires knowledge and skills regarding hotel activities and terminology. Its purpose is to provide students with insight into the functioning of the hotel world. The course is divided into three parts; Hotel Skills, Front Office & Protel and Hospitality.

Dutch Language and Culture
When in the Netherlands, you should definitely become immersed in the Dutch culture. That’s why we organise field trips during this course. Dutch is a unique language, therefore, we will introduce you to the basic knowledge of our language. We teach you the skills to get by day-to-day situations such as shopping and buying groceries; asking for, understanding and giving directions.

Business Events
During the Business events course, we specifically look at (large) business events and the problems that sometimes arise. The course is tested with a practical assignment and a presentation. The practical assignment is a portfolio in which the students work out 4 different cases according to a template. These 4 cases are linked to the 4 different event formats within the business market: Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions.

Tourism Destinations Europe
The Tourism Destinations Europe course introduces the student to travel destinations in Europe. Tourist destinations in Europe are looked at from different angles, while also providing insight into the topography of these destinations. Among other things, the following aspects of are examined: location, accessibility, highlights, sights, target groups, tourist infrastructure, tourist capacity, USPs, phase of development, opportunities and threats.

Dutch Language and Culture
When in the Netherlands, you should definitely become immersed in the Dutch culture. That’s why we organise field trips during this course. Dutch is a unique language, therefore, we will introduce you to the basic knowledge of our language. We teach you the skills to get by day-to-day situations such as shopping and buying groceries; asking for, understanding and giving directions.

Tourism Product Knowledge
The Tourism Product Knowledge course introduces the student to the travel industry. Basic knowledge about tourism products, tourism terminology and the different tourism business models is taught. You will gain knowledge about different travel organizations, their diverse offerings and other travel-related organizations and products. You will understand how a travel product is created (transport, accommodation, entertainment (including contracts) in a safe and responsible manner. During this course, you will follow and analyse current events in the travel industry.

Inbound Tourism
During the course Inbound Tourism you will research the Netherlands as a tourist product. What makes Holland as a destination successful? Who's in charge to promote the Netherlands abroad and what are the backgrounds of the people visiting the Netherlands (leisure and business)? You will also learn more about Dutch culture and culture tourism in the Netherlands. Furthermore you will learn more about tourism and how we deal with different strategies in the Netherlands to spread the visitors.

Dutch Language and Culture
When in the Netherlands, you should definitely become immersed in the Dutch culture. That’s why we organise field trips during this course. Dutch is a unique language, therefore, we will introduce you to the basic knowledge of our language. We teach you the skills to get by day-to-day situations such as shopping and buying groceries; asking for, understanding and giving directions.

Introduction E-commerce
E-commerce is increasingly being used as a means to sell a product or service. But what exactly does e-commerce mean? What digital resources do companies have at their disposal? This course explores the field of online marketing and explains the basic concepts.

Students learn to view web shops and social media from a different role: not as a consumer, but as an entrepreneur. How do you ensure that customers notice your brand online, browse your site longer and make a purchase? How can orders be delivered and how do you ensure that the customer comes back?

The customer journey is central to this unit of study: from orientation to selection, purchase and use of products and services. This process is viewed from the perspective of a company that starts offering an online shop. From this perspective, all steps are taken for a successful introduction of e-commerce activities.
The explanation of concepts and technical terms is alternated with concrete practical.

General Management Challenge
In this module the basic principles of management will be highlighted, together with an externally sourced business simulation (Edumundo). Standard topics like the managerial environment, planning, strategy and innovation will be rolled out, but also areas like communication, operations, control and information management will pass in review. There will be an additional focus on the knowledge and skills required to efficiently handle teams in an international setting. The domestic and the international manager share many management challenges, and as such they will have to be prepared to tackle those in the process of becoming successful. For the international manager, factors like geographic, cultural, psychographic, economic and ethical aspects are more prominent than for his/her domestic colleague. Only the managers who are aware of the principles of management, who are technically proficient and who have the capabilities to successfully manage complex organizations, will be successful in their international endeavours.

Search Engine Marketing
No matter how good your website or web shop is, you will achieve little without visitors. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is an up-to-date and effective way to attract visitors to your website. A high search position makes your website visible to potential customers.

Search Engine Marketing is a combination of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Advertising (SEA) and data analysis (Google Analytics or similar). These three topics form the heart of the SEM course.

With SEM, you will be able to immediately put the theory learned into practice. You will have to choose an existing website for which SEO and SEA assignments are done. Teams of two students also have access to a real webshop on which SEO and SEA can be applied and monitored with Google Analytics.

International Business Landscape
The International Business Landscape course provides the student with an extensive, structured introduction to how the world of International Business works: who are the players? What are the rules? Who sets the agenda? How do the different elements relate to each other? For example, you will learn more about the political, economic and legal systems you have to deal with in the international market and you will learn more about the cultures, religions and languages that play a major role internationally.

Business Events
During the Business events course, we specifically look at (large) business events and the problems that sometimes arise. The course is tested with a practical assignment and a presentation. The practical assignment is a portfolio in which the students work out 4 different cases according to a template. These 4 cases are linked to the 4 different event formats within the business market: Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions.

Marketing
In this elective, the student gets to know and apply the basic elements of modern marketing. Marketing encompasses both strategic and operational skills. The student can obtain correct information that is important for the external analysis and recognizes which internal factors can influence the marketing policy and operational consequence. This course will teach you to set up a SWOT and to draw conclusions based on this SWOT for a situation that is not too complex. You will learn to add up a logical segmentation, select the most suitable segments and create an unambiguous value proposition (including the associated branding strategy).

Communication Skills
Communication is the purposeful conveying and understanding of messages, both orally and in writing. Communication is a fundamental skill, people cannot not communicate. Consciously and unconsciously they send and receive messages and thus create shared meaning. In addition to the content of the message, communication is always about the relationship between the participants. Growth in communication skills means that students are thereby gaining access to an increasingly large repertoire of communicative means and strategies and using them more and more appropriately. Students learn to increasingly consciously distinguish between communicative situations and goals, and to use communication means more deliberately. Communication Skills is a module in the context of general professional development. In addition to a number of (communicative) aspects, (professional) attitude is an essential part. In the module communication skills, general skills are taught that are applied in the sector-oriented modules and in the later work field.

Operations
Operations management is concerned with efficiently managing the resources, information and supply chain in order to (ultimately) deliver products and services that fit within the company strategy. During the operations elective, the student gains insight into organizational processes and how they relate to each other. Think, for example, of the administrative and logistics process. You will learn to analyse the processes in an organization in a structured way in order to design, manage and improve processes as efficiently and effectively as possible. While using the 4Ds of Operations Management (Direct, Design, Deliver and Develop), the student learns to analyse, develop and apply different types of processes and strategies, understand the role of innovation and implement improvements.

General Management Challenge
In this module the basic principles of management will be highlighted, together with an externally sourced business simulation (Edumundo). Standard topics like the managerial environment, planning, strategy and innovation will be rolled out, but also areas like communication, operations, control and information management will pass in review. There will be an additional focus on the knowledge and skills required to efficiently handle teams in an international setting. The domestic and the international manager share many management challenges, and as such they will have to be prepared to tackle those in the process of becoming successful. For the international manager, factors like geographic, cultural, psychographic, economic and ethical aspects are more prominent than for his/her domestic colleague. Only the managers who are aware of the principles of management, who are technically proficient and who have the capabilities to successfully manage complex organizations, will be successful in their international endeavours.

Sales Skills
During the Sales Skills course, the student works on his commercial skills. The student learns to recruit prospects, give a sales pitch, make an appointment, conduct a needs analysis, prepare a quotation, conduct a structured sales conversation, and negotiate and deal with complaints.

Dutch Language and Culture
When in the Netherlands, you should definitely become immersed in the Dutch culture. That’s why we organise field trips during this course. Dutch is a unique language, therefore, we will introduce you to the basic knowledge of our language. We teach you the skills to get by day-to-day situations such as shopping and buying groceries; asking for, understanding and giving directions.

Introduction Event Management
The student learns about the world of events in general. The student gets to know the important stakeholders with the associated working methods. Cases are studied and analysed.

The students develop a case in the initiative phase in which creativity, concepting, storytelling, venue & site selection play an important role. The student learns how an event concept is made and how it is elaborated in an event proposal.

The knowledge is assessed by a final exam

Hospitality Experience Management
The Hospitality Experience Management module will delve deeper into the hospitality model, where knowledge and skills on experience management and revenue management will help optimise the guest experience and maximise business revenue. This course ends with a final exam.

Public events: Spectacle for the masses
Focus on public events such as festivals, sporting events and cultural celebrations. Learn how to organise large-scale events that are safe, successful and memorable for a wide audience. Discover how to create an event that finds resonance with your target audience and makes a lasting impact.

This course is assessed through a practical assignment and a presentation involving a portfolio and weekly tasks.

Hospitality Leadership & Management
In this module, we take students into the world of Critical Process Indicators or Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and how to use them when making tactical decisions in a hotel. Students will learn which departments we distinguish within a hotel organisation and what data we use to make choices within these departments. At the end of the module, students will play the game HOTS. HOTS stands for "HOTel Simulation". This simulation game features an existing hotel that is in bad shape. Students will work in teams to formulate a strategy for the hotel and then translate it to the different departments in the hotel.

The whole exercise is tested with two reports. The first in which the student describes the situation encountered and the second in which the strategy to be followed, the KPIs and tactical decisions are explained. In addition to the two written reports, two presentations are also given. The first is an interim presentation in which the student explains how the first year went.

 After playing the game, a final presentation is given on how the progression of those KPIs was and what were notable moments in that progression. It should be presented how these moments arose (if that is clear) and what tactical decisions the student took as a result. The presentation should also include a reflection on the objectives set and whether or not they were achieved.

Dutch Language and Culture
When in the Netherlands, you should definitely become immersed in the Dutch culture. That’s why we organise field trips during this course. Dutch is a unique language, therefore, we will introduce you to the basic knowledge of our language. We teach you the skills to get by day-to-day situations such as shopping and buying groceries; asking for, understanding and giving directions.

Take your Business Abroad
The Take your business abroad course provides the student an extensive, structured introduction to the world of export strategy and management in the broad sense:

• How do you analyze whether your company is ready to enter the foreign market? How do you determine which export market is the most attractive for the company?
• Do you choose to embark on the export adventure alone or with a partner? How do you choose which product is most suitable for export?
• How do you determine whether the company needs to make adjustments to local location, product, pricing and personnel policies to match the reality of the export environment?

The knowledge gained in the model is tested through a final exam.

Finance and Stocks
Wall street, Shares, AEX, Hedge Funds, Trading, Bonds, Investing, Nasdaq, Options, Stocks, IPO, Financial Markets, Futures, Speculation, S&P 500…  We hear these terms every day but what do they mean and how do the financial markets actually work? 

During this minor you will learn about the world of high finance. You will learn what the financial markets are, why they exist and how they are structured. You will also learn what products are traded and how you can trade them. Since the only way to really learn is to do something. This course requires you to actually trade these instruments on the financial markets with real data and decisions, but with a dummy account. You will be in competition with your fellow TIO students to see who can make the most money. This way you are able to take theoretical knowledge you learn and directly apply and test it in the real markets but without the risk of going broke. The course always adapts to the financial news in the world from that semester and therefore relies heavily on financial news sites, stock information sites and any other sources providing trading information. The financial markets never sleep. Do you have the brains to beat the market? 

This course is graded based on a practical assignment.

T-Challenge
T-Challenge is an online business game whereby you will practise and learn skills in the field of entrepreneurship and management awareness. In this management game, you will become a member of the management team of a business with disappointing results. The task of you and your team is to build a successful company within 2 years (8 quarters)  by making decisions with regard to Finance, HRM, logistics and production.

During this course you will play the game and analyse the company you manage, which will result in a logbook (which you have to upload each week), a final report and a presentation.

International Leadership
A practical, applicative knowledge about this theoretical area, focused on the practice of international leadership. The theoretical concepts are enriched with a look at leadership styles and with management theories, skills and trends, such as Managerial Planning, Goal Setting, Strategy Formulation and Execution and Managerial Decision Making. By combining these, this course shifts the focus to the importance of developing knowledge and skills that lead to efficiently dealing with teams in an international context. The starting point is a global analysis of the factors that influence international business.

This course concludes in an final exam.

City Marketing
In this City Marketing module the student will approach this area of events from a marketing and tourism perspective of a city, region or destination. City marketing is increasingly important for the (economic) strategy of cities and regions to improve attractiveness.  The aim is not only on tourists and visitors, but also focused on other customer groups like residents, students, entrepreneurs and investors.  In this module the student will learn to provide a recommendation using the city marketing planning process to administrators of cities and regions about their destination marketing policy.

The knowledge gained is tested through a practical assignment.

Sustainability & Global Citizenship
We are at a crucial crossroads: protecting our planet is not optional, but an urgent necessity for future generations to experience a pristine and diverse world. As key players in one of the world's most impactful economic sectors, tourism professionals have not only an ethical, but also a moral obligation to make sustainability a priority. In the Sustainability & Global Citizenship module, students dive deep into the critical aspects of sustainable tourism. In doing so, they gain insight into advanced concepts, principles, real-world practical examples and indispensable management tools. The goal? Capacitate them to implement tangible sustainability solutions in the tourism industry.

This module offers a holistic approach focused on the triptych of "People, Planet, Profit. These pillars underscore the industry's deep-seated responsibility to be more than just an industry-but a catalyst for positive change. Students will explore how tourism companies can exert their influence to put local communities at the centre. What does ethical and profitable tourism mean for local people? How do we encourage a new generation of tourists dedicated to leaving a positive environmental and social footprint?

Sustainable tourism is more than a strategy; it is a heritage that we pass on to future generations. Therefore, we also discuss the crucial role of "global citizenship," and how to make a substantial, positive impact as a tourism professional.

This course concludes in a final exam.

Destination management
The Destination Management module is all about putting a destination on the map. Whether it's a country, a region or a natural area. Who does that? What is the role of a Destination Management Organization (DMO)? How does it differ from Destination Marketing? What actually makes a destination so successful? And what steps do you follow to put such a destination plan together?

During this module, a (long-term!) destination plan is written for a destination of your choice. Through various theoretical models and processes, answers are formulated to the following questions:

• Where does the destination stand now?
• Where does the destination want to go?
• How can you achieve this?
• How can you control it?

Current trends are analyzed and the market is explored. Which persona fits the destination? Who are all actually involved (stakeholders) in managing a destination and what interests do they have? After creating a vision, mission and goals for the destination, a plan of action is created with an accompanying marketing plan. How do you position the destination, what image do you want to build? How do you turn tourism at a destination into a thriving industry that benefits visitors, residents and local businesses alike?  

This course is graded based on a practical assignment.

Tourism Destinations World
The Tourism Destinations World module introduces the student to travel destinations outside Europe. From different angles tourist destinations outside Europe are showcased while also providing insight into the topography of these destinations. Among other things, the following aspects of tourist destinations outside Europe are examined: location, accessibility, highlights with regard to sights, target groups, tourist infrastructure, tourist capacity, USPs, phase of development, opportunities and threats and the impact of the corona crisis.

This course is graded on a practical assignment.

Dutch Language and Culture
When in the Netherlands, you should definitely become immersed in the Dutch culture. That’s why we organise field trips during this course. Dutch is a unique language, therefore, we will introduce you to the basic knowledge of our language. We teach you the skills to get by day-to-day situations such as shopping and buying groceries; asking for, understanding and giving directions.

Global HRM
The module Global Human Resource Management provides students with an introduction to the daily tools and skills they will need to function as successful managers in both human resources and business in general. Providing wide international coverage and incorporating a global strategy perspective, it offers a particular focus on the fundamentals of international human resources management and strategy, workforce planning, training & development, recruitment, talent management, performance management, career development, compensation & benefits, employee and labour relations, employee engagement, health & safety and global HR challenges. It also highlights the introduction of innovative technologies and social media platforms, and the positive impacts technology has had on the HR field, including outsourcing. With a clear focus on emerging industry trends, this module gives students everything they need to become successful managers and leaders in a global business environment. This module forms an integral part of the International Business Studies curriculum, together with other modules where international leadership, organisational behaviour, international career management, business management and cross-cultural awareness are highlighted. 

This course concludes in a final exam.

Operations
Operations management is concerned with efficiently managing the resources, information and supply chain in order to (ultimately) deliver products and services that fit within the company strategy. In the Operations Management module, the student gains insight into organizational processes and how they relate to each other. Think, for example, of the administrative and logistical process. The student learns to analyse the processes in an organization in a structured way in order to design, manage and improve processes as efficiently and effectively as possible. Using the 4Ds of Operations Management (Direct, Design, Deliver and Develop), the student learns to analyse, develop and apply different types of processes and strategies, understand the role of innovation and implement improvements.

The course is assessed with a written open-book exam in case form.

Hospitality Leadership & Management
In this course, we take students into the world of Critical Process Indicators or Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and how to use them when making tactical decisions in a hotel. Students will learn which departments we distinguish within a hotel organisation and what data we use to make choices within these departments. At the end of the module, students will play the game HOTS. HOTS stands for "HOTel Simulation". This simulation game features an existing hotel that is in bad shape. Students will work in teams to formulate a strategy for the hotel and then translate it to the different departments in the hotel.

The whole exercise is tested with two reports. The first in which the student describes the situation encountered and the second in which the strategy to be followed, the KPIs and tactical decisions are explained. In addition to the two written reports, two presentations are also given. The first is an interim presentation in which the student explains how the first year went. After playing the game, a final presentation is given on how the progression of those KPIs was and what were notable moments in that progression. It should be presented how these moments arose (if that is clear) and what tactical decisions the student took as a result. The presentation should also include a reflection on the objectives set and whether or not they were achieved.

Public Events
Learn how to organise large-scale events that are safe, successful and memorable for a wide audience. Discover how to create an event that finds resonance with your target audience and makes a lasting impact.

This module is assessed through a practical assignment and a presentation involving a portfolio and weekly tasks.

Online Presence
Within the Commercial Economics and Entrepreneurship course of study, an important part must be devoted to digital skills, techniques and applications. The internet, and a website in particular, plays a major role in this. Roughly three phases can be identified: the surfing (searching) audience, the website/store and conversion, fulfillment and retention. The Digital Startup module includes the entire business plan, the DIM module describes the entire process, the Search Engine Marketing module teaches how to attract and optimize visitors and the Online Presence module teaches about creating an online presence. The e-commerce modules delve deeper into the tactical and strategic significance of the online presence and trends.

The grading is done based on two assignments.