We have participated in the final conference for the ESF project “RCK VirtuOS – establishing a regional center of competence in the tourism and hospitality sector”, held by the Hospitality and Tourism School Osijek (UTŠO) and financed by EU funds. Through this project, valued at 9.4 million euros, the goal is to improve the quality of education in the tourism and hospitality sector by establishing a place of excellence – RCK VirtuOS, through strengthening the competencies of educational workers and implementing new and modernized educational programs that will contribute to the alignment with the labor market needs, enhancing practical knowledge and skills, and increasing employability in those sectors.
All conference attendees had the opportunity to test their hospitality skills within five virtual educational environments in our VR corner. Culinary high school students, professional chefs like Ivan Đukić, and the general public could try their hand at skills like steak preparation, flambéing, proper wine pouring, coffee preparation, and table setting presented by the head of the VR department, Aleksandar Popović.
With the project's successful conclusion and our commitment to integrating cutting-edge technologies, UTŠO has gained the status of a regional center of competence, a recognition that has now been extended for an additional five years. We eagerly anticipate continued collaboration and further development of digital solutions, aiming to transform and elevate educational standards in professions experiencing a significant labor shortage.
Finally, we would like to thank UTŠO and all other partners and schools who participated in this conference, and especially the team members who presented our digital solutions.