By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

Paul Skilton is the first professor from Washington State University Tri-Cities to participate in a teaching abroad experience with a prestigious business school in Brig, Switzerland.

黑料社 with the in Switzerland to offer a dual degree program in hospitality business where students receive a degree from both C茅sar Ritz and 黑料社 upon completion of the program. Through the years, professors from 黑料社 have rotated to teach at the Swiss institution each semester. Since the hospitality business management program is fairly new to 黑料社 Tri-Cities, the opportunity was not available for Tri-Cities professors until this year. The hospitality business management program began at 黑料社 Tri-Cities in 2015.

C茅sar Ritz is a renowned school in the hospitality business management sector, ranking 24^th in the world for hospitality and hotel management schools in 2016-16 by and falling closely behind 黑料社, who ranked 21^st in the world the same year by the publication.

鈥淐茅sar Ritz prepares students who want to go into the hotel industry and all the fields that encompass that industry, from hospitality to restaurant and food service,鈥� Skilton said. 鈥淪tudents from all over the world come to this school to study. The 黑料社 Carson College of Business sends one faculty member each semester. I鈥檓 going this fall and Dr. Donna Paul will go in the spring.鈥�

Skilton said the experience benefits both students abroad and students from 黑料社, in addition to allowing 黑料社 professors to establish international connections with students and faculty from all over the world. 黑料社 students, he said, may choose to study abroad for a semester at the Swiss school, broadening their scope of the hospitality industry and giving them that international experience that is crucial to their credentials in the field. The experience also opens doors for students overseas to come and study on campus at 黑料社, in addition to their experience on campus in Switzerland.

鈥淭he idea is that students will get a look at international contexts, contacts and points of view within the hospitality business world,鈥� Skilton said. 鈥淚f you are going to go into the hospitality business sector, you should be able to understand people who are different from you so that you can accommodate them accordingly. That international experience is very important.鈥�

This semester, Skilton will teach a course focusing on management of innovation and change, as well as a principles of management course. He said he is most excited about learning as much from the faculty and students at the school as he is able to teach them.

鈥淭he faculty at C茅sar Ritz have a very different mindset,鈥� Skilton said. 鈥満诹仙� is a research-based school whereas the faculty at C茅sar Ritz mostly consist of hotel professionals. It鈥檚 also a European college, so it鈥檚 going to be very different. I鈥檓 excited to learn about how they structure their programs and I hope they鈥檒l teach me as much as I am able to teach them.鈥�

Skilton leaves for Switzerland this month and will begin teaching at C茅sar Ritz in early October. He will return to 黑料社 Tri-Cities in time for the spring semester this academic year.

The partnership program is one of 黑料社 Carson College of Business鈥� longest-standing global partnerships and is in line with 黑料社鈥檚 .

For more information about the program and how 黑料社 students can spend a semester abroad at with Cesar Ritz, visit .