Kennesaw State University and AURO University Partner to Shape Global Hospitality Leaders

Kennesaw State University and AURO University Partner to Shape Global Hospitality Leaders

By Author

Published on October 5, 2023

The global hospitality industry is poised for significant growth by 2027, but it also faces a severe staffing shortage. To tackle this challenge head-on, Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia, has joined hands with India's AURO University. Together, they aim to equip students with the skills needed to meet the global demands of the hospitality sector.

Recently, Kennesaw State and AURO University formalized their partnership with an agreement. This collaboration will involve faculty and student exchanges between the hospitality management programs at both institutions throughout the year. These exchanges will offer students from India and the U.S. valuable international insights into the hospitality industry, fostering cross-cultural awareness.

Robin Cheramie, Dean of the Michael J. Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State, emphasized the global nature of the hospitality industry, stating, "Almost any organization our students work for will have international guests and clients or will operate in multiple countries. Partnering with AURO means our students will be better able to compete in the global marketplace."

Leaders from both universities gathered at Kennesaw State to formalize this partnership. Among them were H.P. Rama, Founder and President of AURO University, Suresh Mathur, AURO's Chief Operating Officer, and Leonard Jackson, Director of Kennesaw State's Hospitality Management program.

AURO University, established in 2011 by H.P. Rama, who is also the founding chairman of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association and current chairman of Auro Hotels, has earned a global reputation for producing quality hospitality professionals. AURO students in the hospitality program already undertake a one-year internship in the U.S. as part of their studies. With this partnership, these students will spend part of their time at Kennesaw's campus, interacting with peers, faculty, and gaining insights into the Metro Atlanta hospitality industry.

H.P. Rama highlighted the significance of this partnership, emphasizing that it goes beyond academic knowledge. He stated that students and faculty from both institutions would gain a deep understanding of cross-cultural values and diverse experiences. He also mentioned that the collaboration extends to Auro Hotels in the United States and India.

This partnership is a two-way street, allowing Kennesaw State students to visit India. The hospitality management faculty is planning an education abroad experience to India for Spring 2024. During this program, students will visit AURO's campus in Gujarat, Surat, and explore the surrounding region.

In addition to student exchanges, the agreement includes faculty exchanges. Both institutions are developing virtual and in-person exchanges, where faculty will share ideas on incorporating global perspectives into their teaching. Furthermore, there is interest in expanding these exchanges to include students and faculty from other disciplines.

With the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India projecting a shortage of 150,000 skilled workers in the luxury hotel market alone by 2029, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association reporting that 81 percent of hotel owners struggle to fill open positions, there's a bright future for well-trained, globally-focused hospitality professionals. The partnership between Kennesaw State University and AURO University positions students from both institutions to excel as leaders in this thriving industry.

AURO University, Surat, is one of the fastest-growing universities in Gujarat, inspired by the vision and teachings of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh and The Divine Mother. It offers programs in Business, Hospitality Management, Law, Information Technology, Design, Journalism & Mass Communication, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and Sri Aurobindo Integral Life Centre (SAILC). For more information, please visit AURO University's website.


Hafele Smart Locks Bring Flexible Access to Homes and Hotels

Hafele Smart Locks Bring Flexible Access to Homes and Hotels

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 19, 2026

Hafele is bringing greater flexibility to access management with its smart locking solutions designed for modern residential, hospitality and commercial spaces. The Hafele Nexus Lock and Hafele Prolock PL200 combine security, convenience and contemporary design to address different access requirements.

For hotels and hospitality establishments, the Hafele Prolock PL200 is designed to simplify guest access while offering property managers greater control over entry. With its smart functionality and durable design, the lock provides a practical option for hotels and commercial spaces looking to streamline access management while supporting a convenient guest experience.

For residential use, the Hafele Nexus Lock offers homeowners different ways to manage entry without sharing a physical key or compromising their primary access code. The Permanent Password can be used by regular users, while the Period Password allows guests to access the property within a defined time period.

For short visits, homeowners can generate a Dynamic Password through the Hafele Smart Living App. This password remains valid for five minutes, providing a convenient option for temporary access while allowing homeowners to maintain greater control over entry.

By offering different access options for different situations, Hafele's smart locks move beyond conventional locking systems. Users can manage who enters a space, when access is permitted and how long temporary access remains valid.

With the Nexus Lock and Prolock PL200, Hafele continues to address the changing needs of modern homes, hotels and commercial environments through access solutions that combine technology, functionality and thoughtful design.

To find the nearest Hafele showroom or design centre, visit the official Hafele India contact page: Hafele India Contact Us.


Kaapi Machines Launches Kaapi One to Simplify Coffee Equipment Journey

Kaapi Machines Launches Kaapi One to Simplify Coffee Equipment Journey

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 11, 2026

Kaapi Machines has launched Kaapi One, a digital platform designed to make the coffee equipment journey simpler, more connected and transparent for customers. The platform brings together service, equipment information, orders, learning and support, giving coffee businesses a streamlined way to manage their relationship with their equipment.

As India’s coffee ecosystem continues to evolve, equipment ownership goes beyond the initial purchase and installation. Timely service, maintenance, access to information and ongoing technical support are important for keeping coffee operations running smoothly. Kaapi One brings these interactions together on a single platform, making them easier for customers to access and manage.

The platform was launched around International Coffee Day 2026, reflecting Kaapi Machines’ focus on using technology to strengthen the overall coffee ecosystem and enhance the experience of coffee businesses beyond the point of sale.

Service remains a key part of the Kaapi One experience. Customers can raise service requests directly through the app, track their progress, view status updates, see the engineer assigned to a request and access service information and records. This provides greater visibility into the service process and reduces the need for repeated follow-ups.

Beyond service, Kaapi One connects customers to the wider Kaapi ecosystem. Users can discover new equipment launches, access orders and machine information, explore coffee training and learning opportunities, and find solutions for different business formats, including cafés, hotels, offices, bakeries, QSRs and cloud kitchens.

The app works alongside Kaapi Machines’ existing network of engineers, technical expertise and after-sales support. While technology adds another layer of accessibility and transparency, the human expertise behind the service remains central to the customer experience.

Kaapi One reflects a broader move towards making equipment ownership more seamless while keeping coffee businesses connected to the information, services and support they need throughout their equipment journey.

Through Kaapi One, customers can:

  • Discover new equipment launches.

  • Access their orders and machine information.

  • Raise and track service requests.

  • Follow service updates.

  • Access coffee training and learning opportunities.

  • Explore solutions for their business requirements.


Miele Showcases Smarter Home Appliances at IFA 2026

Miele Showcases Smarter Home Appliances at IFA 2026

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 10, 2026

Miele presented its latest home appliance innovations at IFA 2026 under the motto “The end of housework is in sight”, showcasing how intelligent technology can make everyday tasks easier. The company introduced the G8 Diamond dishwasher, the AI-based CulinaryCoach in the Miele App, an expanded W2/T2 laundry care range and the Cary concept study, with a focus on reducing household work and simplifying everyday decisions.

For 127 years, Miele has focused on making people's lives better by gradually reducing the effort involved in housework. From mechanising physically demanding tasks to introducing automatic programmes and dispensing systems, the company has continued to develop appliances that recognise situations and respond to users' needs. Its latest approach focuses on making technology more capable while keeping it simple to use.

"Our customers shouldn't have to be experts in programmes or functions. The expertise has to sit in the appliance," says Dr. Reinhard Zinkann, Executive Director and Co-Proprietor of Miele. "The more decisions technology takes off our hands, the more important trust in the result becomes. Real relief comes when technology takes over the tasks and decisions we'd rather not deal with in everyday life. That's exactly what we mean when we say: the end of housework is in sight."

In the kitchen, Miele's CulinaryCoach in the Miele App aims to make cooking easier by combining artificial intelligence with the company's recipe and appliance expertise. The assistant answers questions about food preparation and can transfer suitable settings directly to a Miele oven. It helps users choose the right operating mode, temperature and cooking time for familiar recipes as well as new dishes.

The company also introduced the G8 Diamond, the top-of-the-range model in its new dishwasher generation. An integrated camera identifies the load level and types of dishes inside the appliance, allowing it to adjust the wash cycle accordingly. The dishwasher automatically dispenses the required amount of detergent, while its newly developed hot-air drying system aims to deliver dry dishes, including plastic items.

Through the Miele App, users can also set personal preferences, such as allowing the dishwasher to start only when it is 80 per cent full and after 10 pm. With these features, users can load the dishwasher, close the door and let the appliance handle the rest.

"Technology shouldn't make extra demands on us in everyday life; it should give us back time and attention for other things," says Dr. Markus Miele, Executive Director and Co-Proprietor of Miele. "With the CulinaryCoach and the G8 Diamond, we show two different ways to achieve this: providing guidance during cooking and taking over tasks and decisions after the meal."

Beyond the kitchen, Miele also expanded its W2/T2 laundry care generation at IFA 2026. Following the introduction of the top-of-the-range W2/T2 Nova Edition models at the beginning of last year, the company added further appliance classes while maintaining a uniform design language. Convenience features from its top-of-the-range models will also become available in other appliances in the future.

The new laundry care range is designed to help users select suitable wash cycles according to fabric types and load sizes, dispense detergent automatically, make drying easier and care for clothes gently. These features aim to reduce the number of settings users need to manage while helping them keep their favourite clothes in good condition for longer.

Miele also presented Cary, a concept study exploring the future of laundry care. Modern washing machines offer more than a million possible combinations involving programmes, temperatures, spin speeds, additional functions and detergents. Cary aims to simplify this process by using intelligent sensors and AI to identify textile types and colours, then adjust the programme and detergent dosage accordingly.

The concept reflects Miele's vision of making laundry care simpler, allowing users to load their clothes and press start without needing expert knowledge of washing machine settings.

"Intelligence can be programmed. Trust has to be earned," says Dr. Axel Kniehl, Executive Director Marketing & Sales at Miele. "AI is increasingly becoming the standard. The crucial question, therefore, is whether people will entrust their laundry to the technology; here, quality, reliability and 127 years of experience make the difference – all bundled at the touch of a button. This creates more time for the truly important things in everyday life and in the current times of mental overload."

Through its latest products and concepts, Miele highlighted how intelligent appliances can take over more household tasks and reduce the decisions involved in cooking, dishwashing and laundry care.

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