Środki wsparcia z Unii Europejskiej a diagnoza potrzeb edukacyjnych i rozwój innowacyjnych form kształcenia dla branży turystycznej

The paper presents a diagnosis of teachers’ educational needs and employers’ expectations with reference to future employees in the tourist field. The authors show how European Union funds have been applied for tourist field development through innovative vocational practicums for tourist school teachers, as well as substantial and language training for employees in the tourist services sector. Also, results are presented of research and training projects supporting educational processes in the tourist field; the projects were performed by the Lower Silesian Chamber of Commerce and the Regional School of Tourism in Polanica-Zdrój, Poland, in years 2009–2013, within three projects financed by the European Social Fund for years 2007–2013: ‘The diagnosis of educational needs in the field of vocational schools for hotel industry and gastronomy in Lower Silesia,’ ‘Improving the quality of vocational education in the hotel and gastronomy field in Lower Silesia,’ and ‘Academy of Hotel, Restaurant, and Resort Fields: complex training to improve employees’ professional and language qualifications.