The project “Developing competences for the tourism of the future” intends to facilitate the transition from school to real active life for 15 students, who study tourism and catering at „Ion Ghica” Economic College, and who will develop the competences of delivering basic and supplementary hospitality services at a European level, at present, but also for the future, as a result of a practice training placement which will take place in different tourism and catering companies in London: Ace Café London, Bedford Arms Hotel, Berjaya Eden Park Hotel, Best Western Cumberland Hotel, Café Piccolo, Crown Plaza Ealing, Grim’s Dyke Hotel, Harrow Hotel, Holiday Inn Elstree, Intercontinental Hotel, Jurys Inn Watford Hotel. The general objective of the project is to develop the competences of organizing and running activities in hotels, for the students in tourism and catering domain, to facilitate their transition from school to present active life, but also on long term. The specific objectives subordinated to the general aim are: developing competences of meeting, hosting and offering supplementary services through a European practical training placement, for a number of 15 students studying tourism and catering; facilitating the transition from school to active life for 15 students in the domain of tourism and catering through a practical training placement which opens for them a big range of opportunities of getting a job; developing the students’ linguistic competences regarding hospitality; knowing, understanding and accepting the present and future European entrepreneurial and cultural diversity. The participants are 15 students from tourism and catering base domain, general training domain: tourism who will finish the Xth grade, 2nd qualification level by an integrated practical training stage, in 22.06 - 5.07. 2015. Along the two weeks of practical training in the hotels and tourism agencies chosen by our partner, ADC College, the participants will work for 10 days, 6 hours a day, under the supervision of the tutors named by ADC College and the tourism companies, and of the Romanian monitor, but they will also participate in cultural and socializing activities. The project management is assured by a team of 4 teachers from "Ion Ghica" Economic College. They come with their experience in this domain and by using the Gantt diagram, they intend to coordinate, monitor and evaluate as efficiently as possible, students’ training activities , evaluation and certification of the stage and the acquired competences, of the partnership established in the project framework, but also of the dissemination and publicity activities which will take place. The expected results of the project are: - professional level: 15 students from the domain tourism and catering will be able to meet the tourists and to offer them services according to their wishes and demands, but also according to the professional standards specific to this domain. - linguistic level: 15 students from the domain tourism and catering will be able to have a professional conversation with different types of clients in English, getting accustomed to the speciality terms; - social and cultural level: 15 students will integrate in an environment that is specific for the international hospitality industry and they will socialize with persons belonging to another culture and civilization, understanding and practising the principle of ethnical and cultural diversity; - personal level: 15 students will be able to create and maintain professional relationships with clients and colleagues, they willl practise conflict and expectations management techniques, thus developing their life skills, 15 students will get certificates of attendance at the European professional practical training placement and Europass mobility certificates. We consider that this project will contribute mainly to attracting European funds for the professional development of the future labour force in tourism , at the level of the local, national and even international community. It will ensure the broadening of the professional, cultural and spiritual horizon of the participants, but indirectly of the persons they get into contact at a local level. It will open a bridge for future cooperation with other schools with the same profile in the county, region or at a national level. It will create a competition among the high schools in our town and in Bacau county to identify the best alternatives of running practical training stages in the country or abroad. Romanian students’ preparation and getting accustomed to the hospitality industry in UK enable a faster integration of the future graduates on the free European labour market. Thus they find out about the realities of European markets, EU clients demands, and the percentage of persons who cannot adapt and generate negative image and perception effects will be reduced.