close
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author or authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Foundation for the Development of the Education System. Neither the European Union nor the entity providing the grant can be held responsible for them.

Competence Framework and Curriculum

The Succession Readiness Competence Framework and Curriculum is a project output aimed at strengthening business continuity, supporting effective ownership transfer, and building confidence in succession planning within the tourism sector, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The framework responds to critical challenges such as aging business owner populations, skills gaps in succession planning, and the need for structured knowledge transfer. It provides a comprehensive, research-informed framework that integrates essential competence areas—leadership transition, financial and legal planning, intergenerational communication, and long-term business sustainability—to guide vocational education and training (VET) providers in equipping hospitality professionals with succession management capabilities.

Our vision

To build a tourism sector where: 

  • Business owners prepare for succession proactively and strategically
  • Successors are equipped with knowledge, skills and confidence to lead
  • Generational ownership transitions happen smoothly and sustainably
  • Businesses maintain continuity, resilience and growth through transition periods into partner languages. The Framework and Curriculum are developed in parallel, ensuring constant alignment and relevance to SME succession needs.

Why it matters

Tourism businesses worldwide face a critical succession challenge. Many owner-managers lack formal succession planning, creating risks to business continuity. Successors often lack the competencies needed to manage financial planning, legal transitions, leadership responsibility, and stakeholder communication. Without structured support, businesses face closure or underperformance during ownership transfer. 

  • The Succession Readiness Framework addresses these gaps by providing:
  • Clear guidance on essential competencies for business handover
  • Structured approaches to financial, legal and operational planning
  • Strategies for effective intergenerational communication
  • Practical tools and resources for VET educators and advisors

Who is it for

The Framework and the Curriculum is tailored for:

VET Providers & Educators

with modular, flexible teaching resources for succession planning education 

Tourism SME Owners & Successors

with hands-on tools, planning templates and guidance for business transfer 

Business Advisors & Consultants

with structured frameworks and curriculum to support clients through succession 

Policy Makers & Industry Stakeholders

with insights and evidence to inform succession support policy and initiatives

What you’ll find

A Competence Framework outlining essential knowledge, skills and behaviors for effective business handover in tourism, including leadership transition, financial and legal planning, intergenerational communication and business continuity
A Modular Curriculum for teaching succession readiness in diverse learning settings – classroom, blended and self-directed
Research-Based Insights from tourism stakeholders and sector analysis, ensuring practical, relevant guidance
Practical Toolkits and Resources for VET providers, advisors and SMEs to support structured succession planning

Competence Framework

Curriculum

The framework forms the basis for the project's learning materials and supports VET providers, advisors and SMEs in teaching succession in a structured way, helping businesses prepare earlier, plan realistically and transfer ownership with greater confidence.

What the curriculum offers

  • Modular learning structures built around four business transition phases
  • Learning aims, learning outcomes and competence framework alignment
  • Case studies, work-based tasks and practical exercises
  • Reflection questions and trainer guidance
  • Tools and templates SMEs can apply to their own business

Each module carries an indicative workload of 12 to 15 hours (0.5 ECTS) at EQF Level 4 or 5, and can be delivered face to face, online, blended, work based or self-paced.

menu