AIVA, the International Wine Academy, is a higher education institution located in Alsace, near Strasbourg, dedicated to the wine, beer, and spirits industries. From short courses to MBAs, it provides practical training, closely connected to the field and industry professionals.
The Grand Est region is one of the major wine-growing regions of France and its central geographical location in Europe makes it a privileged place to create an institute of international scope.
The International Wine Academy in Alsace (AIVA) was born from the initiative of enthusiasts and the combined will of a region and a wine-growing profession looking towards the future.
With his thirty years of experience as a business leader in the wine industry, it became necessary for Dominique Destouches and his professional partners to to align training with the reality of the evolution of the wine industry and the wine trade.
It was in 2015 that Dominique Destouches launches a Business school dedicated to wines and spirits and partnered with others to launch the project. That year, he met Marc Rinaldi, He too is a long-time enthusiast of vines and wine and Sun Chenking, entrepreneur. Together, they have accumulated more than sixty businesses to their credit as winemaker, creator, builder, craftsman, buyer, manager, trader, wine merchant, merchant, importer and exporter.
The pooling of their skills led to the creation of the International Wine Academy in 2017. Very quickly, stakeholders from the Grand-Est region and hundreds of winegrowers, traders, distributors, wine merchants, hypermarkets and supermarkets, shops, restaurateurs and other professionals from France and around the world joined the project.
AIVA also has direct links with various universities, including the University of Lorraine. In 2018, foreign companies and universities joined the Academy, and numerous partnerships with Canada, China, the United States, Mali, Senegal, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and others have contributed to the desired international dimension.
Major players in the wine world, such as the school's godmothers and godfathers, invest themselves each year to improve the degree programs by giving their vision and relevance.
The International Wine Academy offers high-quality theoretical and practical training, enabling students to find their way among the professions offered by the wine, beer and spirits industries: Viticulture, Winemaking, Sommelier Studies, Beer Studies, Management, Marketing, Communication, Administration and Sales.
All degree programs include periods of immersion in companies which are an integral part of the individual tutored project.
The pedagogy is based on "learning by doing" and on the observation that "the classroom is not the end point of knowledge, but the starting point".
The stated desire to link theory to practice is reflected in the cooperation of recognized professionals and highly involved partner academics.
AIVA is the school that offers the largest number of wines from around the world tasted per course, allowing students to sharpen their knowledge.
AIVA places each student at the center of their project by helping them from the first contacts to define their personal and professional project.
AIVA is a teaching and administrative team that listens to the needs of students throughout their studies to allow them to receive tailored support and guidance.
Teamwork, initiative and creativity are encouraged by group work with students from all over the world and by their being welcomed into an innovative structure.
AIVA offers a dynamic and inspiring study environment: classrooms, tasting rooms, relaxation rooms, a gym, an amphitheater, a restaurant… provide an exceptional setting totally dedicated to studious studies.
The spirit of teamwork finds a serene space for the development of each individual.
AIVA's premises are fully equipped to accommodate a person with a disability. If your situation requires specific adjustments or training, please do not hesitate to contact Sophie de Boisvilliers., disability liaison at AIVA school.
AIVA is located at Landersheim Near Strasbourg, at the gateway to the Alsatian vineyards and its renowned Wine Route, its central location in Europe, close to the borders of Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Switzerland, makes it the ideal place to establish an internationally renowned wine training academy. AIVA offers a dynamic and inspiring learning environment in a haven of tranquility and greenery.
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Tasting courses, open days, graduation ceremonies: discover the daily life of the Academy.
