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Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne is globally renowned for its top quality hospitality training and sees flocks of international student applicants each year. Here’s what you need to know about their awesome Bachelor of Hospitality Management.
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne’s Bachelor in International Hospitality Management is one the most sought-after undergraduate hospitality degrees in the world. Students travel from all over the globe to study Hospitality Management in Lausanne, the beautiful lakeside town in Switzerland.
If you want to study abroad and pursue a career in this field, why not go big? Having the opportunity to study in Europe is pretty big. Studying in multilingual Switzerland will not only give you an international experience, but training that will have a striking influence on your career.
The 4-Year Bachelor in International Hospitality Management
The Bachelor programme at EHL requires 4 years of full-time study. Here’s what you can expect from the degree and course content.
Preparatory Year: Immersion in the World of Hospitality & an Operations Internship
This prep year is all about getting students immersed in the world of hospitality as well as skilled in EHL’s service excellence and culinary art. You’ll get exposure to various tasks relating to hotel and catering worlds specifically. To get a good understanding of various managerial responsibilities, you’ll be involved in
- working in facilities such as the reception, laundry, bakery, and bar
- organising banquets
- working in EHL’s gastronomic restaurant
- studying academic subjects like Food Science and Oenology
- completing a 6-month operation internship
Get more info on the Prep Year.
Year 1: Fundamentals of Hospitality Management
In Year 1, you’ll focus on fundamental management concepts that are particularly important to master as a hospitality manager. You’ll develop interpersonal and important leadership skills, which include decision-making in a business and managerial context.
Among other fields of study, you’ll explore
- accounting
- economics
- marketing
- human resources
- legal risk
- operational management
- academic writing
- communication skills
Get more info on Year 1.
Year 2 : Skills Enhancement & Management Internship
Year 2 is split into two distinct semesters:
In the first semester you’ll build on all the knowledge and skills you acquired in Year 1, continuing the same fields of study on a more advanced level. You’ll be exploring these subjects with a strong focus on teamwork – since working with other people will be an integral part of your future career in hospitality. Having exposure to teamwork will set you in good stead for the future.
In the second semester, it’s time to plunge into the work environment. You’ll complete a 6-month internship, either in administration or management. The hands-on experience can involve working in areas like marketing, finance, HR, or events management, to name some examples. Interning in either the administration or management field is beneficial, leading up to the end of your studies. You’ll need this practical experience to do well in your final year of study.
Get more info on Year 2.
Year 3 : Integration & Final Degree Project
This is the year where everything comes together and you apply everything you learnt in the first three years of your degree. Your final year is also split into two semesters.
In the first semester, various hands-on work opportunities await you, and you’ll be completing tasks in close collaboration with industry experts.
In the second semester you’ll complete a selection of 6-week elective courses – you get to choose the ones that interest you most. Once those are done, you’ll spend 10 weeks on your final degree project, before completing your degree. For this final degree topic, students can choose to either do a Student-Business Project, or an Individual Applied Research Project.
Get more info on Year 3.
International EHL Students – A Chat with Alice and Karim
You can find out a lot about what it’s like to study at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne by browsing through their website and reading the course brochures.
However, the best way to find out about any institution is, of course, by hearing what the students have to say. Nothing beats first-hand experience and feedback.
Alice Zhongqin GAN is in her final year at EHL. She is a Chinese international student who went to study abroad to seek out a brand new experience, language, and international environment. The EHL ambassador says she chose EHL in specific, because
“EHL is the best in the hospitality field, and hospitality has always been my ultimate dream. Coming to EHL was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
American-Lebanese EHL student and EHL ambassador Karim Karouni notes how part of what influenced his choice to study at EHL was Switzerland’s excellent quality of life, and wanting to challenge himself to aim for the top of the crop.
In terms of the course work, Alice points out how the workload is quite intense (no less than 8 hours a day).
“From Year 2, you study up to 10 different subjects in different fields – finance, HR, business, legal risk, etc. We have around 6 hours of class on a daily basis. On top of that, you have group meetings, 2-3 nights with committee friends, a few hundred pages of readings per week, and several presentations.”
It’s clear that EHL is a place for the ambitious, and for students who are truly passionate about hospitality and working with many, many different people. Alice mentions how students easily come across 20 different cultures and nationalities during the course of a regular day. She points out, though, that all students generally speak fluent English.
FYI: Even if you do the English stream at EHL, you will get French lessons. Not only will you need this for your career, but as a student in Lausanne, it will come in handy for day to day activities, such as buying groceries.
At first, she experienced pressure due to the workload, and faced a bit of a culture shock, but she says that with the help of her friends and teammates, she surpassed that stage easily.
“Everybody is super friendly and willing to share and adapt to cultural differences.”
Karim describes how the campus atmosphere is very friendly and open, pointing out,
“I had the chance to work in a team of 12 students with 12 nationalities and found it fascinating to work in such a group dynamic.
Both students have also embraced Switzerland’s central location, travelling through Europe. Karim tells me that since his time at EHL, he’s visited over 15 different destinations in Europe.
Alice Zhongqin GAN and Karim Karouni
Since hospitality management involves a lot of practical work, students need to complete two 6-month internships in the working environment during their degree. To help prepare students further, EHL organises career fairs that showcase over 120 Swiss and international companies that come to the EHL campus to scout for talented hospitality managers in the making.
Alice notes,
“During your degree, you will have many chances to meet alumni, industry leaders and entrepreneurs through activities and gatherings. These are great opportunities to broaden your contacts and get you connected with future employers.”
The simple, yet clear, advice Alice has for anyone wishing to go study at EHL is to keep an open mind and be ready to learn.
Student Testimonials
Check out these student testimonials to get a glimpse into EHL student life, atmosphere, course content, and social activities.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AM-2P3HdRE”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyIYccZ5rXQ”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you’re ready to go for it, have a look at the application process for international students. If at any point you need help, don’t hesitate to contact EHL for assistance with your application.
Karim further advises that if you’re interested in studying at EHL, you should stay informed by following EHL and its students on social media to turn to the available information resources.
“Do take your time to properly research the school and make sure to chat with an ambassador online to help answer any questions you may have.”
Having the chance to study abroad at an institution like EHL is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s the crème de la crème of hospitality training and education. If you are passionate about working in the hospitality world, and want to combine top quality training with studies abroad, then go ahead and grab the opportunity.
FundiConnect 2Cents
Many of you are keen to travel or go on a gap year, but often you hesitate because you don’t know if, after your gap year, you’ll get back into the study mode. Well, studying abroad is a great solution. It gives you travel, new experiences, new friendships, while also getting an academic qualification. Think about it, it may be the perfect thing for you.
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