École hôtelière de Lausanne

The Lausanne Hotel School (French: École hôtelière de Lausanne, EHL) is a private hospitality school located in Lausanne, Switzerland.

History

Founded in 1893, EHL was the world's first trade-school to focus on hospitality education^[2] as well as the first hospitality school in Switzerland to be part of the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland HES-SO.^[3] By 1970, the school originally located down by the Leman Lake changed location to the Chalet à Gobet for expansion purposes.^[4] Nowadays, EHL welcomes some 2,000 students from 90 countries.^[5]

In 2007, it introduced a new selection process for its Bachelor and Diploma students. This means that after study of the application files, potential students are invited to a Selection Day on Campus. Selection Day is made up of a number of steps: three computer evaluation assessments, role-playing and a 45 minute interview. This process gives a better perception of the academic capacities as well as the motivation for the school and the hospitality professions of each candidate.

Historically, the school's students have to wear business clothes anywhere on campus (apart from the dorm buildings).^[6]

Academic Programs

The Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne offers English and French language education programs classified as undergraduate and graduate levels such as Bachelor and Master Degrees. The Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management is a 4 years long degree with 2 internships as well as an external consulting mandate (Student Business Project) or an Individual Applied Research Project. The executive MBA in Hospitality Administration is a 12 months program focusing on Financial and Strategic Management for the Hospitality industry including a Career Capstone Project. The Master of Science HES-SO in Global Hospitality Business is a 3-semester program offered with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the University of Houston, and rotating on 3 campuses, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Hong-Kong, China and Houston, USA. ^[7][8]

Accreditation

It was the first management college in the world to have a dual accreditation NEASC and HES.^[9][10][11] In Switzerland, the school is the only institute of hospitality management of the 'Haute Ecoles Spécialisées' (University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland) level offering advanced programs which are recognized by the Swiss government. Its transition to a reviewed Bachelor of Science (BSc) program allows a European Bologna process accreditation.^[12] The school integrates market trends and new technologies through projects done in collaboration with industry partners, applied research and consulting. NEASC accreditation guarantees that the level of the EHL Bachelor hospitality degree is equivalent to Bachelor degrees in the US and internationally. It also facilitates credit transfer and degree recognition by American institutions. Furthermore, it allows American students to benefit from financial aid schemes of the federal government. Bologna compliance ensures acceptance everywhere in Europe; HES-SO recognition permits application to other universities in the Swiss system (Rectors’ Conference Agreement, December 2007), not necessarily in the field of hospitality.

Rankings

The school is recognized by hospitality professionals around the world and frequently ranked as the best hospitality management school in the world.^[13][14][15]

In 2007, 2010 and 2013, Taylor Nelson Sofres published results on a survey made with a potential respondent database listing more than 50,000 hospitality professionals working in more than 70 countries asking to establish a TOP 10 of the best hospitality schools in the world among 74 selected, the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne was elected number one. ^[16][17]

Partnerships & Acquisitions

In 2005, The school helped establish a hospitality management institute, FHRAI Institute of Hospitality Management, in Greater Noida, India. It commenced its first academic session on the 5 September 2005. EHL provides academic certification to this institute.^[18]

Through its subsidiary, Lausanne Hospitality Consulting, EHL has a network of certified schools through which it can continue to transfer its savoir-faire and savoir-être. Brazil Escola de Hotelaria Universidade Estácio de Sá China Beijing Hospitality Institute South Korea Hanyang University Hospitality Academy India Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa Lebanon Université La Sagesse, Faculty of Hospitality Management Mexico Centro de Estudios Superiores de San Ángel Thailand Dusit Thani College The UAE* Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management

• In academic association with Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.^[19]

November 2013, the school bought 75% of the Schweizerische Schule für Touristik und Hotellerie (SSTH) in Passugg, Switzerland.^[20][21]

Campus

EHL campus contains 300 single or double studios as well as a Nautilus Fitness Centre and a campus-wide wireless access to the internet. The campus also includes conference and banqueting facilities, five different restaurants, an auditorium and a wine-tasting laboratory.^[22]

Alumni

The Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne counts a 25,000 professional alumni community around the world.^[23]

See also

• EHL Wolves
• List of largest universities by enrollment in Switzerland

References

External links

• ehl.edu, Official Website