EHL Hospitality Business School

EHL Hospitality Business School
Name	EHL Hospitality Business School
Native name	École hôtelière de Lausanne
Established	1893
Type	Private
City	Lausanne
Country	Switzerland
Campus	Urban
Students	2,000+ (approx.)

EHL Hospitality Business School is a Swiss institution specializing in hospitality management located in Lausanne, with a legacy dating to the 19th century. The school combines practical training, management curricula, and research initiatives to serve sectors including luxury hotels, restaurants, and hospitality technology. It has shaped leaders who have worked at institutions such as Ritz Paris, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, Accor, and InterContinental Hotels Group.

History

Founded in 1893 in Lausanne, the school emerged during a period of expansion in Swiss hospitality linked to the rise of Grand Hotel National (Lucerne), Hotel de la Paix (Geneva), and the development of alpine resorts like Zermatt and St. Moritz. Early connections included collaborations with notable hoteliers from César Ritz circles and influences from culinary figures associated with Georges Auguste Escoffier and Félix Thiollier. Throughout the 20th century the institution adapted to changes following events such as World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II, while alumni entered management roles at properties like Savoy Hotel (London), Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, and shipping lines including Cunard Line. Postwar expansion paralleled trends in hospitality exemplified by Airbnb's later disruption and the growth of brands such as Marriott International and Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Governance and accreditation shifts referenced bodies like AACSB, EFMD, and UNWTO standards. The school has been associated with leadership figures connected to Jacques Saadé, Jean-Michel Gathy, and executives formerly at LVMH and Richemont.

Campus and Facilities

The main campus sits near landmarks including Lake Geneva and the Lausanne Cathedral, offering proximity to the International Olympic Committee headquarters and connections to research hubs such as École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and University of Lausanne. Facilities include training kitchens modeled on techniques from Paul Bocuse and study spaces inspired by design firms like HOK and Foster + Partners. On-campus amenities support hospitality simulations referencing technologies from Amadeus IT Group, Oracle Hospitality, and MICROS Systems, alongside culinary labs informed by chefs tied to Gordon Ramsay, Alain Ducasse, and Nobu Matsuhisa. Student accommodations and conference centers have hosted meetings involving organizations such as World Travel & Tourism Council, International Monetary Fund, and delegations from European Union missions. The campus infrastructure reflects Swiss construction practices linked to firms like Bureau Technique Suisse and sustainability initiatives paralleling LEED and BREEAM frameworks.

Academic Programs

Programs span undergraduate and graduate diplomas, bachelor’s, master’s, and executive education with curricula addressing operations at entities such as Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, and The Peninsula Hotels. Courses integrate modules on revenue management used by Sabre Corporation, food and beverage management referencing S.Pellegrino partnerships, and hospitality finance employing case studies from Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs. Executive offerings engage leaders from McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and Deloitte. The pedagogical model draws on internships with chains like Best Western Hotels & Resorts and luxury groups such as Belmond, and experiential projects with hospitality tech firms including Booking.com, Expedia Group, and Chef’s Table producers.

Admissions and Rankings

Admissions involve selection processes observed by agencies and comparators such as ETS testing trends, international applicant pools connected to countries like China, India, United States, Brazil, and France, and outreach via recruitment fairs run with partners like QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education. Rankings have positioned the school relative to hospitality programs at Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, Les Roches Global Hospitality Education, Glion Institute of Higher Education, and business schools such as INSEAD and HEC Paris. Employer surveys cite graduate placements at Accor, Hilton, and Marriott. Scholarship and financial aid initiatives reference foundations like Ford Foundation and Swiss Re philanthropic programs.

Research and Centers

Research units address topics relevant to groups such as World Tourism Organization, OECD, and European Commission studies on tourism and hospitality. Centers focus on luxury management referencing Kering and LVMH casework, sustainable hospitality linked to WWF partnerships, and digital transformation with ties to Microsoft and IBM Watson. Scholarly output appears in journals like International Journal of Hospitality Management, Tourism Management, and Journal of Travel Research, while doctoral candidates collaborate with institutions such as ETH Zurich and University of St. Gallen. Applied projects have examined service design used by Disney and Universal Studios, and revenue strategies similar to those at Southwest Airlines and Emirates.

Student Life and Alumni

Student organizations range from hospitality clubs that network with brands like Tiffany & Co. and Hermès to entrepreneurial societies engaging incubators such as Station F and MassChallenge. Extracurriculars include competitions analogous to Hult Prize and Global Management Challenge, cultural events featuring performances referencing Montreux Jazz Festival and connections to alumni working at Relais & Châteaux and Oetker Collection. Notable alumni have held positions at Ritz-Carlton, Peninsula Hotels, Blue Horizon Hospitality Group, and in governmental tourism boards in regions like Valais and Vaud. Career services coordinate with headhunters from Korn Ferry, Spencer Stuart, and Heidrick & Struggles.

Partnerships and Global Presence

The school maintains partnerships with universities and industry partners including Cornell University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University, Bocconi University, IE Business School, Columbia University, and organizations like AccorHotels, Hyatt, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Global campuses and short-term programs have links to destinations such as Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, New York City, London, Paris, Tokyo, Mumbai, and São Paulo. Collaboration networks include membership in consortia like UNESCO initiatives, attendance at forums like the World Economic Forum, and participation in EU mobility programs akin to Erasmus+.

Category:Higher education in Switzerland Category:Hospitality schools