As it celebrates its 126th anniversary, the world’s top hospitality management education group enjoys a unique heritage that enriches its programs, its partnerships and energizes the future careers of its graduates. From its professional training school in the Swiss Alps, just a stone’s throw away from Davos, to its university programs in Lausanne (Switzerland), EHL Group has continually pioneered new teaching methods to deliver the highest quality in education. “We reached the title of world number 1 with great honor and this achievement confirmed our successful strategy to put innovation and academic excellence at the heart of our institution”, explained EHL Group CEO Michel Rochat. Its close working relationship with many industry leaders, as well as its impressive global alumni network also help set EHL Group apart in terms of professional growth and opportunity for students.
Their flagship degree, the Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management, isn’t for the faint of heart, though. Students are challenged every day and classroom attendance is but a fraction of the experience. The program promotes entrepreneurship and encourages students to experiment with new technologies, explore emerging trends and develop real-life business solutions, well beyond their initial comfort zone. The young graduates then set off into many different industries, such as travel, luxury, retail, consulting or private banking where their unique skill sets have earned them the reputation of being masters of customer experience. This bold statement is corroborated by some impressive facts and figures. The EHL alumni network is said to be the world’s most influential hospitality network, recent graduates boast a 96% employability rate with global management careers in over 150 countries, half of which are in Senior and Executive positions.
In the coming years, the challenge will be for the hospitality industry, as a whole, to retain such talents within its ranks. Indeed, the worldwide hospitality trade is set to grow faster than the global economy, especially in Asia. Today, travel, tourism and other related activities represent 11% of the world GDP and 413 million jobs worldwide, yet the human capital shortage is already being felt. Hoteliers need more hands on deck. What they need even more is to make their trade attractive enough to retain the best talents, who are being wooed by a plethora of other big businesses for their service excellence credentials.
In response to these growing concerns, EHL Group has created, through its consulting firm EHL Advisory Services, a Vocational Education and Training solution that is being delivered in recognized local hospitality schools worldwide. This program aims to close the skills gap in many emerging markets where tourism and hospitality revenues constitute one of the core drivers of growth. The group headquartered in Lausanne has also just announced the opening of its first overseas campus in Singapore, offering its students a unique opportunity to acquire South-East Asian experience, as well as actively work with industry leaders to face the industry’s growing challenges. “EHL Group, in addition to its University and professional school, has a responsibility to maintain open channels between the various actors that will forge the future of hospitality. It appears crucial to us to break down the barriers that often divide academic institutions and economic actors”, explained Rochat in a recent interview.
