The two international references in the world of hospitality chose the first day of the new academic year at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne to announce to the 471 students starting the first year of their Bachelor degree the signature of a unique partnership aiming to develop skills and career opportunities.
A natural partnership between two international references in the world of hospitality
On one hand, the biggest hotel group in the world and leader in Europe, with a network of 4,400 hotels in 92 countries and approximately 100 different types of job available, which is looking for new skills and new profiles to assist its development.
On the other hand, the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, the reference in terms of education in the world of hospitality, which has trained 25,000 managers since its creation in 1893 and which welcomes nearly 2,000 students of 90 different nationalities to its campus each year.
With three different educational programmes (a Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management, a Bachelor of Science HES-SO in International Hospitality Management and an Executive MBA in Hospitality Administration), the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne offers training at every level for a career in hospitality.
"We are proud of this partnership, which is founded on shared notions of excellence, passion and confidence" declares Mr Michel Rochat, Director General of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.
A partnership to meet the need for talent within the hospitality industry
"We are starting a new era: an era of constant change, glocalisation and digitalisation" states Mr Denis Hennequin, Chairman and CEO of Accor. "Within this context, it is crucial to use talented young people who are highly qualified and quickly operational in order to ensure our development in the four corners of the world."
"High academic standards and the multicultural aspect of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne are major advantages in our profession which is based on a mix of cultures, interpersonal relations and variety of expertise", emphasises Mr Hennequin.
In order to anticipate such evolutions within the industry, the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne is making considerable investments both in terms of recruiting highly skilled faculty members and through the development of its campus. "The new organisation of our preparatory year is a first step in this strategy" says Mr Rochat.
Concrete opportunities and a commitment to learning
This shared wish to work together is based on three main points:
- Accor will recruit 25 interns and 20 members of staff from the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne per year;
- 11 study rooms will be redecorated in the Accor brand colours;
- Accor will actively contribute to course content in order to take into account the evolution of market demands;
- Contribution to the Paul Dubrule Chair to support innovation;
- Creation of special rates in Accor hotels for EHL students and their teachers.
Indeed, Antoine Recher, Global Chief Human Resources at Accor underlines the importance for Accor to look beyond internships, jobs and study rooms and be present throughout the entire duration of student courses.
In order to achieve this, "masterclasses" will be run where experts from the Accor group will come to talk with students about a variety of subjects including revenue management, hotel development and e-commerce.
This innovative partnership will enable the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne to closely follow the needs and evolutions within the industry and to maximise opportunities for its students.
Increasingly strong links with industry
This partnership is perfectly aligned with the strategy of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne to strengthen its links with industry, which are already considerable thanks to its alumni network. Furthermore, longstanding relations with one of the co-founders of the Accor group Paul Dubrule have already led to the creation of the Paul Dubrule Chair for Innovation in 2010.
About the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
The Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) offers university-level studies to talented and ambitious students who are aiming for top careers in the international hospitality industry. In addition to its international recognition, EHL constantly integrates market trends and new technologies into its three academic programmes:
• Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management
• Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management
• Executive MBA in Hospitality Administration
EHL is part of Switzerland’s University of Applied Sciences and is accredited both by the Swiss federal government and by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (Higher Education Commission).
Since it was founded in 1893, EHL has educated more than 25,000 hospitality industry executives. The worldwide network of alumni represents an invaluable asset for every member of the EHL community.
Today, over 1,800 students from almost 90 different countries enjoy the unique and enriching environment of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.
