Study your hospitality degree on a pristine campus in the Swiss Alps, surrounded by a close-knit community and spectacular scenery. You can immerse yourself in rich student life, enjoy a wealth of outdoor activities, and explore culture and gastronomy in Switzerland and beyond.
Hospitality has a long and rich history in Switzerland. Around a hundred and fifty years ago, palace-style hotels were built across the Montreux Riviera, heralding the beginning of the golden age of luxury tourism in Switzerland. Royalty, aristocrats, and millionaires traveled in their thousands to the country, lured by its healthy climate and alpine adventure promise. Such guests naturally pushed for a high level of service and excellence that needed a drastic shift in how hotel operations were conducted. Hoteliers had to innovate in their approach to secure customer satisfaction and return on investment. They began to structure and systematize the management and operational processes in order to meet guest expectations.
The Swiss brought many skills into the hospitality approach, including rigor, precision, attention to detail, timely service, and discretion that were already characteristic of the culture of other sectors within Switzerland, such as watchmaking and banking. So perfect is the match between these skill sets and high-demand customer expectations. Companies from the so-called experience economy sectors are just as likely as hotels and restaurants to seek graduates of the Swiss hospitality education model.
The first National Hotel Association and hotel school's birthplace, Switzerland, is at the forefront of hospitality education and professionalism. With precision, detail, and excellence at its core, Swiss hospitality training's quality and rigor are well known across the world and among international employers. Leading companies recruit Swiss-educated managers for their high standards and innovative approaches to global business challenges.
In the region, the Swiss Alps and Valais offer year-round outdoor sports and cultural activities such as skiing, hiking, festivals, and wine tasting. Urban explorers can discover the new cities of Geneva, Zurich, Bern, and Lausanne, each with their beautiful center and plenty of shopping, restaurants, bars, spas, and nightclubs. From nearby Sierre train station, Switzerland's world-famous railway network connects you to Geneva Airport and destinations across Switzerland and beyond. France, Italy, Austria, and Germany are all nearby, providing plenty of options for a perfect weekend getaway. From Geneva airport, a two-hour flight takes you almost anywhere in Western Europe.
The Taco Bar, B3, and Café du Village provide a relaxed space for students to chat over a drink or a meal, such as restaurants, bars, and clubs in nearby Crans-Montana. The school organizes various social and cultural activities in collaboration with students, both on and off-campus. One of the most anticipated events of each semester is Cultural Night, a bi-annual culinary and artistic celebration of the school's nationalities.
Les Roches students can participate in various sports and fitness activities on and off-campus, including basketball, rugby, tennis, dance, fitness classes, swimming, golf, skiing, snowboarding, paragliding, ice skating, sledding, sailing, hiking, and rock climbing. Check with the Sports & Events Coordinator for the latest offerings.
Plenty of student clubs are available on campus, such as SharpSpeakers (Public Speaking Club), Les Roches Wine Club, Green Club, Art Society, Les Roches Gives Back (Charity Association) Student Social Committee. If there is a society or activity you would like to set up, let us know, and we will support you.
From theme dinners to quiz nights and disco evenings, there is always something going on. Some of the events you may find on campus include Les Roches Got Talent, Green Dinner, Open Mic Night, and Cultural Night, one of the Can't-miss events of each semester. You can also explore culture, gastronomy, and more by joining campus-led group trips — past trips include visits to cheese and chocolate factories and trips to Bern and Milan.
The curriculum at Les Roches is proudly based on the Swiss model of experiential learning, and learning by doing is at the heart of our programs. Through this blend of academic excellence, hands-on learning, and real-world challenges, students develop a 360-degree understanding of hospitality business management.
Les Roches has excellent ties with the industry, and Les Roches graduates are in demand. Each year, top-tier brands in hospitality and beyond come to our campuses to recruit students for internships and full-time jobs. Also, key faculty members and our industry advisory board ensure that graduates have the skills to meet tomorrow's industry needs.
With all the charm of a Swiss village, our campus buildings also feature state-of-the-art learning equipment. Learning facilities provide ample space for students to collaborate and get hands-on experience. Students have access to computer rooms, demonstration kitchens, a demonstration bar, a rooms division demonstration area, auditoriums, a library with a study room, and a media center among our campus facilities. The campus also has a dedicated Innovation Lab, where students can experiment with the latest technology for class projects, extracurricular activities, and more.
The campus library contains an extensive collection of 10,000 books, professional magazines, and audio-visual materials, while students can access more than 7,000 online journals and publications for research. Experiment. Create. Disrupt. At the Innovation Lab, you can 3D print your product prototypes, design and build original apps, develop your multimedia skills, and much more. A variety of residential buildings are available on campus. All rooms are equipped with a comfortable bed and a desk for studying, while most buildings feature ordinary meeting spaces for residents. As a hospitality school, we take food seriously. Full board is included in fees, and students can enjoy delicious, healthy meals at our five on-campus dining locations.
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