In the curriculum of the EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (SSTH) Passugg, great importance is attached to practical training in all semesters. The concrete implementation of what has been learned is the essence of practice-oriented instruction at the hotel management school and the basis for an optimal career entry into the hospitality industry.
Promoting entrepreneurial activity
The basic idea of the hotel management training at the SSTH is to promote entrepreneurial action among students. Entrepreneurship means bringing the necessary practical knowledge and skills step-by-step into a holistic understanding of the processes and assuming leadership responsibility:
- In the first two semesters, students focus on the operational side of the hospitality industry, including kitchen, service, reception and housekeeping.
- In the third semester, a six-month paid internship takes place in a Swiss hotel or restaurant, enabling students to put their newly acquired knowledge and skills into practice in a professional environment.
- In the fourth semester, the concept week is a highlight of the hotel management training. The students deepen the basics of management, not only in theory, but also in practice. The students independently develop gastronomic concepts and put them into practice.
During the concept week, each student assumes a function in the group, such as F&B, finance, marketing or organisation. The students are evaluated for their work and receive a budget for its implementation. They have to present the concept to the school management and have it approved. The lecturer then advises the students and coaches them through questions and problems.
«The greatest learning effect for the students is certainly the implementation of the concept in practice; what still looked "chic" in theoretical planning often turns out to be a tough nut to crack in reality. This requires a lot of organisation, flexibility and teamwork. Everyone has to work together and the processes have to go hand in hand. If everything works out, it looks simple. But if it doesn't, then your nerves are shattered.»
Andreas Stump, Lecturer
Examples of projects in the concept week:
The students of the EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (SSTH) Passugg have already completed some great practical projects together this year, such as the following pop-up restaurants:
- Food Truck «Buddha O’Tea»
- Pop-up-Restaurant «Jarvas»
- Pop-up-Restaurant «Seis Sentidos»
Discover the pictures of the latest concept week
What is the best way to prepare for a career in hospitality?
The EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (SSTH) in Passugg is a higher professional school. Higher technical colleges offer courses of study that are officially recognised by the federal government. These schools have been subjected to a strict evaluation of quality standards by officially commissioned external experts. They are characterised above all by the fact that they offer very practically oriented training courses. This is a great advantage for career entry.
The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SBFI führt aus: «The Swiss Professional Degree programmes provide students with skills that enable them to take on specialist and management responsibility independently in their field. They are labour market-oriented and particularly promote the ability to think methodically and in a networked manner.»
Insight into the "Culinary Arts" specialisation
After the concept week, students who would like to deepen their specialist knowledge in the culinary field can do so with one of our specialisations. In the sixth semester of the hotel management training, they can choose the specialisation "Culinary Arts". In this major, their culinary knowledge is refined with such topics as Modern Plating and 10 Secrets from Professionals, along with many others.
Are you interested in implementing a gastronomic project from start to finish? Here you will find further information about the Swiss Professional Degree in hotel management (Dipl. Hôtelière-Restauratrice/Hôtelier-Restaurateur HF) at the EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (SSTH) Passugg.
