“The opportunities here are really exciting,” says Manya Modi, while on a brisk campus tour. Early on a Monday morning, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) is abuzz with activity. Manya is one among the many students clad in formal wear, heading to classes purposefully, gearing up for yet another busy day at school. There’s lots to do, lots to learn. In a way, the energetic atmosphere effuses EHL’s constant focus on shaping the future of hospitality through innovation. As it turns 125 years old, the spotlight is as much on the legacy of its past as it is on its ambitious plans for the future.
Located in the vibrant city of Lausanne in Switzerland, EHL is driven by a purpose — to be a pioneer in hospitality education. With its state-of-the-art campus in the world’s Olympic capital, the university consistently strives to be an ambassador for traditional Swiss hospitality. What started off in 1893 as a hotel school in a room of the Hôtel d’Angleterre in Lausanne has now grown to one of the top hotel management schools in the world.
With more than 3,000 students from 119 countries, two campuses in Switzerland and a third one underway in Singapore, a range of undergraduate, graduate and certificate programmes and a strong network of alumni, EHL is going strong.
“When it started, EHL was a vocational school. Today, we are a university of applied sciences in hospitality management, with the same spirit we had 125 years ago,” says Michel Rochat, Chief Executive Officer, EHL Group. “The Group is supported by a worldwide alumni network, produces research projects and partnerships which, in turn, generate an important innovation pipeline, and all of this while integrating cutting-edge digital evolutions and partnerships in its roadmap,” he observes.
Looking ahead
The 125th birthday marks the start of an important period of growth for EHL. On the cards is an innovation village near the campus — with the aim of creating a unique hospitality ecosystem bringing together entrepreneurs, researchers, experts, investors, students, artists, alumni and so on.
“We would like to inspire and disrupt the hospitality industry,” says Rémi Walbaum, Chief Innovation and Valorisation Officer. “For us, the combination of powerful local academic players, a dynamic VC scene, and the regional presence of large corporations is an asset,” he explains. Being a part of the ecosystem of Switzerland, which has been ranked first in the global innovation index for the seventh year in a row, surely adds firepower.
EHL is also working on taking the rapid digital revolution in its stride. “Our students are going to walk out into the world tomorrow, and they have to make a difference,” believes Julia Aymonier, Chief Information Officer. To give students an edge in the market and better employability, the university has decided to focus on virtual reality and AI conversational interfaces.
While the former will allow first-year students to experience working on real life problems, the latter will enhance the student experience by creating a virtual personal assistant.
EHL also envisions a campus where robotic concierges answer questions about the campus and give information to students. One such robot is dubbed EHLie by the students. When coupled with Amelia, an artificial intelligence software, it could lend itself to useful applications. “Soon I will have a family of brothers and sisters to help me. We will be creating a digital EHL family,” quips EHLie, in a demo. Amelia agrees.
Another milestone will be the inauguration of a new campus in Lausanne in 2021, with a host of facilities for students. According to Rochat, this is the last piece of the puzzle in EHL’s strategy for the future.
The Indian angle
There are 51 Indian students currently studying at the university. India has potential for EHL, though the concept of studying hospitality might be misunderstood. “Hospitality is not just in hotels and restaurants — it’s in banks, hospitals, luxury brands, even in technology. This is something we are trying to reinforce in the new markets, that we are entering. It has been working well, but we still have a lot of work to be done,” explains Sherif Mamdouh, external communications manager.
For Delhi-based Manya Modi who is now in her second year, the academic experience is transforming her view of hospitality. “It’s a challenging course, but our teachers are always there to help us,” she signs off.
The writer was at Lausanne, Switzerland at the invitation of Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.
