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Discover Germany | Business | Les Roches International School of Hotel Management

Situated in the remote Swiss Alpine village of Bluche, the school provides the perfect learning environment with state-of-the-art facilities and little distraction. “The close golf and ski resort of Crans-Montana still offers many options for an animated social life and the international cities of Geneva, Milano or Paris make great weekend trip destinations,”Sonia Tatar says. A number of social and cultural events on and off campus, an array of sports activities and a fully-equipped, modern gym cater for students’needs. The campus comprises over 20 different buildings including class rooms, student-run restaurants, mock-up rooms and living quarters. “This physical closeness creates a very special environment and feeling of togetherness among the students, who believe that Les Roches is not just a school, but a way of life,”Sonia Tatar adds.

for Les Roches graduates are manifold and include jobs at hotel chains, resorts, restaurants, wellness and spas or in the wider travel and tourism industry. A dedicated career department assists students in their placement process. Sonia Tatar says: “Les Roches has a track record of high employability of graduates, with currently 89% of students either employed or with several offers on graduation day. Thanks to strong industry relations, leading companies in and outside of hospitality visit our schools to give presentations, interview students and recruit interns and graduates directly on campus. The skill sets students acquire at Les Roches have become increasingly interesting for employers outside of hospitality.” www.lesroches.edu

Proven track record of student employability The transformative education model puts a special emphasis on developing critical thinking skills, understanding contemporary management theory and integrating theory and practice. Main image: Students forming a human world map. Opposite page, below: Sonia Tatar, CEO Les Roches Worldwide. Above: Les Roches student on internship. Graduation ceremony at Les Roches. The school offers a variety of sports and social activities. Right: Les Roches main building with terrace and pool. A Les Roches instructor and students during a mixology class.

“Les Roches is European in its outlook, Swiss in its work ethos, American in its educational approach and multinational in its student body,”Sonia Tatar says.This special focus on internationality pays off: the school not only set a Guinness World Record for the ‘most nationalities in a swimming pool’in 2012, it is also ranked by industry hiring managers of luxury hotels among the top three hospitality management schools in the world for an international career, according to the TNS Global Survey 2013.

Programmes offered include a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in International Hotel Management, where students choose to specialise in areas such as marketing, finance or event management. In 2014 Les Roches launched its latest specialization in spa and health management, developed in cooperation with ESPA and Genolier Swiss Medical Network, two leading companies in their respective field and preparing students for employment in this fast growing hospitality-related industry. Additionally, Les Roches offers a new global bachelor programme, rotating classes through Les Roches’ campuses in Switzerland, Spain and China, a MBA in Hospitality Management and a Master of Science in Hospitality Leadership. Postgraduate diploma courses, aimed at career changers or professionals who wish to advance within the hospitality industry are also a popular choice. Career opportunities

Issue 23 | February 2015 | 71