Graduation ceremonies for the class of Autumn 2008 were held on 30 January and 5 February on the campus of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL). 130 students from the “International Hospitality Management Programme” and 39 students from the “Management of Hotel Operations Programme” were awarded degrees. — Photo by EHL

Lausanne, The Graduation Ceremony for the 2008 Autumn Term took place on 30 January and 5 February on the campus of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL). 130 students of the “International Hospitality Management Programme” and 39 students of the “Management of Hotel Operations Programme” were awarded the School’s Degrees.

Graduation from the International Hospitality Management Programme – Bachelor Programme

During the ceremony that took place on 30 January, 130 of the 133 students in the French and English Sections were awarded their Diploma (representing 97% of the candidates). This programme grants a double accreditation, on the one hand from the Haute école spécialisée (HES), awarded by the Swiss Government, and on the other a Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management, accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) in the United States.

  • Valedictorian: Ms Florence Lafayette Driessens (Netherlands), English Section
  • 2nd prize: Ms Caroline Remy (Luxembourg), French Section
  • 3rd prize: Ms Eva Hunkeler (Switzerland), English Section
  • Spirit of EHL Prize*: Mr Marcos Cadena (Switzerland/Mexico), English Section.

*See Editor’s Note

Graduation from the Management of Hotel Operations Programme – Diploma

Programme

The ceremony held on 5 February marked the end of the “Management of Hotel Operations Programme”, an intensive course of training including two semesters on campus followed by an internship lasting six months. Certificates were awarded to 39 of the 50 students in the French and English sections (78% of the candidates). After finishing their internship in an enterprise, they will receive their Associate Degree in Management of Hotel Operations / Gestion d’exploitation hôtelière Diploma.

  • Valedictorian: Mr Enrico Scipionato (Italy), English Section
  • 2nd prize: Ms Emilie Gay (France/Switzerland), French Section
  • 3rd prize: Ms Balkis De Seguin des Hons (France), French Section
  • Spirit of EHL Prize*: Ms Anais Bouyon (France), French Section.

* See Editor’s Note

Prize for the most original and interesting dissertation:

  • Ms Florence Lafayette Driessens (Netherlands), English Section: «An evaluation of a proposed new forecasting method for the hotel industry using non-linear dynamics: a case study on the Dutch 3-5 star hotel sector».
  • Mr Gian Müller (Switzerland), English Section: “Empowerment in the hospitality sector: its consequences on individual and organizational performance”.

Some figures concerning the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne – Session 2008-09

  • 1754 students enrolled
  • 87 nationalities
  • Women/men: 53%/47%
  • French Section / English Section: 52%/48%
  • Average age of the students: 22.3 years
  • 1618 enrolled in the Bachelor Programme
  • 111 students enrolled in the Diploma Programme
  • 25 students enrolled in the Master Programme
  • 403 members of Faculty and staff

The Spirit of EHL Prize

Introduced in 2000, the Spirit of EHL Prize is awarded to those students who have shown exceptional commitment in both time and energy for the good of the School and its students during their time here. Its uniqueness stems from the fact that it is the students themselves who designate one of their classmates. This Prize is awarded by the Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services.

The Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne

As the oldest hotel school in the world, the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) offers university level training to talented and ambitious young students who are destined to fill the top management positions in the hospitality industry worldwide. In order to provide them with the best possible training, EHL regularly adapts the contents of its three programmes to include the latest technologies and trends in the marketplace.

Since its foundation in 1893, the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne has trained more than 25'000 managers for the hospitality industry who, today, provide a network of precious contacts for all the members of the EHL community. At the present time 1700 students of more than 80 nationalities are taking advantage of the beautiful setting for study and the unique life provided by the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.

Annick Barbezat-Perrin
Communication Manager
+41 21 785 13 49
EHL