Swiss Hotel Management School offers an elite education as the second-best hospitality school in the world

QS Rankings for Hospitality and Leisure Management

2024 proves to be another exciting year for Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS), now recognized as the second-best school in the world for Hospitality and Leisure Management – a noteworthy achievement. The consistent high ranking of SHMS continues the school’s legacy as the highest-ranked conventional hospitality school in the world. We are proud to succeed as a hotel management school first and foremost, respecting our rich Swiss hospitality traditions of excellence, developing industry leaders and managers without forsaking our roots as hoteliers.

I believe that our new ranking is the outcome of the deep teamwork and combination of work-ready skills coupled with university-level higher education imparted by our great faculty at Swiss Hotel Management School.

Acting Dean Dr. Dominic Szambowski, PhD. and the academic team led by Claire Jollain, Assistant Dean of Caux campus, and Patrick Taffin, Assistant Dean of Leysin campus, extend their thanks and congratulations to all staff and students alike. They issue a joint congratulatory statement on being recognized as the second-best hospitality school in the world. “We are thrilled to see how Swiss Hotel Management School values are recognized worldwide, not only academically speaking but also among the international hospitality industry. We are truly honored to be the current academic guardians of the real-world SHMS approach that has produced so many world-class graduates for decades.”

For SHMS, being ranked second in the world also means being ranked second in Switzerland. On the global education scene, Switzerland still distinguishes itself as the best country to study hospitality management, with seven of the top 10 schools all found within the borders of one of Europe’s smallest countries.

The academic Heads of School would like to further impart these words as a lasting promise: “We will humbly persist in ensuring that our standards continue to excel and innovate by driving excellence which reflect the values of all the contributors to the special SHMS experience. Let us continue to uphold our foundational principles to Be Role Models, Learn the Rules Before Breaking Them, and Be Proud Hoteliers”.

Why we are the best hospitality school

Despite being a small, close-knit school, we command respect as an educational institution deemed high in employer and academic reputation. This accomplishment is no simple feat, and cements SHMS as the best of the best. Here are a few reasons why.

1. Our students and alumni are held in high regard by their employers

The uniquely Swiss way of merging theory and practice produces very strong results for our students. Couple that with our impressive list of worldwide internships and industry-leading partners, and we have arrived at the magic educational formula that unfailingly earns us top ranks among our competitors.

"The industry loves us,” adds a lecturer. “Our students graduate industry-ready, as operational leaders ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work. We hear time and time again from companies that we are their school of choice when it comes to recruiting new talent. Our students rise in the ranks very quickly because of their attitude, knowledge, and skill."

2. We’ve earned our strong academic reputation

We are extremely dedicated to the  strong academic partnership s our school nurtures with the  University of Derby, one of the top 30 universities in the UK, which guarantees the quality of our education delivery.

3. We constantly modify our approach to keep a fresh perspective

Several years ago at Swiss Hotel Management School, we adopted an intentional approach to teaching, learning, and assessment with a goal of equipping our students with the skills needed for their 21st-century workplaces. For our continued efforts in innovative education and learning experience, we are recognized as an Apple Distinguished School, the first hospitality school to have earned this distinction.

4. We nurture a strong community

Maintaining our world-class QS ranking is the result of the dedication and ongoing support of everyone involved, from operations to academic staff, current students and alumni, and academic and industry partners.  

As one lecturer  concludes,

Our degrees open the doors to so many business and managerial opportunities – so for our closely-knit, committed campus community, this ranking is viewed as a marvelous accolade. We are a special place!