Education

Hotel Schools

EHMA

PURSUING EXCELLENCE

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest

EHMA actively supports hotel schools and has developed partnerships with prestigious institutions such as the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne & Nolan Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

In 1986 the late Honorary President of the EHMA, Dario dell’Antonia, had the idea to set up an annual award to particularly deserving students of the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne, one of the most preeminent schools for hospitality management in Europe. The prize has been renamed in his honour and includes an invitation to EHMA Annual General Meeting, i.e. exclusive access to the entire programme of the conference as well as behind closed doors discussions about trends, challenges and opportunities with top European Hotel Managers. EHL is also present at EHMA’s General Meetings organizing the business session of the Young EHMA Group as well as granting free online course seats to the members.
During the critical period of the pandemic the Swiss school has organized Zoom live keynotes exclusively for members and partners of the Association!

Recently EHMA and EHL have expanded their partnership through important initiatives, all targeting young hoteliers, the General Managers of the future. The first initiative concerns the involvement of an undergraduate group of students who will work on the hot and urgent topic of why to become a General Manager as the subject of their dissertation. The first overview of this academic work has been presented in February in Lisbon on the occasion of the annual General Assembly while the practical and applicative part will be shared in June 2023. This project is a ‘first’ for EHL and demonstrates the school’s high regard for EHMA. Surely the outcome will be of great interest!

The second initiative regards a 9-week SBP project plan carried out by a group of students on “Strategy Toolkit on ESG for Hotel Managers”. The results will also be available in June 2023.

Moreover, on the occasion of its last Group Fair held on 18 March 2023, EHL has kindly offered EHMA to be present with a dedicated space. This has represented an important opportunity for Ehma members and the Association to meet, interview and recruit students and alumni who are looking for an internship or a job, the ideal way to raise the company’s profile and hire new talents in just one day. EHMA has participated again in the Autumn career fair at EHL on Saturday 28 October 2023. The frequencies at the stand were very strong and all participating Hoteliers and their HR teams left with a very pleasing collection of excellent CVs. The next career Fair will take place on 23 March 2024.

From 2023 onwards EHL and EHMA will also collaborate on the launch of the MENTORING program on the basis of the ‘Mentor Me’ project successfully implemented by EHMA Italy, which will see two EHMA General Managers engaged in the role of Mentors with two EHL graduates for a period of two years.

Since 2006, Nolan Cornell University, one of the world’s leading schools for hospitality management, has been collaborating with the Association by offering online course certificates to some lucky members on the occasion of annual EHMA General Meetings.
Recently, the existing partnership with Nolan has been intensified. In fact, the American school is now offering all EHMA members and their staff the opportunity of significant discounts on their wide range of online courses, providing a dedicated portal and organising live information sessions. An opportunity not to be missed!
Starting in 2023, the Association has decided to present the EHMA Nadio Benedetti Award on an annual basis to a deserving Nolan Cornell graduate student who will have the opportunity to attend the EHMA Annual General Meeting.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”!