For many years, Switzerland has set the gold standard for hospitality management education—and for good reasons. Swiss hotel schools are excellent. That’s why AIHM offers a Swiss-style education in Academic Association with Les Roches.
Swiss hotel schools have developed an exceptionally effective, time-honed approach that pairs academic study with a wealth of practical, hands-on learning experiences. AIHM offers students from across Asia and beyond the opportunity to develop their management skills following the Swiss-style educational model, Interning with global companies and networking with international hospitality professionals. At AIHM, we follow the same Les Roches curriculum that is found at their campuses in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, and Marbella, Spain. Our students benefit from this Swiss hotel school curriculum in combination with a variety of Opportunities found only in Asia and extra attention to the localised facets of hospitality and international business that are particular to Asian and other regional destinations.
AIHM is proud to have recently congratulated our very first class of BBA Degree Graduates. At the same time, we also want to honour the amazing students who began their degrees with us at AIHM and then completed their studies in Switzerland, earning their Degrees from Les Roches. We spoke to our first two Les Roches graduates—Peera Samruayruen and Nimi Khanijou—to learn more about their dual experiences in Thailand and Switzerland and to find out what advice they might have for other students who are considering following in their footsteps as AIHM to Les Roches transfer students.
Peera Samruayruen on the Dual AIHM – Les Roches Experience
How do you envision your dual experience at AIHM and Les Roches influencing your career trajectory in the long term?
I thought deeply about this, and one of the biggest advantages of this dual experience is the connections I made. I was able to study the same field, hospitality management, in two different environments, and that was useful. However, the biggest advantage was the connections. Even though I only studied in Switzerland for two semesters, I made very valuable connections there and great friends who I think I could be friends with for life. Also, the connections at Les Roches were even more global. Now, I have a friend from Morocco and a friend from Bolivia. I probably wouldn’t have met people from these locations otherwise if I hadn’t studied at the international environment in Les Roches.
I also made a lot of important connections at AIHM. In particular, I made a lot of regional connections. Before I studied at AIHM, I’d never met a Burmese person in my life. I’d never gotten to know anyone from Myanmar even though it’s a neighbouring country. To be honest, I’d never met a Cambodian person before I came to AIHM. I also learned more about Bangkok itself and got to know Bangkok better by seeing how international students who came here were experiencing it as a new place. I gained an outsider’s perspective on my own home.
There’s so much growth in South-East Asia, and through my dual studies I was able to make regional connections and Bangkok connections and then even more global connections at Les Roches.
What were the most surprising differences between the academic environments at AIHM and Les Roches?
One thing I didn't know about Les Roches before attending was that they also offered electives. This is something that AIHM, at least at the time I was studying there, didn’t have. Les Roches offered elective courses on topics beyond business studies and hospitality management. These were more along the lines of liberal arts electives; they include topics like International Politics, Culture and Society, Global Culinary History. Those are the electives that I chose, and I really enjoyed them. To be honest, I didn’t really care what my grades were. I was just excited with the learning process. I’m a very big history buff, and I’m interested in anything related to society, economics, those kinds of issues. In society, all of these factors are interconnected. It all comes back together. I was really excited to learn about these subjects and explore the ways everything is connected.
Another surprising difference was the academic culture. Prior to Les Roches and AIHM, I’d only studied in Thai schools. I’d only experienced Thai culture, or at the very least, the Asian cultural way of learning in the classroom. Something I didn’t foresee is how different the European style of learning would be. In Asia, the concept of respect is very different. In Asian culture, we’re taught to be very quiet. We need to be a bit more conservative. We don’t challenge teachers very often, and if we do, we don’t do it with emotion. We’re much more deferential. Once I started attending Les Roches, it was completely different. Students were much more outspoken. They were more confident in speaking up in the middle of class and proposing different perspectives.
AIHM’s academic approach is very similar to the Les Roches approach, but the students are different at AIHM because it’s situated within an Asian society. At AIHM, we’re encouraged to engage with professors, to challenge them. It’s a very dynamic environment. However, especially in the first few weeks, some students are a bit more hesitant to do so because of their Asian background and the style of education they’ve grown up with over the past 12 years. The academic philosophy at the two schools is the same, but the main difference is the students themselves.
When I was studying at AIHM, all students and professors knew each other personally, and the way we learned was very, very personalised. The professors could give each student more of their own time and facilitate their learning experience in a more personalised way.
What is the most unexpected lesson from your studies?
One thing that I can think of immediately actually connects one of my internships while I was at AIHM and a course I took at Les Roches in my seventh semester. When I was doing my catering sales internship at The Peninsula Bangkok, I learned about the scale of corporations. Until that point, I had never realised how massive certain corporations are and how corporations such as Procter & Gamble and Unilever are the mother company or umbrella company to so many other large companies. At the time, it was new knowledge for me.
Then in Semester 7, I chose to study Finance as my specialisation. During this speciality track, I took a course called Applied Investment. That course really helped me to understand the large scale of these corporations and how this scale empowers what they do and the actions this scale allows them to take in terms of trusts, funds, bonds, etc. I realised that the connections that my brain can make between the internships and the courses is actually very, very valuable. It's something that I don't think anyone can just experience. These connections and these lessons are very personal to each individual. Maybe someone else didn't learn this, but they learned something else during their internship. You get to grow and discover your own lessons and make your own connections between the various components of your education.
What tips would you give to students who are considering starting their education at AIHM and transferring to Les Roches?
My main advice is to really consider this opportunity because if you go to Les Roches for the full three and a half years of your degree, you miss the connections at AIHM.
Secondly, the cost of studying in Switzerland is extremely expensive. It’s really a major difference. If you start at AIHM, it’s like you're saving money in a way. You get to save some money and then you still get the degree from Les Roches. So in a way, we have an advantage compared to other Les Roches students. I didn’t at all feel discriminated against as a transfer student. When I explained the situation to my friends at Les Roches and the financial advantages, they agreed that it was a very smart decision.
Nimi Khanijou on the Dual AIHM – Les Roches Experience
How do you envision your dual experience at AIHM and Les Roches influencing your career trajectory in the long term?
My experiences at AIHM and Les Roches have been instrumental in shaping my understanding of the global hospitality landscape. At AIHM, I gained a strong foundation in hospitality management, where I acquired first-hand experience during the Practical Arts semester. This course was designed to give us real exposure to operations within the Anantara and Avani Riverside Hotel properties, preparing me for my front-of-house internship as an Executive Lounge Guest Service Agent at the Siam Kempinski Hotel.
Les Roches, on the other hand, exposed me to the intricacies of the luxury sector, and international best practices, and provided the opportunity to connect with a broader network of professionals.
Together, these experiences have equipped me with a comprehensive skill set that I believe will enable me to excel in corporate roles and eventually transition into management positions within the luxury segment.
Can you share a moment from your studies at AIHM that had a profound impact on your personal or professional growth? And a moment from Les Roches?
At AIHM, a project where we developed a sustainable hospitality concept really stood out to me. It challenged me to think creatively and consider the long-term impact of business decisions, which was pivotal in shaping my professional values, especially as a Gen-Z who is now entering the workforce.
At Les Roches, a case study on luxury brand management was particularly impactful, as it deepened my understanding of how to balance customer expectations with operational excellence, something I’m eager to apply in my career.
What were the most surprising differences between the academic environments at AIHM and Les Roches?
At AIHM, the small class sizes fostered a close-knit, collaborative atmosphere, allowing for more personalised instruction and detailed hands-on experience. This setting was invaluable in helping me understand the day-to-day operations of the hospitality industry, as well as in assisting me to develop my technical skills for academic writing, evidence-based research and preparing presentations.
In contrast, Les Roches had a larger academic environment, where I had to be more independent in my learning. Nevertheless, the scale of the university brought several benefits, such as access to a wide range of resources, diverse perspectives from a larger student body, and more opportunities for networking with industry professionals. The focus at Les Roches was on strategic thinking, with an emphasis on international trends and Swiss traditions. This environment pushed me to take greater initiative, enhancing my ability to adapt and thrive in a global context.
The combination of starting at AIHM, travelling to Dubai for my internship and then completing my studies at Les Roches provided a well-rounded education that I believe will help me to address and adapt to the dynamic world of the hospitality industry, especially with its shifting trends.
What is the most unexpected from your studies?
One unexpected lesson I learned is the importance of adaptability. In both AIHM and Les Roches, I encountered situations where plans changed rapidly, and being able to pivot and find solutions became a crucial skill. This adaptability not only helped me succeed academically but also prepared me for the fast-paced, ever-evolving nature of the hospitality industry. It’s a lesson that might not be obvious at first but is incredibly valuable in practice. Flexibility also extends to the two internships for both operational and back-of-house, where working hours, guest expectations and departmental duties require this skillset.
What tips would you give to students who are considering starting their education at AIHM and transferring to Les Roches?
I would advise them to fully immerse themselves in the unique offerings of both institutions. At AIHM, focus on gaining as much practical experience as possible, as it lays the groundwork for understanding the industry’s fundamentals. More importantly, take advantage of the location and learn about Thai culture in terms of how it influences or has shaped practices within the hospitality sector differently from the rest of the world.
When transitioning to Les Roches, be open to embracing a global perspective. Take the time to decide which specialisation to progress further with—be it Luxury, Marketing, Entrepreneurship or Finance. Finally, leverage opportunities within Student Affairs and Career Day to help develop skillsets plus grow your network. The blend of practical and strategic learning is incredibly powerful, so take the initiative and participate in the unique external activities that both institutions have to offer.
Graduate with Global Experience
Are you a high school student or other individual exploring university options?
Does the possibility of learning from the dual AIHM-Les Roches experience sound exciting to you and a good match for your career goals?
Do you want to start your degree in Thailand and then transfer to Les Roches to graduate in Switzerland?
Talk with our Admissions Team now to discuss an AIHM Education and the possibility of transferring to Les Roches.