Today, we will continue to explore the internship opportunities and career path for IMI University Centre in Switzerland.   For reviewing previous IMI University Centre Q&A, please click here.

Q: Are on-campus and off-campus employments allowed for international students in Switzerland?

A: In Switzerland, students are only allowed to work as an intern for the equal amount of time they have studied e.g. 6 months of study then 6 months of internship is legally allowed. On campus, IMI offers a limited number of scholarships to students for community service that students may apply for at the beginning of the term.

Q: Are there any internship opportunities for international students? Can you name 2 or 3 companies international students did their internship in?

A: IMI prides itself in having a dedicated team to support all our students for careers and internship opportunities and provide personalised one-on-one advice and counselling service. Moreover, each student enrolled in the undergraduate programmes at IMI are required to undergo at least one internship to graduate. Just to name a few companies: Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, Kempinski hotels etc prefers IMI interns and graduates.

Q: How does IMI differentiate from other Swiss colleges and universities in terms of programme offerings, as well as teaching and research quality?

A: IMI is one of the smallest Swiss hotels schools and is one of the only remaining ones still owned by a Swiss family who are still involved in the school operations on a daily basis. This makes IMI unique in the sense of how it operates to retain the Swiss hospitality quality the country is renowned for. Our entire team at IMI are connected with the students daily ensuring that we provide our students with the best possible platform with excellent education and career.

Q:  It is often said that graduates from Swiss universities are well sough-after in the fields of hospitality management and private banking.  Are Swiss universities strong in the research of these fields?

A: Switzerland has trained the world’s hotel management leaders for over a century and is indeed world-famous for many things such as its hospitality management schools, breath-taking scenery, fine chocolates, luxury brands etc. At IMI, we believe the well-deserved reputation is because our international students devote their studies in both theory and practical studies that enrich their education and develop a professional attitude that best prepare them for the hospitality industry.

Q: . Which subject areas are IMI good at in the postgraduate level?

A: All of IMI’s postgraduate programmes are university level and deliver an excellent quality education to all of our students. The variety of postgraduate programmes we offer are tailored to students with different needs and desired careers ranging from an MBA in International Hospitality Management to Master of Arts in Global Strategic Management.

Q: Can you give a few international accreditations of IMI and/its programmes? What are the rankings of the school in Switzerland?

A: Switzerland has no official ranking for private institutions such as hotel schools. However, many of IMI’s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are validated by UK universities that rank in the top 100 and 200 UK universities for hospitality such as Manchester Metropolitan University, Oxford Brookes University and Sheffield Hallam University. Moreover, IMI Luzern’s MBA is validated by the Confederation of Tourism & Hospitality - a professional institution that provides recognised standards for training in the hospitality, tourism and travel industries.

Other accreditations of IMI University Centre are EduQua (Switzerland’s leading quality label for higher education), SFPS (Swiss Federation of Private Schools), QQQ (Swiss Tourism’s quality label) etc.

Q:  Any other areas you would like to add on for HK students?

A: IMI offers a unique environment to our students where we are able to provide personal attention to each and every one of our students. Our students also appreciate the many benefits provided to them in terms of their education, personal and professional growth, and future career opportunities as we pay closer attention to student experience which enable them to excel in their careers.

At IMI, we believe that all students who choose to enrol with us and enter the hospitality field must follow their passion. If you are passionate about the industry it can bring an excellent career, great personal satisfaction and tremendous success. Hospitality is an amazing industry, one that can allow you to be a ‘Global Citizen’, to travel, work and live all over the world.

With the education and experience you will receive from IMI, it will open many doors and allow you to launch into the life of your dreams.