Time to meet another of our current Executive Master’s in Luxury Management and Guest Experience students – a Vietnamese national with an enduring connection to Swiss-style hospitality business education…

Like many international students lured to Switzerland for their hospitality business education, Yen Nguyen (Tracey) retains a deep affection for the country. After graduating with her hospitality degree, she put that qualification to good use throughout a highly successful, decade-long career in the industry, which saw her hold diverse roles in both domestic and international 5-star hotels.

For the past four years, however, Tracey has been engaged in a different career path, following a pivot towards the education sector.

“I proudly serve as co-founder of the education organization EduWhy and, alongside fellow alumni, we’re spearheading the Swiss Edu Hub project, which aims to bring the educational values of Switzerland to the Vietnamese student community,” she explains.

“Leveraging my background in tourism and hospitality, I’ve been able to seamlessly integrate the best practices from the industry into my new vocation; plus I’ve been invited to share my firsthand experiences with Vietnamese students at many local universities.”

Swiss surprise

It was during a business trip to Switzerland last year that Tracey had her first opportunity to visit Glion. And she was impressed by what she encountered. “The visit left me pleasantly surprised and impressed by the programs, facilities, academic atmosphere and demeanor of the students – it sparked a desire in me to return to the academic halls just like old times!

“Glion stands out as one of the most prestigious institutions in Switzerland; a dream destination for many students. After my trip last year I decided to look into Glion’s programs and I discovered that they offered Executive Master’s degrees which were perfect for entrepreneurs with hectic schedules like mine.”

Why the Executive Master’s in Luxury Management and Guest Experience in particular? “Delving into the program I saw that it provided a wealth of fresh information on contemporary business trends as well as topics like artificial intelligence and sustainability – as a business owner staying updated on trends is paramount. Also, understanding the intricacies of the luxury sector will undoubtedly aid me in expanding and organizing my project more effectively.”

Flexible appeal

The self-paced, online delivery of the Executive Master’s is crucial to its appeal for a busy entrepreneur like Tracey. After taking a little while to adapt to the format, she now feels she’s created a structure that balances life and learning.

“Every day, I dedicate around three hours to studying, made up of two hours for the reading materials and an hour for completing my assignments,” she notes. “At weekends I allocate a little more time for studying in order to better balance learning, work and my personal life during the week. The live classes tend to be held quite late in my time zone, around 9pm to 10pm, but I still find them manageable. And if I don’t make a session, I can catch up with the recording the next day.”

Although she says she’s gained valuable knowledge from every taught module so far, Tracey nominates the first module – “New Luxury Ecosystems” – and its five courses as her favorite so far.

“The first course, about diversity in the workplace, is one of my favorites among many. I thought I knew quite a lot about this topic but didn’t see its connection to luxury. However, through the learning process I realized that I knew only about 20% of what there is to know! Starting with this course is smart, because it helped us to work more efficiently as a team in the subsequent modules.”

Tracey reserved special praise for our faculty member Dr. Estelle Dinh, who teaches the Luxury Markets, Enterprises and Culture course as part of the first module. “I like her for her profound expertise and her skill in presenting course material clearly and in a way that is easy to relate to.

“But other professors are equally committed and impart several excellent lessons to us. I have acquired expertise in engaging and captivating audiences and also mastered the technique of asking questions to enhance knowledge structure.

“Last but not least, I’ve found great satisfaction from conversing with the consultants from Morgan Phillips, who are providing advice and mentoring to the students of this program. These sessions serve as invaluable opportunities for self-reflection, enabling me to leverage my strengths further and receive insightful advice on areas requiring development.”

London at last!

One of the reasons that Tracey chose this Executive Master’s was the opportunity it afforded her to participate in the Residential Week in London.

She notes, “For a long time, I’ve contemplated visiting London, one of the cities renowned for its top-quality education system. As expected, during this study week I not only experienced a unique learning journey but also immersed myself in the essence and style of the luxury industry. From experiencing products and services at high-end brands along Bond Street, where flagship stores from various prestigious brands are concentrated, to networking with leading experts in the field, every moment in London brought me excitement and a sense of empowerment.”

The Luxury Retail Management course forms an essential component of the London Residential Week and, with its blend of academic learning and practical application, Tracey felt it made the week an invaluable asset to the program.

“What surprised me the most is how these real-life experiences helped me gain a clearer understanding of what I’d learned from course materials,” she says. “Moreover, meeting fellow students in person has enabled us to connect and strengthen relationships, supporting each other not just on the academic side but also in our careers and lives, as we share common passions and ideals.

“I am truly proud and grateful for this experience, and I believe the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired during this study week will be a significant advantage for my career in the luxury industry as well as in my own business endeavors.”

Leveraging her learning

Looking ahead to the program’s final module, the Business Research Project, Tracey intends to base that on a genuine real-world scenario in the form of her company’s new education project. By doing so, she hopes to more easily spot areas requiring improvement, while also applying luxury strategies she’s been exposed to during her studies in order to create superior, life-transforming experiences.

“I will strive to apply everything I’ve learned in this program to help my business achieve sustainable development goals and in turn to create value for all stakeholders, including partners, customers and the surrounding community,” she says.

And she had some final words of encouragement to other busy executives thinking about professional education opportunities. “I’d advise you not to delay your study plans. Once you are busy, there’s never a spare moment, but I firmly believe that you can still manage your time to effectively balance study, work and family with an Executive Master’s program. I’m always here to share some tips to support you in optimizing your time and studying more efficiently.”

• You can connect with Tracey at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nguyen-hoang-yen-tracey-55249a11/