Bachelor students Kartik Pandey and Charlotte Vrignaud both took advantage of the option to study a semester of their degree in a different country – Kartik at Glion London and Charlotte at Les Roches Marbella in Spain. We asked them to tell us about the experience…

As with the industries we serve, everything about Glion is international. We are the only Swiss hospitality school to operate a campus in the UK; plus our membership of the Sommet Education group opens up possibilities for Bachelor students to spend a semester on a campus of our sister school, Les Roches.

How does this experience work in practice, though? And what are the benefits to a student from a semester abroad?

To find out, we spoke to two Bachelor students who’ve recently completed campus transfers: Kartik Pandey and Charlotte Vrignaud. Here are their stories…

Kartik Pandey
Destination: Glion London

Originally from India, I spent the majority of my teenage years living in Korea. With a curious interest in hospitality, I joined Glion to understand how this specific type of business functions. So far, my academic journey and internship experience at the Four Seasons Bora Bora have developed a fascination with the world of finance and asset management.

In the future, I aim to blend these interests by pursuing a career in hospitality finance, with a goal to grow into management positions within the finance department or the asset management side in the hospitality industry. That’s why I’m planning to take the International Hotel Development and Finance specialization when I reach semester 7, as it aligns perfectly with my goal of becoming the backbone of a company by handling finances.

Pleased to meet you

I was motivated to go to Glion London for a transfer semester because I wanted to meet new people from diverse cultural backgrounds in a completely different setting compared to Switzerland. Being a city person hailing from Asia, the idea of experiencing a new environment was very exciting to me.

I also anticipated that living in a vibrant city like London would add to my overall experience of internationalism, giving me a taste of its rich and diverse cultures and fast-paced city lifestyle.

One important point to note is that the London campus welcomes around 200-300 students, which is 3-4 times less than Switzerland. These smaller class sizes allow a more personalized learning environment. The close interactions between students and teachers enhanced my educational experience and enabled me to build meaningful relationships with not only faculty members but also students – including those engaged in other semesters, which can be really important to discover new perspectives and expand networks.

Those who do, teach

Another element that differed from my studies in Switzerland was the faculty. The Glion London faculty includes highly experienced industry professionals who balance their teaching responsibilities with active jobs in the hospitality industry in London. This dual engagement means that students benefit from the real-world insights and up-to-date industry practices shared by their teachers. The exposure to such practical knowledge will, I am sure, better prepare me to navigate the professional world during my upcoming internship.

How easy was it to make friends in this new environment? The relatively compact size of the campus definitely helps in meeting fellow students from other semesters and programs – and of course, having small class size also helps to make close friends and have one big group of friends. In terms of connections, being in an English-speaking country helped to break language barriers and facilitated connections, while also making my daily life easier.

As for highlights of my time in London, being a foodie a genuine highlight was definitely the opportunity to discover the wide variety of cuisines available in the city. From unique fusion concepts of Japanese and Italian to Michelin-starred Indian restaurants, London allowed me to develop my culinary culture and discover concepts I never imagined could exist. And London’s multicultural nature meant that in discovering life in the UK I was also able to discover some of the many different types of cultures that are present in the city.

On the academic side, my highlights were being able to be a part of the Sports Committee and being a Student Ambassador. The best part of being an Ambassador on the London campus are the perks you get during special visits and recruitment days, for example being able to have an Ambassador-only lunch with the industry specialists.

My mentor

But perhaps my favorite highlight of Glion London was the semester end party, where all the students of the campus were invited for a BBQ lunch with music and drinks, organized by our Campus Director, Peter Meyer. He is a great personality who I wish to work with some day: a leader, an entertainer and a person who cares. I could consider him a mentor.

And to the big question: would I recommend the semester abroad experience? I would certainly advocate the London campus to any student who feels they’ll thrive in a small, close-knit, and family-like campus environment.

Glion London really does feel like a little home that belongs to us! It allows for connections with new students and fascinating lecturers. Plus the campus also presents a great opportunity to discover the vibrant city of London, a 45-minute drive away, while being very close to nature with forests and fields within walking distance. It offers the best of both worlds, and it makes for a rare university experience, distinct from Switzerland, yet equally pleasing and exciting.

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Charlotte Vrignaud
Destination: Les Roches Marbella

Since my teenage years I have dreamed of becoming a hotel manager, and I chose to undertake a Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality Business at Glion to realize this dream.

After an amazing first internship at the Four Seasons Bora Bora, I decided to continue discovering the world by undertaking a semester at Les Roches Marbella. Being motivated and stimulated by travel, discoveries, challenges, and new encounters, I wanted to take this opportunity that Glion offers to move to a new country and experience life in a new destination. Being in your late teens and early twenties, it is the perfect age to go on new adventures!

I saw this experience not only as a personal booster but also as a professional one, with opportunities to further develop my skills. For example, having studied Spanish in the past, I thought being based in Spain would be a great opportunity to enhance my language skills.

And, of course, it’s an opportunity to meet new people and encounter new cultures and personalities, while also tasting a different teaching approach which aligns with Les Roches’ values and specializations.

Campus convenience

The campus itself is very well located, just a 15-minute walk to the beach and a five-minute drive to the city center. Les Roches Marbella welcomes plenty of Spanish and Portuguese students, as well as students from Central and South America. Being French, studying in Marbella made me more open-minded and knowledgeable about the culture and demeanors of people from these parts of the world, thus boosting my diversity, internationalism, and cultural awareness.

Interestingly, although they are sister schools and the subjects taught – as well as the focus on practical hospitality – are similar, I did find differences between Glion and Les Roches.

The most significant of these are their areas of specialization. While Glion puts luxury and hospitality at the heart of its education, I felt like Les Roches had a higher focus on encouraging students towards innovation, sustainability, marketing and entrepreneurship. In addition, while Glion students generally major in pure hospitality and luxury, Les Roches students show a preference for sales, events, marketing and entrepreneurship, both in and outside of hospitality.

How easy was it to make friends in this new environment? Of course, it is never easy to arrive at a whole new school where everyone already knows each other! But people tend to be very open and, progressively, you will find your place. I also had absolutely amazing flat mates that became like family to me.

My Marbella highlights

As for highlights of my semester in Marbella, there were so many! But if I should only select a few, I would definitely say the amazing people I met and all the adventures we had together. As Marbella offers such a diversity of landscapes, I got to enjoy experiences like boating, canyoning, hiking, golf, paella and tapas workshops, Spanish wine tasting, charity activities, day trips and weekends around Spain. So many new adventures!

That said, my two favorite moments of the semester were the Sports Day, where all students gathered to help their team win and enjoy a beautiful barbecue with inflatable games; and of course, the legendary cultural food fair, where many countries are beautifully represented, not only through their food but also through their traditional costumes and customs.

Growth potential

Now it’s complete, I can look back on the semester abroad experience and think about how it has contributed to my personal growth. First things first, it took me to a whole new environment and surrounded me with new people. Learning about the strong Spanish culture was very enriching, and I am sure it will serve as an advantage if I ever work in a Hispanic country in the future.

Having experience of both schools helped me to stand out and launch original, successful projects in Marbella, as I came with fresh approaches inspired by my previous semester at Glion. To give one example, Glion has a partnership ambassador program with the Four Seasons company, which Les Roches doesn’t. Therefore, I participated in implementing the program at Les Roches Marbella, becoming the first-ever Four Seasons Ambassador for Les Roches!

Another example was when I became the head of the Sustainability Club and I was able to boost communication about sustainable practices anyone can adopt, just like the Sustainability Committee of Glion does on Instagram.

And to the key question, would I recommend the semester abroad experience, I’d say without a doubt! If you are curious about new cultures and craving for adventure, you can safely undertake an exchange semester. This opportunity is very well organized and followed up by Glion, so that the transfer is as seamless as possible for students. Not only will you be immersed in a new country and life experience, but you will also discover the variances of hospitality from a different point of view and live additional experiences. You will also meet amazing personalities and strongly expand your network.

• Editor’s note: transfer opportunities to Les Roches Marbella are limited in number and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Thank you to Kartik and Charlotte for your insightful reports!

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