Cesar Ritz Colleges

Coordinates: 46°23′12″N 6°51′00″E / 46.3867°N 6.850°E / 46.3867; 6.850

César Ritz Colleges Switzerland

César Ritz Colleges Switzerland
Motto	A leading business school with entrepreneurship and hospitality at its heart
Type	Hospitaly business school
Established	1982
Dean	Tanja Florenthal
Academic staff	over 120 staff & faculty
Students	2486
Undergraduates	1890
Postgraduates	596
Location	Le Bouveret, Lucerne & Brig , Valais, Lucerne , Switzerland
Campus	Le Bouveret, Lucerne & Brig
Website	https://www.cesarritzcolleges.edu/en/

Since 1982, César Ritz Colleges Switzerland has provided international hotel and tourism management education. The school has three campuses: Le Bouveret (sharing the campus with Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland), Brig and Lucerne.

César Ritz Colleges is a member school of Swiss Education Group.

About César Ritz Colleges Switzerland[]

César Ritz Colleges Switzerland offers students a unique multicultural experience, small classrooms led by experienced faculty, an industry-endorsed curriculum, and fully accredited Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Academic subjects, experiential learning and foreign languages are encouraged in addition to business acumen and leadership skills.

Programmes[]

Programmes available:

• Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Business Management: A 3-year degree that includes 2 internships, a multi-campus experience and an international business plan competition. The joint Bachelor programme in partnership with Washington State University gives students the opportunity to graduate with both a Bachelor of International Business in Hotel and Tourism Management awarded by César Ritz Colleges Switzerland and a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Business Management awarded by Washington State University.
• Master of Arts in Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurship: A one-year degree programme with the University of Derby to learn how to launch and maintain a sustainable and profitable business in today's challenging global environment.
• Certificate in Wine Business Management: A 12-week course focusing on Wine and Food Pairing, Women in Wine, Sustainable Sourcing and WSET certification. César Ritz Colleges Switzerland is the only establishment in the region to provide official accreditation from Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the international standard in wine and spirit knowledge.

Mr. César Ritz[]

Born in 1850, as the thirteenth son of a large family from the Swiss Alps, the now legendary César Ritz had to face multiple challenges and setbacks in his career but managed to overcome these to write hospitality history. He went on to become the pioneer of true luxury hospitality known as “The King of Hoteliers, and The Hotelier of Kings” with his most prestigious accomplishment being the Ritz Paris, which still carries his name to this day.

His relentless focus on guest and customer experience within his teams was made clear in the famous phrase: “The customer is never wrong”.

Mr. César Ritz and César Ritz Colleges[]

In 1986 Mrs Monique Ritz, daughter-in-law of the famous hotelier, and The César Ritz Foundation offered the Colleges to be named after Mr. César Ritz.

Campus facilities[]

Le Bouveret Campus[]

Located in Le Bouveret, a small French speaking town on the shores of Lake Geneva, in a listed building that dates back to the early 1900s.

Le Bouveret campus has a formal dining room where students practice their skills and host events, and a separate cafeteria for every day dining. It is also the home of the Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland.

In 2021, César Ritz Colleges (Le Bouveret campus) became the very first higher education institution in the world to be certified by Green Globe, the highest standard for sustainability.

Brig Campus[]

Another campus is located in the city of Brig-Glis, the largest German speaking town in the Valais region. The campus is split between two buildings in the heart of Brig, with a full range of modern facilities.

Lucerne Campus[]

The third César Ritz campus is located in the city of Lucerne, in the former Union hotel that was built in the 1900s and underwent major renovations in 2012.

Partnerships[]

César Ritz Colleges has partnerships with Washington State University, University of Derby, Ritz Paris, Evian Resort, Comité Champagne and Switzerland Tourism.

Alumni association[]

With over 24 000 alumni around the world, the César Ritz Colleges Switzerland alumni network has active chapters for members to maintain friendships and promote professional networking.

History of César Ritz Colleges Switzerland[]

2021 César Ritz Colleges Switzerland (Le Bouveret campus) becomes Green Globe certified.

2020 César Ritz Colleges Switzerland signs academic partnership with the Comité Champagne.^[1]
2013 César Ritz Colleges announces the University of Derby (UK) as its academic partner for all master's degree programmes and reinforces the status as an international hotel management institute, rooted in Switzerland.
2012 DCT becomes part of César Ritz Colleges and moves to Lucerne. Opening of the Lucerne Campus in the former renovated Hotel Union building. César Ritz Colleges introduce iPads as an interactive learning tool.^[2]
2011 Invision Private Equity AG acquires César Ritz Colleges Group. César Ritz Colleges joins the network of the Swiss Education Group.
2010 The annual European conference of the prestigious United Nations World Tourism Organization is held at the University Centre César Ritz in Brig.
2008 Opening of the 225 single room "Themis & Xenius" student accommodation in Brig.
2007 Partner school agreements are established in New Zealand, India, United Arab Emirates, Iceland and Peru.
2006 The first "Double degree" agreement is signed with the , Bogota, Colombia.
2006 The Leadership Programme is introduced at the undergraduate level.
2005 The first Swiss hotel management school receives accreditation from , the accrediting body of the World Tourism Organization.
2005 Mr Martin Kisseleff, President and Mr Bernhard Schwestermann, CPA, arrange a management buy-out. Dr W. D. Petri, former owner is offered the title of Honorary President.
2003 Recognition by the State of Valais, Switzerland of the Bachelor of International Business Degree and the Master of Business Administration in Hotel and Tourism Management offered at University Centre César Ritz
2003 Opening of the International College of Hospitality Management César Ritz, the first and only Swiss hotel school in the US, located in Suffield, Connecticut.
2002 César Ritz Colleges Switzerland enrolls its 10.000th student.
2000 The first Master of Science in International Hospitality Management is launched in Switzerland at University Centre César Ritz, in co-operation with Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
1997 Swiss Government authorities approve use of the name "University" for ICHA. The college is renamed University Centre César Ritz.
1997 US Bachelor's degree delivered in partnership with Washington State University.
1996 The International College of Management in Sydney (ICMS), Australia (formerly ICTHM - International College of Tourism & Hotel Management), opened with the César Ritz programme.
1992 Opening of the International College of Hospitality Management César Ritz in Washington, Connecticut, USA.
1992 Creation of the ICHA Foundation and opening of the International College of Hospitality Administration in Brig.
1992 First US Bachelor's degree in hotel management in Switzerland in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
1991 Launch of the first hotel management postgraduate diploma programme in Switzerland.
1986 Opening of the Institut Hôtelier "César Ritz" in Le Bouveret, State of Valais, on the shores of Lake Geneva.
1986 The César Ritz Foundation in the Valais Region and Mrs Monique Ritz, daughter-in-law of the famous hotelier, did to the school the honour of allowing to name its colleges after César Ritz, "The Hotelier of Kings" and "The King of Hoteliers".
1985 The first Bachelor programme in hotel management in Switzerland is launched in co-operation with Washington State University (WSU), Pullman, WA, USA (2 years César Ritz + 2 years WSU).^[3]
1985 Transfer agreements are signed with several state universities in the United States, Europe and Australia.
1983 Opening of the second institute, the "Schulhotel Zillwald" in the health resort of Lax, in Valais.
1982 Creation of "Hotelconsult Management Company" and opening of the first college, the "Schulhotel Alpina" in Brig, State of Valais, by Dr Wolfgang D. Petri.

References[]