Source: EHL
Source: EHL
Source: EHL
Source: EHL
Source: EHL
Source: EHL

How EHL managed the largest single Swiss quarantine

  • 2,500 EHL Students emerge from lockdown
  • The first of its kind for a hospitality school, HyFlex is a thoughtfully developed remote learning method with a dynamic approach to student numbers in the physical classroom
  • The HyFlex digital learning model is part of a set of comprehensive support measures that have been implemented at EHL since the beginning of this year in rapid response to the coronavirus pandemic and its potential impact upon student life
  • EHL is redefining its university experience based on lessons from the COVID pandemic • High-resolution images and video testimonials available here.

Lausanne, Switzerland - Working with the Canton of Vaud and the medical authorities, today, 2,500 EHL students will emerge from their quarantine that was imposed on the Lausanne campus after several minor-symptom cases of coronavirus were reported amongst the student body. The quarantine followed privately-organised social gatherings.

Despite the stringent restrictions, the world-leading hospitality management school and its student population has risen to the challenge, avoiding disruption to learning and maintaining its community through a comprehensive support system that is the result of months of extensive preparation.

Indicative of its pioneering spirit, EHL has implemented a HyFlex (hybrid, flexible) model of learning. A long-term strategy that has been years in the making but accelerated in response to the pandemic, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne has utilised cutting-edge technologies to maximise digital opportunities for learning that also acts to reduce the number of students on campus at any one time.

Redefining distance learning and going far beyond simply putting classes online, the university has considered the role of the teacher in each scenario alongside the advantages of digital capabilities to decide which elements of each curriculum are best suited to various mediums; which classes benefit from interaction with faculty members, using virtual reality for practical demonstrations, learning through gaming and video content. Exams have also successfully moved online with "anti-cheat" artificial intelligence systems that guarantee the integrity of the assessment, by blocking other computer functions and analysing sounds and movements around the student.

Providing an adaptable environment to health concerns as well as evolving fitting learning methods that enable students to study at their own pace, the HyFlex model allows for the university to both increase and decrease the number of students on campus, providing digital learning according to need.

The HyFlex model is part of a comprehensive set of measures that were actioned early in the year; a specialist taskforce was set up in March in collaboration with the Cantonal Physician's Office and International SOS to create strategies for quarantine alongside extensive sanitary measures and installations on campus. Since the first quarter of the year, this has been complemented by a full range of student support services, including coaching, counselling, psychologists on call, hotline for student concerns, medical services and open communication with both students and parents. All measures were implemented to ensure full academic continuity and the best possible conditions for quarantined students.

Having always worked closely together, the institution and student representatives are keen to look ahead and collaborate to ensure that responsible social interaction can occur. Recognised by both as a vital part of the student experience, the university is encouraging committees to organise both virtual and policy-compliant physical events. EHL has always been known as a "school of life", providing valuable savoir-être and soft skills alongside academic expertise. The world's leading hospitality management university is proud to provide life experience as well as world-leading business degrees, and is hopeful that stability provided by the HyFlex learning model, split time on campus and student support will enable a swift return to a truly well-rounded education.

As schools around the world learn to adapt to a new normal, EHL aims to usher in a new vision of education, an integrated academic and student life model designed for the next generation of students by applying the lessons learned from this unprecedented pandemic.

For more information on EHL's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.

And you can view and download high-resolution images and video testimonials by clicking here.

About EHL Group

EHL Group is the global reference in education, innovation and consulting for the hospitality and service sector.
With expertise dating back to 1893, EHL Group now offers a wide range of leading educational programs from apprenticeships to master's degrees, as well as professional and executive education, on three campuses in Switzerland and Singapore. EHL Group also offers consulting and certification services to companies and learning centers around the world. True to its values and committed to building a sustainable world, EHL Group's purpose is to provide education, services and working environments that are people-centered and open to the world. www.ehlgroup.com

Sherif Mamdouh
External Communications Manager
EHL