The benefits of studying hospitality on a culturally diverse campus

If there is one appropriate word to describe the Glion community, it would definitely be diverse: on any given academic semester there are 90-100 nationalities represented on campus.

With the help of her fellow students, Rebecca De Keijzer, a Glion Bachelor student, discovered some of the benefits and opportunities of studying in such a multicultural setting.

The unique beauty of Glion’s international campus environment is the opportunity to discover and appreciate so many different cultures. On average, there are around 22 different nationalities per class cohort, which allows students to learn how to adapt to cultural diversity.

Supporting personal and professional development

On the Glion campuses, you will come across students from all areas of Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa gracefully living together and integrating their cultures into one big international melting pot. The Glion learning environment provides students with multiple opportunities for interaction in classrooms, through group projects and discussions, and participation in multicultural campus events.

Aleksandra Vujasinovic, BBA semester 4 student, recounted what she’s learned from Glion’s environment: “The diversity of students found on campus taught me a lot of things. I learned how to deal with different views, ideas, beliefs and ways of life. It hasn’t changed me, but rather pushed me, causing me to grow and understand everybody around me.

“I became more accepting, patient, and considerate of those paths that are different than mine. Glion provides an environment that makes each student aware and sensitive towards human and cultural differences.”

Preparing students for the “real world” of hospitality

The hospitality industry is extremely diverse and dynamic, with international employees working closely together towards one goal. To prepare students for cultural differences and language barriers in their professional careers, Glion provides endless opportunities to collaborate and use these differences to their advantage.

Important skills that are beneficial in the hospitality business include innovation, productivity, and communication, all of which are increased by the exposure to people with varied and different backgrounds. Ali Hafid, who is taking his Master’s in International Hospitality Business, says: “I feel that learning in such a diverse environment, with people who come from different parts of the world and have different backgrounds, has given me a more open-minded perspective to both academic and life lessons.”

Making global connections that last a lifetime

In addition to the academic and professional skills that students develop during their multicultural experiences at Glion, students also build connections and make friends from all over the world. This encourages them to travel and explore different locations, cultures and values.

All in all, one promise that can be made to any student considering the Glion experience for themselves is that, as well as the enormous professional and academic benefits of studying in such a uniquely diverse environment, great enjoyment will also come out of it.