In order to further enhance students' knowledge of hotel management, increase their international perspective, and expand their knowledge, from June 25 to July 9, 2023, 13 undergraduate students from the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management (FHTM) and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FA) of Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T), led by Senior Supervisor Michelle Ou, completed a two-week summer camp in Montreux, Switzerland.
Group Photo
This Swiss Summer Camp was organized by the Swiss Education Group (SEG), which operates four top universities in Switzerland, including the Swiss Hotel Management University, the Swiss Food and Art Management University, the César Ritz Colleges Switzerland, and the Swiss School of Hotel Management in Montreux. The summer camp offered a variety of exciting activities, with academic learning, cultural experiences, and outdoor activities as the main themes. The summer camp included courses in hospitality and culinary arts, which allowed the students to directly interact with industry experts in Switzerland and experience the country's unique educational approach. The students also learned about the language and culture and visited academic research institutions, cultural museums, local universities, and other research institutions, including the Charlie Chaplin Museum, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, the Nestlé Food Museum, the Lavaux Vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Rhône Glacier in the Alps. Outdoor activities such as hiking, trail running, rock climbing, canyon drifting, kayaking, and more, enriched the students' extracurricular life and promoted cultural exchange with students from all over the world.
Students in Class
Outdoor Activities
After the program ended, the Swiss Education Group awarded completion certificates to the participating students. Nehemy Stuby, the project manager of the summer camp, highly praised the M.U.S.T students as they demonstrated exceptional talent, a positive attitude, and infinite potential. Throughout the courses and activities, they followed the school's rules, actively participated in the activities, and demonstrated excellent team collaboration, and leadership skills. They effectively cooperated with team members from different regions, showcasing their talents, and working together to achieve common goals.
Graduation Ceremony
All the participating students expressed that this trip was a very positive learning experience. Li Zilan, a bachelor student majoring in International Tourism Management (BITM), said that the in-depth insights gained from participating in this summer camp were surprising. As a practical course, being able to thoroughly review the history of the hotel management industry in its birthplace and explore the local customs, transportation, and infrastructure explained its unshakable status. The biggest gain of this trip was expanding international horizons, working with friends from all over the world in the classroom, and sharing hometown cuisine and language/cultural anecdotes during free time. Liang Keying, another student majoring in BITM, expressed that participating in the summer camp, gaining new knowledge, tasting delicacies, making friends, and exploring together, made the short 14-day journey leave beautiful memories in everyone's hearts. Switzerland's beautiful scenery also healed everyone's soul. At the same time, they gained a deeper understanding of the course in Hotel and Tourism Management, and after experiencing the learning environment abroad, they also had a clearer direction for future planning.
