Hospitality is global. Your education can be too.
At AIHM, students can begin their studies in Bangkok—one of the world’s most dynamic hospitality cities—and finish in Switzerland, graduating from Les Roches, one of the most respected hospitality schools on the planet.
What changes when your classroom moves halfway across the world? To understand what this experience is really like, we spoke with three students—Phyu, Mew and Amy—who started at AIHM and later transferred to Les Roches.
We asked them about studying in two countries, adjusting to life in Switzerland, and what the experience gave them in practical terms: from academic readiness to career clarity and global employability.
Our globe-trotting young professionals talked about classrooms and cultures, confidence and career direction, and what it actually feels like to make a move this big. In their answers, six major benefits emerged for starting at AIHM and completing your degree at Les Roches.
If you’re curious about what this path looks like from the inside and what it can do for your career, keep reading.
Discover 6 Reasons to Start at AIHM and Finish at Les Roches
As experienced, and described, by the students who did it.
1. You Arrive in Switzerland Academically Ready
Our students consistently described arriving at Les Roches with a sense of academic familiarity and confidence. That readiness shows up in how they talk about their first weeks on campus.
Amy (Prapasirikul Siriprawatkul) was clear about what AIHM gave her before the move:
“AIHM helped me build a strong foundation in the hospitality business and time management.”
That foundation mattered immediately. When she arrived in Switzerland, the rhythm of university-level coursework, deadlines, and projects requiring group collaboration felt recognisable. Mew (Kotchapun Kongthawornwat) described the same sense of familiarity and readiness:
“Academically, it felt similar to AIHM, just with even more advanced resources and technology.”
Especially for Southeast Asian students, an AIHM start allows you to begin your higher education close to home and then make the big move to Europe, with a solid base to boost your success.
2. Bangkok Grounds Your Learning in Real Hospitality
For many students, starting in Bangkok shapes how they understand hospitality from the beginning. Unlike most hotel management schools, in which practical lessons take place in mock-up rooms and through role-play, AIHM surrounds students in a real hotel environment from their very first days on campus. AIHM students benefit from studying in the world’s only hospitality management school set within an actual luxury hotel.
Mew chose AIHM specifically because of where and how she would learn:
“I chose AIHM because it allowed me to study in Thailand while gaining practical experience in the hotel.”
Bangkok’s hospitality scene is dense, fast-moving, and operationally complex. Students talked about being surrounded by some of the globe’s best hotels, real guest expectations, and daily service realities.
That real-life experience and industry exposure gives later classroom discussions a different weight. Strategy, sustainability, and management concepts connect to things students have already seen and felt on the ground. Starting their education in Bangkok, they learn hands-on in one of the world’s most competitive and innovative hotel markets.
3. The Academic Transition Feels Natural and Continuous
Students frequently highlighted how smoothly the academic transition unfolds. AIHM’s BBA degree in Bangkok is offered in academic association with Les Roches and follows the same curriculum. This continuity makes the transition easy.
Amy describes the coursework and expectations at Les Roches as closely aligned with her experience at AIHM:
“The academic structure is quite similar in terms of coursework and expectations.”
Mew reinforced that sense of continuity, noting that the move felt like an extension rather than a change in direction. The shared curriculum allows students to carry momentum forward, even as their surroundings change dramatically. Mew noted how helpful the AIHM-Les Roches relationship made the move: “AIHM provided guidance on the application process and helped with the necessary documentation, making the transition as smooth as possible.”
4. You Grow Through Two Distinct Learning Environments
The students described AIHM and Les Roches as environments that develop different strengths at different stages.
Phyu Shin Thant highlighted the value of the smaller classes at AIHM:
“The smaller class sizes allowed for more personalised attention and a closer-knit learning environment.”
That setting helped her build confidence early through direct interaction with lecturers and classmates.
Students who choose the transfer experience benefit from both personal attention and global scale. They grow with the help of the intense mentorship offered at AIHM as well as the heightened personal responsibility required to thrive Les Roches. Amy described how the Les Roches and its larger environment places greater emphasis on independence:
“Students are encouraged to take initiative and balance academics with real-world exposure. The Les Roches atmosphere also pushes you to be more confident and proactive.”
Experiencing both environments helps students learn how to adapt to different contexts—a skill that becomes increasingly valuable beyond university.
5. You Build a Truly Global Network
Students often speak about the people they meet at both AIHM and Les Roches as one of the most defining aspects of their university experience.
Phyu remembers her first impression of Les Roches vividly:
“I was immediately struck by the vibrant and diverse international community.”
While AIHM and Bangkok are both very diverse places themselves, Les Roches is even more international. As one of the world’s most prestigious hotel management schools, it attracts aspiring hoteliers from over 100 nationalities. Group projects, campus events, and daily interactions involve classmates from many countries and cultural backgrounds.
At the same time, students retain the regional connections they built at AIHM. Phyu reflects on this combination clearly:
“I made regional connections at AIHM and global connections at Les Roches.”
While at AIHM, students rub shoulders with CEOs, COOs and General Managers. They get to converse with executives and entrepreneurs, learning from them and making valuable professional connections. Prior to transferring to Switzerland, they complete two internships located in Thailand or other exceptional destinations from the Maldives to Japan to Dubai. AIHM open doors to global opportunities, especially in Asia Pacific. At Les Roches, the connections expand and tap into new areas.
Together, these networks mirror the international nature of the hospitality industry itself.
6. You Unlock Career Opportunities Across Two Continents.
Double your career leverage. With a degree that gives you solid footprints in two continents, you’ll dramatically increase your opportunities to succeed and grow quickly in your career.
At AIHM, students already gain exposure to industry through career fairs and recruitment opportunities. When they transfer to Les Roches, their range of opportunities expands tremendously. Admired for its long, elite history and prestigious global reputation, Les Roches attracts leading hospitality brands that aggressively recruit on campus.
Mew described the experience:
“At Career Day events, top hotel brands come to campus, and we can interview directly with HR.”
Phyu also pointed to the visibility of global brands in recruitment activities at Les Roches, as well as the value of interacting with industry professionals. “These experiences have allowed me to gain insights into the industry’s trends and expectations, helping me define my career path moving forward.”
Beyond access, the degree itself carries weight. Graduating from Les Roches is widely recognised in the hospitality industry as a mark of quality and rigour. Combined with academic and professional experience in both Thailand and Switzerland, students leave with a highly desirable profile that signals readiness, adaptability, and global perspective.
Together, the AIHM-to-Les-Roches transfer pathway offers something distinctive: two complementary professional networks, a globally recognised degree, and concrete international experiences that graduates can highlight as they interview with prospective employers.
Curious About Studying in Two Countries? Let’s Talk.
If starting your degree in Bangkok and ending it with snow, Swiss mountain classrooms, and the occasional fondue sounds intriguing, the next step is simple: request more info.
The AIHM–Les Roches transfer pathway combines academic continuity, global exposure, and real career advantages. To understand how the process works and whether it’s the right fit for you, speak with our academic advisors.
