Cesar Ritz Colleges


Since 1982, César Ritz Colleges Switzerland has provided international hotel and tourism management education. Located on three campuses, the César Ritz Colleges Switzerland and Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland are situated in Le Bouveret, the school centre is in Brig, Switzerland, and a recently opened campus in Lucerne.
César Ritz Colleges Switzerland programmes:
César Ritz Colleges Switzerland offers Hotel and Tourism Management Education. Academic subjects, practical training and foreign languages are encouraged in addition to business acumen and leadership skills.
César Ritz Colleges Switzerland offer diploma, bachelor, postgraduate and master programmes in international business, tourism and hospitality management. A dedicated culinary programme is available through the Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland which takes place on the Le Bouveret campus.
The joint Bachelor programme in partnership with Washington State University offers students the fantastic opportunity to graduate with both a César Ritz Colleges bachelor's degree in Hotel and Tourism Management and a Washington State University bachelor's degree in Hospitality Business Management. From the first day at César Ritz Colleges, students will study for both the César Ritz Colleges and Washington State University bachelor's degree.

Programmes

Programmes available:
Born in 1850, as the thirteenth son of a modest peasant family in the canton of Valais, Switzerland.

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

The student body consists of approximately 500 students of over 60 nationalities.

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. The campus offers a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Business Management with Washington State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts from the University of Derby, and the Swiss Grand Diploma in Culinary Arts.
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.


Brig Campus

University Centre César Ritz is located in the city of Brig-Glis, the largest German speaking town in the Valais region.

Lucerne Campus

The 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 USA, University of Derby, and Ritz Paris

Alumni association

With over 12,000 alumni from all over 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


2013
César Ritz Colleges announces the University of Derby 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.


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 University La Sabana, Bogota, Colombia.


2006 The Leadership Programme is introduced at the undergraduate level.


2005 The first Swiss hotel management school receives accreditation from tedQual, 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, Australia, 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, Pullman, WA, USA.


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.