Partnerships – IMI’s Corporate & Academic Collaborations
Learn about IMI Switzerland’s global partnerships. From corporate alliances with Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Kempinski, Viking Cruises, and The Living Circle to academic collaborations and agent partnerships, see how IMI connects globally to enhance student opportunities.
Why Partners Choose IMI
For over 30 years, IMI Switzerland has cultivated partnerships that enrich our students’ experience and contribute to the hospitality industry at large. Partners choose to collaborate with IMI because of our commitment to quality, innovation, and our truly international community.
- Talent Pipeline: Corporate partners like to recruit IMI students because they graduate with practical experience, a global mindset, and polished professional skills. By partnering with IMI (through internships or campus events), they get early access to top talent.
- Academic Excellence: Academic institutions partner with IMI (like our degree-validation partner Manchester Met University) because we uphold rigorous academic standards. We’re a trusted name in Swiss hospitality education, which makes collaboration mutually beneficial.
- Global Reach: Our network spans many countries – we work with educational agencies and feeder schools globally to attract diverse talent, and we partner with hotel chains that have properties worldwide, bridging connections across continents.
- Shared Values: Most importantly, we seek partners who share our values of excellence, professionalism, and personal development. This alignment ensures that together we create meaningful opportunities for students and value for our partners.
Our Key Corporate Partners
- Marriott International: IMI and Marriott have a long-standing alliance. Marriott provides internship placements and participates in our on-campus recruitment. They value IMI so much that many of our alumni have joined Marriott’s management ranks.
- Hilton Hotels & Resorts: A global partnership offering our students opportunities in Hilton’s worldwide network. Regular recruiters at IMI, Hilton trusts our students to step into roles ranging from front desk to management trainee positions, often even before they graduate.
- Hyatt Hotels Corporation: Hyatt partners with IMI to cultivate future hospitality leaders. Through tailored internships across their luxury brands, Hyatt benefits from IMI’s internationally-minded students, and in turn, our students get a springboard into global hospitality careers.
- Kempinski Hotels: This luxury hotel group actively recruits IMI students, reflecting our shared dedication to excellence. Kempinski’s collaboration includes exclusive internship slots for IMI and frequent alumni success stories in their hotels worldwide.”
- Viking Cruises: A unique partnership beyond land-based hospitality – Viking Cruises offers IMI students roles on their luxury cruise ships, bringing a different dimension of hospitality. It’s a testament to the versatility of our training that our students excel even on the high seas.
- The Living Circle: A collection of Swiss luxury hotels and estates, The Living Circle works with IMI to give students local yet high-end industry exposure. This partnership strengthens IMI’s ties with Switzerland’s own hospitality heritage.
Academic Collaborations & Memberships
Degree Validation:
Most IMI programmes are validated by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) UK. This academic partnership ensures our curriculum meets rigorous international standards and our students graduate with dual recognition (Swiss and British degree credentials). MMU’s triple-accredited business school status lends further prestige and quality control to our courses.
Partner Schools & Pathways:
We have formal partnerships with various international schools and colleges. For example, students from certain partner hospitality schools or polytechnics can transfer into IMI’s programmes with advanced standing, thanks to curriculum mapping agreements.
Educational Agents:
IMI works closely with vetted educational agencies worldwide. These agents act as our local representatives, helping prospective students through the application process and ensuring only well-qualified, passionate students are referred to us. We consider these agencies as our partners in student success and regularly train them in our offerings.
Professional Memberships:
IMI is an active member of global hospitality and education bodies such as EUHOFA International (association of hotel school directors) and CHME (Council for Hospitality Management Education). Through these memberships, we exchange best practices and contribute to the development of hospitality education globally.
Accreditation Bodies:
Our partnerships extend to quality assurance organizations. Being certified by EduQua and ISO 9001 means we collaborate with these bodies to continuously improve and uphold standards. It’s a partnership in quality.
Connect with Us
If you represent a company, hotel, educational institution, or agency and are interested in partnering with IMI, we’d love to hear from you. We offer various collaboration models – from internship & recruitment partnerships to joint programmes and beyond.
Please reach out to our Partnerships Office at info@imi-luzern.com to discuss opportunities. Our team will be happy to provide our partnerships brochure and set up a meeting.
