Hospitality training grounded in real-world practice
Amandine Clairet
MSc in International Hospitality Management
After earning her Bachelor's degree at Institut Lyfe (formerly Institut Paul Bocuse), Amandine Clairet continued her education with the MSc in International Hospitality Management from emlyon business school and Institut Lyfe. Drawn to the program's international curriculum, she spent time studying in Lyon, Paris, and Las Vegas. The program pairs classroom learning with hands-on projects for major hospitality groups, giving students practical experience alongside theory. Here's a closer look at a program that prepares students for careers in this demanding sector.
Learning across three cities
The program's international scope was a major draw for Amandine. "I was very interested in taking classes in three different locations: Lyon, Paris, and Las Vegas. Having an international academic experience is culturally valuable," she explains. Each semester, students work on projects in different cities, experiencing varied professional environments and hospitality markets.
Students also participate in "Hospitality Weeks" in London and Paris : these immersive experiences include visits to prestigious hotels, renowned restaurants, and innovative hospitality concepts, while meeting industry professionals and expanding their networks.
Real projects, real companies
Each semester centers on a major project. Students work with companies like Accor, event industry leaders, or develop their own concepts.
The first semester's Concept Design and Development (CDD) project has students create and operate a pop-up restaurant. In the second semester, the Hotel Brand Design (HBD) project for the Accor group, where students create a hotel brand that fits within the company's portfolio. This includes market analysis and brand positioning work. Finally, in Las Vegas, the In-Company Consulting Project (ICP) places students in a real consulting assignment for an American event company.
The value of this work lies in its realism. "What really struck me during my experience was the concrete aspect of the projects, where you work on real cases," Amandine confirms.
Studying integrated resorts in Las Vegas
The semester abroad at UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) stands out as a highlight. Students study "integrated resorts"—massive complexes combining hotels, casinos, convention centers, restaurants, and retail. "The hotel isn't just a hotel but also a convention center, casino, a food court with dozens of restaurants, and shops—all in one place," Amandine describes.
Courses examine how these resorts work: architecture designed to encourage spending, revenue management across multiple services, and staffing for 24/7 operations.
Amandine found the architecture courses particularly striking: "The building's shape and size, the window dimensions, how the entrance is positioned relative to the Strip and the sun—it's impressive!"
Industry professionals as instructors
Beyond the projects, the quality of the faculty is a major strength of the program. "A majority of the program's instructors come from the field and share their professional experience and knowledge with us," Amandine emphasizes. This approach ensures practical teaching based on real cases and concrete experience rather than purely theoretical foundations. The classes, based on ongoing dialogue with these professionals and consultants, allow students to quickly develop an operational understanding of hotel management. The program also includes visits to prestigious establishments in London, Paris, and Las Vegas, further enriching this professional immersion and allowing students to rapidly expand their networks.
Immediate application in the field
Now completing her final internship as an assistant manager at the Grand Mess Clermont-Ferrand complex, Amandine sees daily proof of her training's relevance. "Every day, I use everything I learned in class: staff management, financial management, pricing decisions, and marketing," she states. While she acknowledges that "hospitality management is a type of management that is very different, very interesting, but also very challenging in some aspects," she enthusiastically recommends this program, which she finds extremely valuable.
The MSc in International Hospitality Management from emlyon business school and Institut Lyfe stands out for its balance between academic excellence and professional immersion. Through its international structure, hands-on projects with major companies, and faculty drawn from the industry, the program offers strong preparation for the sector's challenges. For Amandine Clairet, who is currently discussing her future with a rapidly expanding hospitality group, the verdict is clear: this program was not just a continuation of her studies, but a real accelerator of professional skills, grounded in the reality of a demanding and constantly evolving sector.
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