Close-up of the school located in the first 5-star hotel in Vietnam

Right on the campus of the 5-star Imperial Hotel in Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, there is a special school where students not only learn theory but also practice and hone their skills every day in an international standard hotel environment.

That is Imperial International Hospitality Management College (IIHC), the first school in Vietnam to train in tourism and hotel management according to the international standard "Hotel School - School in Hotel" model.

Inside the 5-star Imperial Hotel in Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City - where the first hotel school model in Vietnam is located

PHOTO: LN

Located on Thuy Van beach road, Imperial Hotel is the first 5-star hotel in Vung Tau city (old), considered as a symbol of classic European-style resort tourism. With luxurious architecture, the complex includes hotel, resort, conference center, food court and private beach... this hotel is an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

Domestic and foreign tourists are impressed with the classic, luxurious appearance of this hotel when they come to relax in Vung Tau beach.

PHOTO: LE NAM

Part of the Imperial Group, IIHC is accredited by NCFE (UK) for its quality, currently training in hotel, restaurant and travel management with 70% of the study time being practical. Students learn and work in the 5-star Imperial hotel system, thereby practicing their skills, professional attitudes and international communication skills, factors that help them to be able to work immediately after graduation.

The space has a classic European style, with many beautiful photo angles.

On October 16, 2025, the school officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) - a school in the Top 3 in the world in the field of Hotel and Restaurant Management (QS World University Rankings 2025); and is a member of Swiss Education Group (SEG) - the leading educational group in Switzerland.

Under the agreement, students who complete the Advanced Diploma in Hotel Management (NCFE UK Level 5) at IIHC will transfer to the final year at SHMS (Leysin Campus, Switzerland) to receive two bachelor's degrees awarded by SHMS (Switzerland) and the University of Derby (UK).

70% of students' study time will be spent practicing right on the hotel premises.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Professor Dao Manh Hung - Principal of the school said: "Cooperating with a school in the world's Top 3 in the field of hotel and restaurant management is an affirmation of our training quality when it meets global standards, providing Vietnamese students with a model of studying abroad in Vietnam and receiving an international degree." Also on October 16, the school held a graduation ceremony for the 2023-2025 course and the opening ceremony for the 2025-2027 course.

Sharing the reason for forming this special model, Mr. Paul Stoll - Chairman of the school's Professional Council said: "When I came to Vietnam in 2000, the hotel industry was still very new, and the professional staff had almost not yet formed. That is what motivated us to build Imperial College to train a young generation of human resources, ready to meet international standards in service and customer relations."

Students at the graduation ceremony of the 2023-2025 course and the opening ceremony of the 2025-2027 course taking place on the afternoon of October 16.

PHOTO: LN

According to Mr. Paul, since the Imperial Hotel Vung Tau was established in 2009, many employees trained here have spread their experience to other hotels. "Graduates from Imperial College can work effectively from the first day without retraining. However, the number of such human resources is still small, so we want to replicate this model throughout Vietnam," he said.

He also assessed: "Vietnam is becoming a destination that attracts the attention of the whole world, so improving the quality of human resources is a mandatory condition for sustainable development."

A class of tourism students in a 5-star hotel

Talking to reporters, Mr. Huynh Ky Nam - Head of the school's Restaurant and Hotel Management Department said: "The biggest difference for the school's students is that they learn 70% through practice, and practice with real guests. They not only have knowledge but also experience, the ability to handle situations and communicate well in English. Thanks to that, most students after graduation are immediately recruited by 4-5 star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or the Central region."

The magnificent main lobby with classic Victorian architecture of the 5-star hotel in Vung Tau (HCMC)

Mr. Nam shared that many hotels such as Marriott, Sheraton... or luxury resorts proactively contacted to recruit students of the school because they save on retraining costs. "The only problem is that we do not have enough supply to meet the demand. Some hotels even book students before they graduate," he said.

Many students, after studying abroad in Switzerland, Australia or Singapore, have returned to Vietnam to work in international corporations. "They not only mature but also confidently integrate, contributing to raising the service standards of the Vietnamese hotel industry," Mr. Nam emphasized.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/can-canh-ngoi-truong-nam-trong-khach-san-5-sao-dau-tien-tai-viet-nam-185251017141257897.htm