Online Summer School in Business and Tourism Management, Marketing & Sustainability of Tourism Businesses and Destinations

The programme addresses bachelor's and master's students from all over the world as well as students from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Students from other study programmes without previous knowledge of tourism are also welcome to the interdisciplinary programme. This online summer school combines theoretical knowledge with opportunities to meet and learn from industry experts and ask them critical questions. The programme thematically focusses on strategies of tourism destinations, stakeholder management, tourism marketing and the management and organisation of tourism destinations.

The working language of the week is English.

Participants will get the unique opportunity to interact with more than ten experts of tourism companies and leading Swiss destinations such as Zermatt, Zurich and Switzerland Tourism.

In this programme, you will:

• Be introduced to the management and marketing of tourism businesses in Switzerland through academic and applied course content.
• Become familiar with the various forms of tourism management in both destination and tourism businesses.
• Gain knowledge in tourism-destination management, stakeholder management, service management, and in developing new markets.
• Further develop your intercultural awareness. 
• Meet students online from Switzerland and other countries while broadening your professional network. 

Depending on our credit requirements and your choice to complete the full assignment after the Online Summer School, either 3 ECTS (90 hours) or 6 ECTS (180 hours) will be awarded. 

The 6 ECTS course will only be available for international students (not for HSLU students). For international students a written assignment (equal to 90 hours) will be required. This written assignment has to be submitted within 4 weeks after the summer school.   

• The course will make use of presentations and other interactive methods.
• Contact hours include lectures, industry experts' presentations, moderated discussions with your participation, case studies, exercises, group work and the Destination Management Game.
• Group work, individual tasks, lectures, presentations, and the analysis of the practical application of topics in the compulsory reading material will strengthen your learning experience. Pre-course preparation will be required and is part of the course. 
• Your online presence of a minimum of 80% of the sessions 1-5, 7, 8, 12 - 13 (please consult the programme) is mandatory; the complete participation in the Management Simulation is mandatory (sessions 6, 9 - 11).

For students who have been nominated to the Lucerne School of Business by partner universities and for Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts students the tuition fee will be waived. 

The tuition fee for all other participants is CHF 1,800. 

Bachelor's and master's students who wish to apply for the programme need to be competent users of English. Any of the following will be accepted:

• Your mother tongue is English; or
• You study in a university degree programme that is fully taught in English; or
• You provide a recognized English certificate: IELTS Academic (6.5), TOEFL (79), FCE, CAE; or
• You provide a confirmation letter from your university (such as this template) that you have a min. B2 level (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) in English. 

Furthermore, applicants need to have completed a minimum of two semesters at your current university level (confirmation of enrolment required). 

If participants wish to transfer the credits they earn during the Online Summer School to their home institution, they should obtain approval of credit transfer from their home institution prior to submission of their application. 

The grading will be done according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. The Lucerne School of Business assesses and grades the performance of the participants in accordance with Chapter V "Module Assessment and ECTS credits" of the "Academic Regulations for the Bachelor Programme in International Business Administration at the Lucerne School of Business".

Participants from partner universities can chose between a 3- and a 6-ECTS option. For both options full-time attendance during the Destination Management Simulation game (for the other sessions an 80% attendance is required) is a prerequisite for the positive completion of the Online Summer School. Additionally, for:

• 3 ECTS: an online test and evaluation of the group work as proof of achievement are required
• 6 ECTS (for international students only): group work and a transfer work in form of an assignment equivalent to 3 ECTS are required. 

Students from our partner universities will have priority. Places are limited, so please register early. 

Application deadline is June 8, 2025. Please send your signed Application Form, together with a Confirmation of Enrolment from your home university (not for students of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts), and your proof of English level to summerschool-business-lucerne@hslu.ch.

Before you apply, please make sure that you fulfil our requirements (please see above) and that you agree to our Terms and Conditions.

Participants need to agree to our Terms and Conditions before they apply.

Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - School of Business
Zentralstrasse 9
Post Box 2940
CH-6004 Lucerne
Switzerland
summerschool-business-lucerne@hslu.ch
Tel +41 41 228 41 30