In this video, Lia Sabbagh, originally from Lebanon and raised in the UAE, shares her experience participating in a unique program combining HEC Paris and EHL Hospitality Business School. Having studied and lived across multiple international markets: including the UAE, Milan, London, Paris, and Lausanne, Lia reflects on how the program offered a unique perspective on the luxury and hospitality industries. She explains how HEC focuses on the strategic and theoretical foundations of luxury, while EHL provides hands-on exposure to hospitality practice, allowing students to better understand how luxury experiences are delivered on the front line. One of the highlights of the program for Lia was the wine tasting class at EHL’s Michelin restaurant, where students explored wines across different price ranges and learned how sommeliers evaluate quality, complexity, and regional characteristics. Beyond the classroom, the program also offered a powerful international experience, bringing together students from around the world and allowing them to exchange cultural perspectives, service approaches, and professional ambitions. For Lia, this two-week immersion provided a valuable opportunity to explore the hospitality industry, understand luxury service from multiple angles, and discover whether hospitality could become a long-term career path. 💡 Key Takeaways ✅ The difference between luxury theory and hospitality practice ✅ How HEC and EHL complement each other academically ✅ Learning luxury hospitality through real industry experiences ✅ The role of wine, gastronomy, and culture in hospitality education ✅ The value of an international cohort in hospitality learning ✅ How short immersive programs help students explore career paths 📍 Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction: Lia introduces herself 00:17 - What were you hoping to get out of this program? 00:31 - How did the campus switch impact learning experience? 01:17 - What did you enjoy most about the program? 01:51 - How did this experience help you grow your professional network? 02:16 — what advice would you give to future participants? ❓ Who they are 👤 Lia Sabbagh https://www.linkedin.com/in/lia-sabbagh/ 🌎 Learn more about EHL The Luxury Hospitality Management Summer School https://gs.ehl.edu/luxury-hospitality-management-summer-school-hec-paris 💬 Question for you Do you think the best way to learn hospitality is through theory or hands-on experience? Share your thoughts in the comments 👇 🔔 If you enjoy insights about luxury hospitality, hospitality education, and global hospitality careers, like, share & subscribe for more content from EHL Hospitality Business School: https://www.youtube.com/@EHLpublications?sub_confirmation=1