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Writer's pictureStijn Hullegien

T4H U.S. Program & Online Education Coronavirus COVID-19 Update: April, 2020


HELLO, I hope you are staying safe and keeping that quintessentially positive Hospitality attitude. T4H continue to monitor our International programs during this difficult time and will update you and our other contacts as we learn more information. If you have any direct questions, you can contact us at

+44 121 318 7533


We can also be reached on any of our social media channels at the top of our website.


T4H believe that international exchange programs are an essential part in forming the leaders of tomorrow, connecting countries, people and enhancing cooperation for global solutions to global problems, such as COVID-19.

Please find below, further updates to our USA Internship programs as well as information on our online education courses, which are currently enrolling.

As it is clear our US internships will not be starting until later in 2020, and many of us around the world will remain in lock-down for several months. T4H have partnered with the Alpine Center, the Swiss Business School for International Hotel & Tourism Management to offer online educational courses.


All courses follow the curriculum of the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) and are focused on management in the Hospitality industry.


All courses are taken online and can be fully completed from the comfort of your home and at your own pace. Training 4 Hospitality do not charge participants any fees for our advisory and enrolment services for education courses.


Cultural Exchange J-1 Intern and Trainee Program Update

Our primary focus are the safety and support of our participants, and wherever possible, allowing them to complete their exchange programs. However, whether it is the impact on businesses around the world, border closures, or embassy appointment availability – it is clear that the global health landscape will continue to be unpredictable in the short term, and the full implications are not yet clear.

Our US Host companies and sponsors refer to the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory and Centers for Disease Control warning level alerts, as well as World Health Organization advice, when evaluating programs in terms of the safety of our participants and host communities. We are tracking this issue closely and will keep affected parties swiftly informed of any changes.

T4H and our US partners stay committed to continue to promote international J-1 programs, to bring the world together, one exchange visitor at a time.

Participants currently in the U.S.


Programs already in place may continue as planned. T4H recommends exchange visitors stay in touch with us and informed on their home country government’s requirements, as well as local health and safety guidance, and make choices that are best for their specific circumstances. T4H Participants should contact T4H directly at +44 121 318 7533 to alert us of any difficulties completing their program as planned or returning home.

Prospective Participants


Currently, there is a lock down in the USA in both state and federal jurisdictions. As soon as they are lifted T4H will continue to process any J-1 candidates that have already applied.


However, we are acutely aware the end date of the lock down will most likely be extended for some parts of the United States at least. Besides this, the Hospitality industry that we specialize in has been particularly hit and we do not expect to start new programs (in addition to our current participants) until September 2020.


Based on so many unknowns, T4H will continue to keep all program dates under review and will update you on any changes to these dates.

Education Programs Update


Bachelor and Master’s Degree programs

New applicants for courses in the UK, Switzerland and Greece are currently on hold, due to lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Once these are lifted we will continue to recruit for the next terms.


Online Programs

Due to the nature of our online programs with the Swiss Alpine Center, the following programs remain unaffected.


Enrolments continue throughout the year and are ideal for both undergraduates and graduates, looking to gain more in-depth knowledge into Hospitality management for the following online courses:-


The Hospitality Specialization Programs are a number of specialization areas in the Hospitality industry. Every specialization course consists of a series of 5 courses who want to further specialize in a field of the Hospitality industry. These courses are especially suitable for students who wish to enter the management field of a department and need further certification to do so.


The Hospitality Management Diploma consists of a series of 12 courses for prospective students who are looking to build a solid foundation in the management of operations within the Hospitality industry. The courses focus on subjects that give students a comprehensive overview of the specific areas needed to succeed in managing a hospitality operation.  ​


The Hospitality Operations Certificate consists of a series of 8 courses for prospective students who to build a solid foundation for the management of operations within the Hospitality industry. The courses focus on subjects that give students a solid foundation in lodging properties with a focus on rooms division, food and beverage competencies, finance, sales, marketing and supervisory skills

The Hospitality Fundamentals Program consists of a series of 6 courses for prospective students who are just starting out in the Hospitality industry. The courses focus on subjects that give students a solid foundation in lodging properties with a focus on rooms division, food and beverage competencies and supervisory skills.

You can contact our Advisory team @

+44 121 318 7533






Our Educational Testimonials


Alpine Center: a solid ground to take off towards hospitality management.
 A big advantage of studying on the Swiss Alpine Center program at City Unity Education Group is the fact that one must complete two internships in luxury hotels in two years. 
 I had the opportunity to do both of my internships at the Athenaeum InterContinental in Athens where I worked in different departments and while finishing my Bachelor’s degree, I got accepted in their Management Training program. 
 Continuing my professional journey, I went to Sofitel Athens Airport, then Sofitel Legend The Grand in Amsterdam and currently in the Conferences & Events Sales of Hilton Amsterdam. 
 Building a strong academic base which also gives you the benefit of doing an internship within an international framework, can open a whole new world of opportunities.
 When it comes to investing in education, studying in an environment where everything runs as smoothly and accurately as the hands of a Swiss watch, Alpine Center is the place to be:
 Well-structured curricula with a caring Faculty that carry a strong professional background and provide you with the necessary guidelines to cultivate your skills and knowledge to succeed.
 I graduated with a Swiss Alpine Center and a University of Wales BA(Hons) International Hospitality & Tourism Management in 2013

My name is  Sandra Preye Nelson Charpidou.  I come from Nigeria but I live in Greece since my husband comes from this beautiful country.  Three years ago, I decided to change careers and embark on one in the prosperous tourism industry since Greece was and is still undergoing a huge growth, offering great career opportunities.
I joined Alpine Center, the Swiss Business School for Hotel & Tourism Management that offers its programs at City Unity Education Group.  The program of study is so comprehensive that now at the end of my studies I can’t just believe how much I have learned about the details that are so important and make a difference in a successful hotel operation. Besides learning about the various departments as Front Office, Food & Beverage, Culinary concepts, the business component taught me how to manage a profitable hotel.  Finance for managers, human resources management, sales and marketing, research, entrepreneurship and business planning including the strategic business project all equipped me with so many skills that I am now so eager to put into practice and build my career!  Thank you Alpine for your tender loving care! 
Thank you, Mrs Hofmann, for encouraging me and mentoring me all through these three years. I am so privileged to be a graduate of Alpine/City Unity College where I also studied on the Cardiff Metropolitan Bachelor’s degree.  I will make you all very proud!

My name is Roman Chashka and I am from Ukraine.  I was interested in studying hotel management but was unable to attend a program of study on campus!  My next best option was to study online.  I enrolled on the 12 course Hospitality Management Diploma offered by Alpine Center in collaboration with their partner AHLEI. 
I took control of my professional development and studied at my own pace and on my own schedule. Two years later I am so pleased to have learned so much and have earned the prestigious awards from both Alpine & AHLEI.  I immediately received an offer to be placed in the hotel industry by the Career and Placement office of Alpine which I appreciated.
If you are interested in embarking on a career in hotel management, Alpine Center will be an excellent springboard for the start of your career!


My name is Samer Al-Kantar and I am a proud graduate of the Alpine Centre, the Swiss Business School for Hotel & Tourism Management.   Being from Lebanon,  I chose to study at this Swiss school’s campus located in Greece.
I specialized in the Rooms Division Department and between 1998 and 2012 I had the great pleasure to work in big chain hotels such as the Marriott, Intercontinental, Rotana, Hyatt, Sheraton & Movenpick Hotels & Resorts in the Middle East and United Arab Emirates.  I started as a supervisor and made my way up to top management as Executive Housekeeper reporting to the Executive Committee and was responsible for new hotel openings.
After this fruitful experience, I was eager to widen my horizons and explore greater opportunities! I advanced into Facilities Management including Operations & Maintenance at King Abdullah Port, one of the leading ports in the world located in the Arabian Peninsula.  The Port is planning a huge expansion that will make it the biggest port in the world in 2025.  I attribute my success to the principle of Excellence in Service that I have adopted over the years and that has served me well. 
I was listed in the Hotelier Awards Shortlist: Housekeeper of the Year when I worked as Executive Housekeeper, Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach.  Here’s what my employer had to say:  ‘Samer is practical, hard working, loyal, friendly and most importantly comes up with innovative ideas for development of the hotel and staff.
The secret to my success as a Senior Manager is attributed to the many learning experiences that I have acquired and the learnings from leaders such as  J.W.Marriott who said: “Take good care of your employees, motivate them, care about them, and make winners out of them…they will treat the customers right! And if the customers are treated right, they’ll come back!”   I remind my staff that they should have passion for their work:  “If you love it, you have it!   if you don’t do it from the heart, drop it! Live, love and enjoy the journey!”


My name is Rachel Elson, I am 21 years old from Zambia, Africa and have recently completed the first year of the International Hospitality & Tourism Management program of study in Athens, Greece and will be performing my first internship at Aegon Hotel, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel in the renowned Mykonos island. When I finished high school, I never imagined myself to be studying in Greece let alone studying to become a part of the hospitality industry, but now I wouldn’t have it any other way. Alpine Center is a perfect place to set you off on the success ladder into the hospitality industry. Being both a theoretical and a practical college it equips you for everything you’ll be needing once you graduate. I’ve been given the opportunity to meet people from all over the world who soon become like my second family, as well as the doorstep to travel the world both while I study and later when I begin working.



My name is Reginald Muteiwa, I am 20 years old straight out of the heart of southern Africa, Zimbabwe. I am currently studying my first year of the Swiss Alpine Center Culinary Arts Diploma offered at City Unity and on the road to beginning my first internship at Out Of The Blue Capsis Elite Resort in Heraklion, on the lovely island of Crete in Greece.
I discovered the Swiss Alpine Centre by chance on a seemingly endless search to find the right institution that fit my needs and curiosity into the depth of Mediterranean cuisine and provided a gateway to fully express my love for food. I gained more than I bargained for thanks to the Alpine family with the chance to interact with individuals from different corners of the world and society, network with successful professionals and organizations within the tourism industry and also gain an education like no other that focused on cultivating practical skills, work place professionalism, encouraged full on teaching of all aspects of the hotel and tourism industry not only limited to your field of study and most importantly showed me that the world is an oyster of opportunity open to anyone no matter where you come from or who you are. It's an added bonus that I had chance to study in one of the most beautiful countries on earth, and made life long memories and friendships that I am truly grateful for. Opa!



During my 2 years of study at Alpine Center through City Unity I gathered exceptional and valuable experiences which prepared me to work at the most luxurious hotels in the two internships that I had to complete.  My first internship at the Athenaeum InterContinental Hotel was excellent as I was rotated in various departments.  Now in my second internship, I find the training I have received at the Four Seasons Astir Vouliagmeni, prior to its opening, most inspiring.  I feel privileged and can foresee a brilliant career ahead of me.  This is thanks to Alpine’s Swiss philosophy in training and educating future leaders in the industry which focus on blending practical training with classroom theory and at the same time instilling in us a professional attitude that makes us stand out in the crowd. I highly recommend this college as the best one out there!



Hospitality Management was not my first choice but it was my final one. I had already attended two other colleges with completely different majors, environmental sciences in the US and music production in the UK. Besides being an avid music lover, I had a passion to work with the people and help the environment. I experienced this first hand when I volunteered in various countries both in South East Asia and in East Africa. For me this was an education, something you can never learn in a classroom but only through experiences, mistakes that in the end become life lessons. I learnt more from poor local farmers than my environmental science professor could ever teach me in class. Working more with the local communities in each country, I fell in love with volunteering and at a younger age, hoped I could do this for the rest of my life. Reality, however, hit me hard and I knew volunteering would not be sustainable for me in the long run. Returning to Athens from Kenya, I made a vow that I will return and continue to help these people whenever I have the chance. Now, I had to think what career path I wanted to follow. I would have never thought hospitality, until my mother and a few friends suggested the idea to me and informed me there was an excellent college for that, right in my home city, Glyfada!

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