PIE Welcomes Back Advanced Students with a Year of Learning, Events and New Opportunities

After completing their first year of studies and gaining valuable hands-on experience during their internships, PIE’s Advanced students are back on campus and ready to begin the next chapter of their journey.

During their first year, students combined classroom learning with professional internship experiences at hotels, restaurants, and hospitality businesses across Cambodia. Among the establishments where PIE students have completed their internships are internationally recognized properties such as Rosewood, Shangri-La, Hyatt, and Raffles Le Royal.

Returning to campus after months in the industry is an exciting moment. Students bring back not only memories and new friendships, but also practical experience and a better understanding of what it means to work in a professional hospitality environment.

And they did not have to wait long to put that experience into practice.

From Internship to Event Management

After just one week back on campus, the Advanced students took on their first major event project: PIE’s Open Day on September 12, 2026.

The Open Day welcomed high school students, career changers, and others interested in discovering more about hospitality education and the upcoming October 2026 intake.

For the Advanced students, the event was much more than a day of activities. It was an opportunity to apply their knowledge of Food & Beverage, Culinary Arts, guest interaction, teamwork, event organization, and professional service in a real-life setting.

From welcoming visitors and explaining activities to preparing demonstrations and managing interactive stations, students took an active role in making the day a success.

Discovering Hospitality Education at PIE

Throughout the Open Day, visitors had the opportunity to learn more about studying at PIE and what a future in the hospitality industry can look like.

An information session introduced prospective students to the curriculum, learning structure, career perspectives, international opportunities, the Swiss accreditation through SHL Schweizerische Hotelfachschule Luzern, and the enrollment process for the October intake.

The presentation was complemented by a variety of interactive stations, allowing visitors to experience some of the practical elements of hospitality education firsthand.

Among the activities were a molecular mocktail station, where visitors could discover how modern techniques can transform a beverage, and a barista station featuring latte art. Other highlights included a bread display, pastry demonstrations, and a Chef’s Table plating challenge.

Visitors could also learn more about student exchange opportunities and the international experiences available during their studies.

Learning by Doing

Events such as the PIE Open Day demonstrate an important part of hospitality education: learning does not stop when the classroom lesson ends.

Planning and delivering an event requires communication, organization, attention to detail, teamwork, time management, and the ability to respond to unexpected situations. These are precisely the skills hospitality professionals use every day.

For the Advanced students, the Open Day was therefore a valuable opportunity to step into a different role. Instead of being the students discovering an event, they became the students responsible for creating an experience for others.

Their recent internships added another dimension to the experience. Having spent months working in professional hotels and restaurants, students could draw on their industry knowledge while interacting with prospective students and representing PIE.

Looking Ahead to a New Academic Year

With the Advanced students now back on campus, the year ahead promises to be filled with practical learning, special events, new challenges, and plenty of opportunities to create lasting memories together.

Their return also marks an important moment for the PIE community as the institute prepares to welcome a new group of Junior students for the semester beginning in October 2026.

For the returning Advanced students, the journey continues with another year of learning and professional development. For the new students preparing to join them, it will be the beginning of their own PIE story.

And if the first event of the year is any indication, there is plenty more to look forward to.