Award - HOW Festival | Hotel Operations Weekend

Applications open · close 7 October

Young Leader Award

A fully funded seat on the Hospitality Concept Strategy programme at EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne — one virtual kick-off session and three days on campus, taught in English, ending in an EHL Certificate of Completion.

Award partner

Hospitality Concept Strategy programme · EHL Lausanne
Aged 35 or under · Adriatic region
Apply by 7 October 2026
Winner announced on the main stage, 30 October

The prize

One seat. Fully funded.

#1

Hospitality school in the world

EHL Lausanne · QS #1 eight years running

3

Days on campus in Switzerland

Plus a virtual kick-off · taught in English

100%

Funded

Programme fee by EHL · travel and stay by HOW

10

Finalists get the stage

Full 3-day festival access · featured profile on HOW’s LinkedIn and Instagram · jury introductions · “HOW Young Leader 2026 Finalist” badge and certificate

Any EHL session up to 31 Dec 2027 — you pick the dates In person at EHL Campus Lausanne Winner covers dinners and personal expenses Winner becomes a HOW ambassador through 2027

In the room: hotel and restaurant owners, developers, brand CEOs and general managers from around the world. EHL — founded in Lausanne in 1893 as the world’s first hotel school; QS #1 for Hospitality & Leisure Management 2019–2026. Ambassador role: content around the programme, updates during the year, and an appearance at HOW 2027.

How it works

Five steps to the stage.

1

By 7 Oct

Apply — a letter, a reference and two short videos (in English)

2

October

Top 10 announced — shortlisted by a pre-selection jury of HOW Advisory Board members and Mentors

3

Until 23 Oct

Public campaign — every finalist’s video on HOW’s LinkedIn and Instagram, with a share kit; the public votes on howfestival.com

4

28 Oct

Live final at HOW — all ten finalists meet the official jury, 15 minutes each

5

30 Oct

Winner announced on the main stage at the closing ceremony

Official jury: 5–10 people announced before the festival — senior leaders from regional hospitality groups, an EHL representative, a HOW founding partner, a previous HOW speaker and at least three international figures.

Who can apply

Is this you?

35 or under on 20 Sept 2026 3+ years in hotels Adriatic region Working English At HOW in person, 28–30 Oct Able to travel to Switzerland in 2027

Adriatic region: Croatia · Slovenia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Montenegro · Serbia · Albania · North Macedonia · Kosovo. No university degree required — but EHL admits either a bachelor’s degree plus two years of experience, or five or more years in hospitality management, so a candidate without a degree needs five years to take up the prize.

What you submit

Your letter

Max 500 words, in English — your career so far, why this award and why now, and what you’d bring to the EHL room

One reference

From a manager, mentor or peer

Video pitch

60–90 seconds, filmed on your phone

Mini-case video

Up to 2 minutes on one real operational case — the same case for every applicant

How the winner is chosen

The jury decides. The public adds a bonus.

40 pts

Letter, reference and video pitch — pre-selection jury

20 pts

Industry mini-case answer — pre-selection jury

40 pts

Live final at the festival — official jury

+30 pts

Public vote bonus — most votes earns the full +30, the rest scaled proportionally

Jury total 100 · maximum 130. Voting can shift the result, but it cannot outweigh the jury. Votes are verified and locked before the final.

After the festival

By 13 Nov 2026 — HOW introduces the winner to EHL admissions By 15 Dec 2026 — winner submits the enrolment file By 31 Mar 2027 — winner chooses a 2027 session HOW books travel and stay 8+ weeks ahead, and supports the visa if needed

Applications are open.

Applications close 7 October 2026, 23:59 CEST.

Apply now

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