HSO-Cupra Partnership: Real-World Business Challenges During College
The HSO College of Business and Cupra Switzerland are expanding their collaboration: Students tackle real-world business challenges and gain practical insights into an international automotive brand.
A shortage of skilled workers, technological change, and rising expectations for new entrants to the workforce are fundamentally transforming the world of work. Today, companies are looking for employees who not only bring specialized knowledge to the table but also think entrepreneurially, solve problems, and drive innovation. This is exactly where the partnership comes in: The HSO College of Business and Cupra Switzerland are bringing real-world corporate projects into continuing education and creating a learning environment in which students tackle the business challenges of an international brand.
Following the successful launch of their collaboration in 2025 as part of HSO Connect, HSO and Cupra Switzerland are expanding their partnership in a targeted manner in 2026. As a practice partner, Cupra Switzerland is supporting the “Intra and Entrepreneurship” module of the Certified Business Administrator (HF) program and will be participating in various learning and event formats through the end of the year.
Companies are looking for doers rather than mere theorists
The expectations placed on professionals and managers are changing. Today, companies expect employees who take responsibility, think in terms of digital connectivity, are creative, and solve complex challenges in a practical way. For educational institutions, this means linking course content more closely to the business world and current changes.
This is precisely the approach being taken: Students work on real-world business challenges during their studies, develop solutions to current issues, and receive immediate feedback from the field. At the same time, CUPRA Switzerland gains new perspectives on business challenges and establishes early contact with qualified professionals.
«Our goal is to prepare students as thoroughly as possible for the realities of the business world. This partnership demonstrates what modern continuing education can look like. Theory is immediately applied in practice, and our students gain insight into how an innovative international brand operates,» said Hannah Felber, head of HSO.
Innovation Meets Practice
CUPRA stands for innovation, technology, and entrepreneurial spirit—values that align with HSO’s practice-oriented approach. According to HSO, it is the largest provider of the certified business administration (HF) program in Switzerland and has a large and diverse student body. Many students already have professional experience from a wide variety of industries and, during their studies, develop solutions to real-world business challenges.
For CUPRA Switzerland, this is expected to provide direct access to the latest methods, fresh ideas, and qualified talent. Nicolas Hobi, Head of Marketing at CUPRA Switzerland, says: «The collaboration with HSO allows us to engage directly with dedicated professionals who bring diverse experiences and new perspectives to the table. It is precisely this combination of practical experience, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking that makes this partnership particularly valuable to us.»
Planned Collaboration for the 2026 Academic Year
The HSO-CUPRA partnership will be featured at several key events throughout the academic year. CUPRA will be present as a partner at the opening of the new HSO campus in Zurich Oerlikon on August 28, 2026. In addition to a keynote address on the connection between education and business, the award ceremony for the HSO x CUPRA Roadtrip of a Lifetime contest will take place. Visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the new CUPRA Raval on site.
Another highlight is HSO Connect, billed as Europe’s largest educational hackathon, taking place September 21–23 in Barcelona. There, students will work as “Challenge Partners” on real-world problems from CUPRA’s day-to-day business operations and explore topics such as innovation, customer experience, and brand management.
At the Pitch and Career Day on October 23, CUPRA Switzerland will participate as a career and corporate partner. In addition to masterclasses and one-on-one discussions with students, the event will focus on discussions about career paths and professional prospects.
The HSO x CUPRA “Road Trip of a Lifetime” combines theory and practice in a particularly impressive way: Two teams of students drive a fully electric CUPRA Born from Zurich to Barcelona, with the goal of covering the route as energy-efficiently as possible. This challenge requires strategic planning, teamwork, and cost-effective decision-making under real-world conditions.
