ASSET-H&C is an initiative from IECD (Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement), a French non-profit organization undertaking development projects in education, vocational training and youth employability, entrepreneurship and healthcare.

Since 1992, in developing countries where tourism provides leverage for economic and social development, IECD has been supporting the creation and strengthening of vocational training centers in hospitality and catering. Observing the multiple common challenges, interests, and issues in the supported projects, as well as similar initiatives in Southeast Asia, IECD had the idea of creating a regional network of schools, aiming to favor exchanges and support between members and to help them establish sustainable foundations for the future. After sharing this idea with several schools in the region which showed a strong interest and conferring with them on the various topics that could be tackled together, ASSET-H&C was created in 2016.