Further to recent reforms in the English National curriculum, parents may want to ask about new systems of assessment. There are fundamentally two different schools of measuring a child’s progress and Great Britain may be about to make a leap from one to another. To grade or not to grade, this has been the question […]
Archives for 2014
CERN agrees open access to research with American Physical Society
The American Physical Society (APS), and CERN have agreed that all CERN-authored articles published in the APS journal collection are to be Open Access. CERN Director General Rolf Heuer called the agreement “A very important step towards global Open Access for a global discipline”. Thanks to agreement, articles will be available free of charge for […]
Throwing off the yoke: Swiss farm numbers decline
It is hardly news that Swiss peasants have been abandoning farming in recent decades but the phenomenon increased even further in 2013. By the end of last year, there were 2.4% fewer farms than were worked in 2012, particularly smaller farms of between 5 and 20 hectares. On the other hand, the number of farms […]
Japan’s collaboration with International Academy of Sports Science and Technology in Lausanne in the fight against doping
Hideki NIWA, the Japanese State Minister of Education and Sports last week visited the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology in Lausanne to discuss further collaboration in the fight against doping; improved governance of sport administration; and the management of emerging technologies in sport.
Swiss referenda results 28 September 2014
Both of the initiatives voted on in this weekend’s referenda have received a “non” vote. The referendum on whether or not to create a single health insurer will not pass, nor will the initiative to remove the differential in TVA paid in restaurants and takeaways (according to RTS). While the vote to create a single […]
What we need to know about avocados
Rich, creamy and tasty, the avocado is a real wonder fruit, packed full of nutrients. This fruit of the tall evergreen tree Persea americana is normally considered a vegetable from a culinary perspective, enjoyed in salads and dips such as guacamole. There are more than 80 varieties of avocado, the most common of which is […]
Franz Weber announces retirement
Doyen of the Swiss environmental movement, Franz Weber has announced his retirement from the foundation bearing his name, which he formed 40 years ago. Weber has been a sometimes controversial force for environmental policy change across the country. His daughter, Vera will take over the running of the foundation.
First possible Ebola patient arrives at Geneva hospital
The first potential ebola sufferer arrived in Switzerland this week under strict quarantine. The nurse who had been working with ebola victims in Sierra Leone has been repatriated to Geneva’s cantonal hospital. He will remain there for three weeks, the incubation period of the disease, until cleared.
Theatre Review: Caveman, it’s a Mars and Venus thing
The extraordinary and highly amusing one-man show of Caveman by actor-producer Kevin Buckmaster is more than just a comedy about the age-old relationship between man and woman. For those living in Switzerland, his performance is also about language, community and playing to a unique international audience. Buckmaster, who was born in Glasgow of Welsh mother […]
Property taxes: Is it worth buying in Switzerland?
Ever contemplated buying a property in Switzerland? Reading further might put you off. Providing useful information on the taxation of property in Switzerland is daunting. Given that the country effectively has 26 different systems – one for each canton – it is virtually impossible to say anything on the subject that can be used in […]
