Two Swiss universities made the top 50 in the times higher education 2018 world university ranking of 1,000 universities. The ranking is described as the only global university performance table to judge research-intensive universities across all of their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, […]
Archives for 2017
The number of Swiss brewers continues to rise despite declining beer consumption
A recent report shows a 2% drop in average Swiss beer consumption in 2016. Over the last 20 years it has dropped 4% to 54.9 litres per person. On its own this would be no cause for alarm, however in 2016, the number of breweries in Switzerland rose by 21% to 753. Since 2011, the […]
Swiss retailers called on to remove palm oil from their products
Two Swiss NGOs have started a petition calling for Swiss retailers to reduce or remove palm oil from their products. Present in many processed foods, cosmetics and detergents, the ingredient has a bad reputation. The NGOs Bread for All and the Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund want to see a reduction in palm oil consumption. They […]
How receiving welfare can put your Swiss residency permit at risk
A recent example, reported in 20 Minuten, shows how even foreigners who have lived in Switzerland for many years can be forced to leave if they end up reliant on government welfare. A mother and her 17 year old daughter recently found out the hard way. Switzerland’s constitution allows people to be stripped of their residency […]
Switzerland’s most expensive apartments in Zurich, Maloja and Lavaux
According to data from comparis.ch, Switzerland’s most expensive apartments are found in Zurich, Maloja – home to Saint-Moritz, and Lavaux-Oron. One square metre will cost you CHF 12,250 (US$ 13,000) in Zurich, CHF 11,500 in Maloja and CHF 11,250 in Lavaux-Oron. Lavaux-Oron contains posh parts of Greater Lausanne, such as Lutry, and the UNESCO-listed wine terraces of Lavaux on the […]
Zug plans to drop French from school curriculum
Following in the footsteps of Thurgau, the canton of Zug is looking at a plan to remove French from the primary school curriculum. The argument is the same: language learning overload. Choosing to learn English as a second language makes sound practical sense in an increasingly global world, however in Switzerland it is not that […]
Flower-covered cows will soon take to Swiss streets
By Bill Harby What exactly is the alpine descent or désalpe / alpabzug? This article explores the event’s history and where to see it. In Switzerland, we know the clock will soon strike autumn when processions of cows crowned with flowers and hung with huge clanging bells, descend from summer alpine pastures to their winter […]
Swiss employee associations not opposed to a 60 hour week
Swiss employee associations are not opposed to a 60 hour week. Several parliamentary initiatives aim to loosen Swiss labour rules. The first aims to allow staff and employers more flexibility regarding hours worked and time off. The second aims to loosen rules on recording hours of work by managers and specialists. Another initiative aims to […]
Finding a place to rent getting easier in Switzerland
A recent Credit Suisse report, entitled: Tenants Wanted, says capital continues to flow into Swiss real estate, boosting the supply of rental properties. Against a backdrop of negative interest rates at Switzerland’s central bank, investors continue to plough money into constructing new residential properties. At the same time, declining immigration has hit the demand for […]
FILM: A French tale about an antisocial fellow and an Indian refugee
1 September 2017. 7 JOURS PAS PLUS (An Indian Tale) ***1/2 (vo French) There are films that remain in your heart, like “The Shop Around the Corner”, “Bagdad Café” or “The Station Agent”. You recall them and an instant smile comes across your face. This French tale, about an antisocial fellow who owns a hardware […]
