Summer is almost over and heading back to school is – for some – an exciting period to catch up with friends or get back into a familiar routine. For others, it will be a time of anxiety because they know that the bullying will start again. Shocking as it may sound, between 10% and […]
University of Geneva alumnus wins Fields prize
The Fields Medal, officially known as International Medal for Outstanding Discoveries in Mathematics, is a prize awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians aged under 40 by the International Mathematical Union. It has been awarded every four years since 1950. It is often viewed as the greatest honour a mathematician can receive and has often […]
Are schools ready for the future?
As the world of business, science and technology is changing around us, school education must follow suit. But do our schools prepare the citizens of tomorrow’s world adequately? The question is all the more pertinent now that China is taking over as a leading economy with a completely different take on education from most Western […]
Solar Impulse 2 test success
PAYERNE Bertrand Piccard’s and André Borschberg’s second solar-powered plane, Solar Impulse 2, successfully completed a two-hour maiden flight above La Broye on 2 June. This remarkable feat of engineering and ingenuity has captivated enthusiasts across the world — a suitable global acclaim considering the plane’s ability to reach far-off destinations without having to land. In […]
English threatening Swiss cohesion?
MARTIGNY Once again the can of worms has been reopened regarding whether English or a Swiss national language should be the first foreign tongue taught at primary-school level. Several German-speaking cantons continue to object to a federal requirement that two mandatory foreign languages must be taught at primary level. Many schools in Canton Zurich already […]
Will a robot replace you?
GENEVA As the recent Inventions Fair in Geneva showed, the brave new world of robotic technology continues to astound with developments only previously imagined in science fiction. Robots can already run assembly lines, fly aircraft, control cranes, herd and feed farm animals, serve as waiters and cooks and even help with surgery. While this may […]
Let’s talk about sex
Sex education continues to be a delicate, if not difficult, issue in schools. At the same time, it is one that regularly appears on the political scene as it speaks to the public’s emotional, social, moral and religious mind-set. This year, it is Switzerland’s turn. Some of the conservative parties are seeking to make it […]
Fusion: Creating a star
LAUSANNE Switzerland is punching above its weight in its participation in a project to build the world’s largest fusion reactor. The project, known as ITER (formerly International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), is designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power – it should be able to produce ten times the amount of energy […]
American universities: conquering the SATs
With few exceptions, Scholastic Assessment Tests (SATs) are required by all students, regardless of nationality, for entry into any university in the United States. Here are some thoughts on how to prepare. Even if you have got the International Baccalaureate, Swiss Maturité, or British A-Levels, you need to take the SATs in order to apply […]
How does the IB compare to other diplomas?
GENEVA Sabine Hutcheson explores the requirements for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, which is growing in popularity among international and Anglophone schools in Switzerland. The appeal of the IB Diploma is primarily its international approach. No particular culture is favoured and students are educated to become world citizens, preparing them for careers wherever they choose. […]
