24 Heures. According to the newspaper 24 Heures, EPFL, one of Switzerland’s two prestigious federal science universities, will open its doors on 5 and 6 November 2016. The weekend, focused on children from 4 to 15 years old, is designed to encourage interest in science. The campus, based in Lausanne , will offer 200 presentations, […]
Higher education gap between men and women shrinks dramatically in Switzerland
The higher education gap between men and women has shrunk dramatically according a recent analysis by the Swiss statistics office. The study, which looks at census figures from 1970 to 2014, shows big changes between 2000 and 20141. In 2000, the percentage of men (13%) with a university education was more than twice that of women (6%). By […]
World-renowned dinosaurs move into Geneva’s Natural History Museum
From 24 September 2016 until 12 March 2017, Geneva’s natural history museum will echo with roars from the past. Dinosaurs from around the world will be exhibited over 1,000 m2 of floor space. Several world-renowned fossils have been brought together for the first time. Some come from a remarkable collection from Wyoming in the US, unearthed by a […]
Some Swiss schools ban mobile phones in the playground
24 Heures. Several schools in central Switzerland have banned the use of mobile phones during school breaks. A number of schools in the cantons Zug, Nidwalden and Luzern introduced the ban at the beginning of the school year, according to 20 Minuten. Peter Hörler, director of schools in the canton of Zug, told the newspaper Zentralschweiz am […]
Swiss startup doubles solar panel efficiency
Because roof space is limited, the amount of the sun’s energy that can be extracted per square metre matters. Plants typically extract 5% of the sun’s energy, and most roof solar panels on the market extract between 14% and 22%, although figures vary. Last October, the website Mashable reported that SolarCity, whose chairman is Elon Musk, had […]
Tablets pass the test at Geneva primary schools
Tribune de Genève. Since the beginning of the new school year, Geneva’s education authority (DIP) has been experimenting with tablets in the canton’s primary schools. Manuel Grandjean, school media director, is happy with the move. “Tomorrow’s school is already here” he said. In addition, he hopes that within a few months, all of the canton’s […]
Counting the cost of Olympic medals. Is it worth it?
After investing heavily, the UK has proved a medal superpower two Olympic Games in a row, chalking up 3rd place overall in Rio. Swiss broadcaster RTS (SFR) sets out how much Switzerland has spent on its athletes. Here is how the two nations compare. The Independent reports that the UK invested GBP 274 million, funneled from […]
Mastering English is not enough to build a career in Switzerland
24 Heures. According to report put together by Zurich head hunting firm Schilling Partners, building a career in Switzerland, requires more than mastering English. The firm, which works with SMEs and large corporates, says linguistic ability is central to choosing managers for companies that span all of Switzerland. The ability to communicate in German and […]
Fine for Swiss school absence overturned by judge
20 Minutes. Unauthorised school absence is against the law in the Swiss canton of Vaud, and parents can be fined if their children are absent without prior authorisation from school management. Article 54 of Vaud’s law on compulsory schooling requires all parents resident in the canton to enroll and send their children to a state or […]
Could foreigners be required to do Swiss military service?
Requiring foreign residents to undertake military service is one option explored in a government sponsored report published last week. The current system requires all able young male Swiss citizens to do military service. In 1985 there were around 45,000 eligible men. By 2014 this number had dropped to about 37,000. Estimates for 2035 are between 36,000 […]
