The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) offers a unique Degree in Australia, whereby students specifically study the culture, politics and socioeconomic parameters of Switzerland. In the BA International Studies (Major Switzerland), students do intensive studies in one or several national Swiss languages and in contemporary Swiss studies. In addition, all students will spend one year in Switzerland at one of the many partner universities of UTS: University of Lausanne, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Zurich and Lugano.

The Consulate of Switzerland in Sydney, represented by Consul-General Markus Meli (middle) and Deputy Consul Bernhard Furger (to the right), in collaboration with the Head of the Science, Technology and Education Office of the Embassy in Canberra, Mr Christian Schneider (to the left) hosted a light lunch on 4 May 2012 for all UTS Swiss Major students who have either already been to Switzerland or will go to Switzerland in 2013. In addition, students from Swiss universities currently on exchange at UTS were also able to mingle with their local counterparts. 

The success of the Swiss Major is startling with about 30 new students enrolled this year in the program and is due to the hard work of Senior Lecturer Susan Oguro (on the left in the middle) who is the Swiss Major coordinator and also the senior support of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Prof Theo van Leeuwen (pictured on the left).

UTS and the Swiss Embassy and Consulate-General are hoping to make the lunch an annual occasion, thereby increasing the bonds between the Swiss and Australian students!

The Swiss Embassy was a major supporter of the 15th Australian Wind Engineering Society Workshop that took place in Sydney from February 22-24, 2012. Prof Jan Carmeliet, Chair of Building Physics at ETH Zürich held the keynote speech at the seminar and the Swiss Embassy, together with the Swiss Australian Academic Network (SAAN) was represented at the Workshop by the Head of the Science, Technology and Education Office, Mr Christian Schneider.

Topic: "Sustainable cities and urban energy systems of the future"

SAAN, the Swiss Embassy in Canberra and the Swiss Consulate-General in Sydney invited all Swiss Alumni to the 1st Swiss Alumni Meeting on 21st of February at the University of Sydney. Prof Jan Carmeliet, Chaif of Building Physics at ETH Zürich gave a keynote lecture titled "Sustainable cities and urban energy systems of the future". In total, over 30 Swiss Alumni from 6 Swiss universities attended the lecture, together with over 50 interested academics and students from the University of Sydney.

Ambassador Daniel Woker thanked Prof Carmeliet, the Dean of Engineering and IT of the University of Sydney, Prof. Archie Johnston and all the attending Swiss Alumni and University of Sydney academics and students for attending and highlighted the standing of Switzerland as a leader in sustainable urban development.

The Australian National University’s top students in three of Switzerland's four official languages have been recognised at the Swiss Prize ceremony, held on Wednesday, 26th of October 2011, at the Residence of the Swiss Ambassador.

The prize, held annually by the Swiss Embassy and ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, calls for essay submissions written in French, Italian and German. More than 30 students participated in the competition this year, with the winning students receiving prize money and Swiss texts.

This year’s theme ‘Swiss exceptionalism: myth or reality’, asked students to explore the political, economic and cultural discussions in Switzerland and perceptions of the country’s identity in modern Europe.

More information about the Swiss Prize as well as this year's prize winners can be found on the website of the  ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences.