Switzerland Today

Hello from Bern,

The term “neutrality” needs its own dictionary these days. Swiss diplomats have been making the rounds on television talk shows in the US to set the story straight that adopting EU sanctions is not a deviation from how Switzerland defines neutrality.

For some talking points, they could read this story on neutrality from my colleague Sibilla Bondolfi in SWI swissinfo.ch’s many languages.

© Keystone/ Valentin Flauraud

In the News: Swiss president heads to Ukraine border, export boom, and Swiss researchers in an EU bind.

• Swiss president Ignazio Cassis announced that he is planning to travel to Poland and Moldova next week for talks with authorities on the ground about the refugee situation and Switzerland’s humanitarian aid. In Poland, Cassis will meet with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Monday, March 21. In Moldova, an exchange with President Maia Sandu is scheduled for Tuesday.
• Switzerland experienced an export boomExternal link in February according to official statistics. The total Swiss trade balance surplus was CHF5 billion for the first time ever. This was in large part thanks to the pharmaceutical sector, but the watch industry also fared well. The latter experienced a 24% increase from last February, which isn’t too surprising given Covid’s dent on trade last year.
• Some 26 researchers in Switzerland are celebrating after learning that they won the latest EU grants each worth over CHF2 million. However, because the EU and Switzerland can’t agree on a legal basis for future political and economic ties, the researchers will have to forego the money or move to a university within the EU. For now, the Swiss government has agreed to substitute the lost funding over the next five years but there’s pressure to come up with a long-term solution or risk losing out on some of the brightest minds.
• Switzerland has fixed glitches in the refugee registration system, which should hopefully reduce the long queues at asylum centres. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) announced today that people fleeing the war in Ukraine can now register online for the S permit. With this system, SEM will also pick up the bill for healthcare and settle with insurance companies later.

© Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Restrictions may have been lifted but the pandemic isn’t over

On this day last year, Switzerland woke up to a whole new world. The day before, the government had announced an extraordinary situation and a ban on all public and private events. We know how the story goes after this. Two years later, the pandemic continues to rear its head and confound experts. Case numbers are up in the country, testing centres are overwhelmed, and new sub-variants have global health experts concerned.

On the positive side, scientists are starting to gather more nuanced insights into the virus that should help us going forward. Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) published resultsExternal link from its large-scale ImmunoVax study, which found significant differences between the magnitude and duration of the immune response generated by Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

The results, writes, La Tribune de Genève, are somewhat surprisingExternal link given both Moderna and Pfizer are both mRNA-based vaccines. “In general, Moderna produces more neutralising antibodies and they are more durable over time,” said Michel Obeid, co-author of the study. These antibodies last about three months longer than with Pfizer. This could help inform the vaccine strategy going forward.

In other vaccine news, a Swiss-led research team has been working on a nasal spray Covid-19 vaccine, which is set to enter clinical trials. The team announced it has partnered with Basel-based biotech firm RocketVax to launch phase 1 clinical trials of its vaccine, which is a live-attenuated vaccine, which uses a weakened form of the virus. It’s similar to vaccines used against measles. If it passes the safety and efficacy tests, it could provide an alternative to current mRNA vaccines, and be more appropriate for warm weather climates. It also raises the possibility of a “Swiss made” Covid-19 vaccine.

© Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Should everyone get a high school diploma in Switzerland?

One of the greatest challenges for anyone who studied in Switzerland and goes abroad is explaining the way the Swiss school system works to foreigners. One of the key features is the vocational training system as my colleague Isobel Leybold-Johnson has explained in various articles. While this has numerous advantages, it also means less people graduating with a high school diploma equivalent to what you might find in other countries.

According to an article in the Tages-Anzeiger, about 15% of 12-year-olds in canton Zurich go to high school and the high school graduation rate in the country has stagnatedExternal link at around 20%. Only 15% have a university degree.

A teacher in Canton Zug wants to change this with a radical idea – a diploma for all. The teacher, Andreas Pfister, has been cooking up the plan over the last couple years and now published a book translated as the “New Swiss Education: Upskilling for Modernity 4.0”. One of his main arguments is that many young people with limited educational backgrounds are lured by quick money into the vocational system, which then holds them back from higher qualifications, leaving them behind in the long term.

This contrasts with some of the arguments out there that Switzerland’s focus on building vocational skills can actually be a social equalizer. What do you think? Share thoughts in our debate.

Valais Promotion

We could all use some cuddly puppy photos

It may not be breaking news but with all the grim news going around, we could all use a puppy photo or two. The Barry FoundationExternal link announced today that ten new Saint Bernard puppies have been born in Martigny, the location of the Great Saint Bernard Pass, since the beginning of March. Apparently, there is even a webcam so you can watch the puppies from wherever you live.

These aren’t just any puppies though. Saint Bernards from the region are both “a Swiss cultural asset and a symbol of the friendship between man and dog” writes the Foundation. Since April 2005, the foundation has been the owner of the 300-year-old breeding kennel, making it the oldest and most important Saint Bernard kennel in the world. Here’s a story from our archives about the legendary Barry and the St Bernard Hospice in Martigny. (Photo courtesy of the Valais Promotion agency).