Swiss boys studying in the United States overcome challenges
? I grew up in a small city in Switzerland. Compared with China, Switzerland is small everywhere. There are only 6.5438+0.2 million people in my city. My family lived there for generations, until one day, my wife, and later my girlfriend, suddenly said to me, let's go abroad and stay somewhere else for a year. ? So, out of curiosity about the outside world and consideration of career development, I chose to go to America to study LLM. ? Pascal Marmier, Deputy Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai and CEO of Swiss Science and Technology Cultural Center, said in an exclusive interview with Study Abroad.
After arriving in the United States, Pascal found that the educational methods in the United States and Switzerland were essentially different. ? In Switzerland, we usually sit in a big lecture hall, and the professor talks endlessly, while there may be hundreds of students sitting below, taking notes, reviewing and taking exams?
? But in America, the situation is completely different. The professor will call you by your first name and assign you tasks. For example, a professor will say:? Pascal, you should have read this case before class. What do you think we should learn from this case? There will be a lot of such discussions in class, and there will be a lot of preparation before and after class, but there is no need to take notes in class. For a student who has never experienced such a teaching mode, it is a challenge in all aspects, but this experience of studying abroad has greatly influenced my values and taught me to see the world from a different angle. I think studying abroad is a rare experience in everyone's life?
Three quarters of Swiss students choose vocational education.
? In Switzerland, no matter which language area you come from, you will systematically receive at least three language education courses in primary and secondary schools: English, French, German and Italian. Therefore, students already have excellent language skills before entering the university. ? Speaking of education in Switzerland, Pascal said that Swiss schools are highly internationalized and students are highly mobile. Many Swiss students go abroad to study, and many foreign students come to study in Switzerland.
However, under the Swiss dual-track education system, only 25%-27% of young people will choose to go directly to college after graduating from high school, and most others choose vocational education. These students will receive relevant vocational training after graduation from middle school. Generally, when they reach the age of 16, they will begin to accept a kind of? Apprentice? Education: Apprentice in relevant enterprises, work 3 days a week, study 2 days in 3 years, and you can get relevant certificates after completing your studies? Books.
At the age of 24 or 25, you can also go to the University of Applied Science and Technology to study. Compared with ordinary universities, this kind of universities have clearer professional orientation and more practical teaching content. After entering such universities, students will specialize in a certain field, such as industrial engineering, business, computer science and technology. Of course, if students have completed their undergraduate studies at the University of Applied Science and Technology, they can also apply to ordinary universities for further study. Pascal said that many graduates from applied science universities later became executives of world-renowned enterprises.
The concept and system of Swiss vocational education are flexible and pragmatic. Swiss people can work before entering university, or they can receive degree education at university while working. Usually, students applying for the University of Applied Science and Technology need to have several years of relevant work experience in a specific field, and have a diploma in federal senior secondary vocational education and training, or equivalent qualifications.
Pascal said: I know that in China, it is difficult for many fresh graduates to find jobs, and the Swiss vocational education system can just avoid this problem. In vocational education in Switzerland, the knowledge you have learned is in line with the industry and the market, and the courses of the vocational education system are also designed together with schools and enterprises, so for graduates, their jobs are completely guaranteed because they meet the needs of the industry and the market. We are now cooperating with China in the field of vocational education and introducing the successful Swiss experience to vocational colleges in China. Of course, this will not happen overnight. ?
You can also start as an executive from vocational education.
The hotel management major in Switzerland is well known to Chinese people. Pascal admitted that the hotel management industry is indeed one of the driving forces of the Swiss economy, because Switzerland is a country that relies heavily on tourism, and its hotel management major has a very long history. Liz is Swiss. Switzerland also has many famous hotel management schools, such as EHL (Lausanne Hotel Management? Hospital).
? The internationalization degree of Swiss hotel management specialty is much higher than other disciplines. Hotel management majors in private universities can also allow students to learn German and French courses while teaching English. In terms of tuition, public schools in Switzerland are free of tuition. Students only need to pay the registration fee of 1 0,000 Swiss francs plus one year's living expenses of 1 654,380+0.2 million RMB. Private university's hotel management major, the annual tuition fee is between 65438 yuan +0.5-0.25 million yuan, but you can also enjoy the treatment of buffet and hotel standard room. ?
However, many international students come to Switzerland to study other majors. ? You will find that many Swiss university graduates are active in banking, services and other fields, so hotel management is only a small part of Swiss education. In Switzerland, mechanical engineering, precision manufacturing and life science are all traditional disciplines leading the world. In social sciences, the major of international development in Geneva Institute of Advanced International Relations and the major of international law in Geneva University are very good, and many graduates hold important positions in large international organizations? Post it. ?
Internet and big data are also very popular in Switzerland. At present, more and more China students come to Switzerland to study computer science. In addition, many business projects in English, French and Italian, such as MBA, EMBA or Master of Finance, are also very popular. In recent years, the Swiss art luxury specialty has also expanded the enrollment quota for China students and young designers.
Pascal learned that many parents in China don't want their children to become blue-collar, so they generally don't choose vocational education. But he also told the reporter of Studying Abroad that in Switzerland, even if students start from vocational education, they can have a very good future. ? You may study mechanics at first, and then get a diploma through vocational education, so that you can go to the University of Applied Sciences for an undergraduate course, and then go to the EMBA to become a company executive. This is a common thing in Switzerland? Love. ?
Pascal also mentioned a phenomenon that China parents with certain financial strength began to send their children to boarding schools in Switzerland. At present, the nine most expensive boarding schools in the world are all in Switzerland. The internationalization level and education quality of these schools have attracted the attention of many wealthy families in China.
& gt& gt20 15 March 3 1,? Sunshine Power 2? Solar plane flies to Chongqing. ? Sunshine Power 2? This is the world's largest solar-powered plane developed by the Swiss. It does not need any fuel consumption when flying, and the required energy is completely provided by solar cells.
Switzerland's strong scientific and technological strength is attributed to universities.
In the comprehensive ranking of world universities from 20 14 to 20 15 published by The Times, both ETH and EPFL have steadily increased, ranking first in the world with 15. Pascal said that the rankings of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and EPFL University largely reflect the scientific research capabilities of the school and Switzerland.
Swiss science and technology is in a leading position in the world, and the secret of its success stems from the internationalization level of Swiss universities and the close cooperation and exchanges with universities and research institutions around the world. For example, EPFL is the lead organization of the Human Brain Project (HBP) of the European Union, and it also cooperates with Fudan University in China in resource exchange and data sharing. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) has good cooperation with educational institutions in Singapore, and has established a research center there. Of course, Swiss higher education also depends on the financial support of the government.
20 15 marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sweden. The two countries will hold concerts, lectures, cultural experiences, youth salons and other activities. Pascal said: In education, in recent years, we have received many Swiss schools to visit or enroll students in China. This year, the Art Institute in Lausanne, Switzerland (ECAL) also selected some outstanding young designers from China, and gave them full bonuses to pursue postgraduate courses in Switzerland. They also had the opportunity to work in Vacheron Constantin, a first-class watch brand. The Lift Global Science Conference, a famous scientific exchange platform in Geneva, will also be held in Shanghai in June this year. At present, the Swiss Embassy is helping Geneva University and other institutions to recruit students for short-term summer programs in China, and we will also provide free places for China students to attend summer schools in Switzerland. ?
Bring guests
Science and technology diplomat
Science and technology diplomacy is a major feature of Swiss foreign policy. At present, Switzerland has sent 27 scientific and technological diplomats to 25 cities in 18 countries. Swiss science and technology diplomats pay close attention to the development of scientific and technological innovation and changes in university policies in their regions and make reports. Pascal Malmier (Meng) is one of the earliest Swiss science and technology diplomats and the founder of the Boston office of the Swiss Science and Technology Cultural Center.
Swiss Science and Technology Cultural Center (China, Switzerland)
Swissnex China is the main official institution of Swiss federal government to promote public education overseas. Mainly responsible for assisting and connecting the cooperation between two Swiss Federal Universities of Technology and 10 State University and universities and scientific research institutions in China. Therefore, Swissnex has played an irreplaceable role in actively establishing extensive contacts with local universities, research institutions and companies and promoting the cooperative relationship between the other side and Switzerland.
Swiss academic system
Switzerland has three years of undergraduate studies and two years of postgraduate studies. Many students choose to spend one year at undergraduate or postgraduate level to work or exchange studies overseas. Swiss high school system is similar to that of the United States, usually four years.
20 13-20 14 comparison of the number of international students in China and China; the number of international students in Swiss universities in China is 1335 764.
Vocational education and training in Switzerland
The VET/PET (Vocational Education and Training) program in Switzerland itself includes 400 different federal academic examinations, covering more than 30 degree courses in more than 8 fields. Professional organizations and trade associations can participate in organizing examinations and setting courses, which can quickly meet the market demand for employees' continuous updating ability, accelerate the pace of innovation, and quickly eliminate training courses that are no longer in short supply according to economic needs. PET will also provide students with professional certificates, so that students who want to enter the applied science university can better obtain career development. The world-famous Lausanne Hotel Management Institute (EHL) is a typical applied science university that accepts pet education students.
university of applied sciences
Swiss universities are divided into two types: one is ordinary universities, including two federal polytechnics and 10 state university; The other is the University of Applied Science and Technology, which aims at cultivating high-level applied talents, especially technical and skilled talents. Colleges and majors of the University of Applied Science and Technology are closely integrated with local economic and social development; There are various types, including public schools, private schools funded by the government, and private schools with basically independent economic sources; The setting of disciplines and specialties has obvious career orientation.
Swiss government excellent scholarship
Since 196 1, the Swiss and China governments have provided scholarships for students from each other's countries. China offers 25 full scholarships and 30 tuition-free scholarships to Swiss students every year, and Switzerland offers 25 full scholarships to China students. Since the start of the project, China students have been ranked first in the total number of outstanding scholarships awarded by the Swiss government.