Swiss Day in Shanghai International Studies University

Lakes, mountains, urban chic… Switzerland is just like a slideshow of epic proportions that everyone yields to step in. Increasingly, however, the world is discovering the country's world class education, innovation and creativity. On November 10th, a chilling early winter afternoon, swissnex China brought the warmest Swiss Red to the campus of Shanghai International Studies University.

We brought brochures about Swiss higher education as well as super yummy chocolate to the students in SISU, which lately were given away as prizes for those who were active in the Q&A session. No one could say no to chocolates, let alone the Swiss-made ones! 

Pascal Marmier, CEO of swissnex China and Vice Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai started the event with a speech on the general information of Switzerland. We can observe from the speech that Switzerland boasts more than tremendous wealth, marvelous scenery, but also world-class higher education and accordingly ever-emerging innovations.

Most students there were prospective interpreters and translators. They were curious about Swiss culture and education, especially the translation education. Luckily we had Mrs. Hannelore Lee-Jahnke, the honor president of CIUTI and professor of University of Geneva. She made a short introduction on University of Geneva and professional translation education there. As we know, Switzerland has four official languages and most of Swiss citizens are multilingual speakers. The students enquired the current situation of translation as a career in such a country, and Mr. Marmier answered it with vivid facts happened in Switzerland.

Our amazing interns from the top universities in Switzerland showed their campus life and strong academic backgrounds of their school in the following presentations.  At the end of the event, Linda Lou, our academic project leader introduced the internship at swissnex and invited students in SISU to apply for this exciting work opportunity which attracted loads of students.

As attendees showed great interest in the whole event, we are motived in organizing further events pertaining to the higher education in the future and hope that it will bring an equally high enthusiasm.  The following one is the event “Study in Switzerland” in Fudan University on November 20th. We will keep you update on this.

- Contributed by Jingyan Yang, Junior Project Leader Academic Affairs