SWISS ALUMNI CHINA 2019 – Adding value and Connecting in Shanghai

By Gabriel Bishop, Junior Project Manager for Academic Relations

More than 3000 Alumni from about 25 Swiss Universities are currently based in China. Every year, swissnex China – officially representing all Swiss Public Universities in China – holds a gathering and offers a platform for this large community to connect.

SWISS ALUMNI CHINA 2019 took place on May 24 on the roof of the Museum of Contemporary Art, in the heart of Shanghai. This year’s edition was the biggest so far: over 270 guests from 23 Universities registered for the event, some of them travelling all the way from Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Chengdu, as well as other cities for the occasion!

The night was once again the opportunity to share some fond memories from the times studying in Switzerland but also to engage with new members of the community. Indeed, the aim of the evening was to provide a quality setting for the Alumni to connect and strengthen the ties between them.

For this purpose, the networking reception was complemented with a job fair activity, offering a high-in-demand platform for exchanging job perspectives. swissnex China further gave the floor to the active Alumni Chapters in Shanghai. EHL, EPFL, ETH Zurich, HEC Lausanne and UZH shared the latest news and presented their activities. This was also a chance for the Alumni from the other universities to gather, thus paving the way for new chapters to be created. Our hope is that UniGE will set the pace and launch their chapter soon.

Dr. Felix Moesner, Science Consul & CEO at swissnex China, with the Chapters’ representatives.

The success of SWISS ALUMNI CHINA reflects the excellence of Swiss Higher Education. It is always a pleasure to reunite with the exquisite group that the Swiss Alumni community is. The swissnex China Team would like to give a special thank to the chapters and to our generous sponsors, Lindt, Orange Garten, Ricola and swissmooh!

We look forward to seeing all of you again at SWISS ALUMNI CHINA 2020!!!

What the Alumni had to say:

"Great event, it brings me back to all the wonderful memories I have from when I studied in Switzerland"

"Brilliant event! Old connections met again through the night and I made new friends in the city"

"It is my first time attending the Swiss Alumni gathering and I am sure there will be many more in the future! Got to know nice people, which is the most valuable thing. Thanks a lot for the organization!"

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Swiss Alumni Gathering 2018 in Shanghai

By Priska Furrer, Junior Project Leader

On May 18, we had the pleasure of organizing a gathering for the alumni and current students of all Swiss universities living in China. We welcomed participants from Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Italian Switzerland (SUPSI), Zurich University of the Arts, University of Applied Sciences of Northwest Switzerland (FHNW), University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland, University of Lucerne, University of Lugano, University of Neuchâtel, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), École Cantonale D'art De Lausanne (ECAL), The Graduate Institute, Geneva, University of Fribourg, University of Bern, University of Basel, École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), University of Lausanne, University of Zurich, University of Geneva, University of St. Gallen, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Les Roches & IFM and International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute Neuchâtel.

At 6 pm the first guests arrived, and our team started with the registration. Soon the venue started to fill up with people.

Around 7 pm our CEO, Felix Moesner, held a short speech in which he introduced the mission of swissnex China to everyone and he also briefly talked about the Swiss education system.

The event also sparked interest in people passing by the venue, Rose Garden, located in the heart of Shanghai.

We prepared goodie bags for all the attendees at the end of the evening, thanks to the support of our sponsors Lindt, Orange Garden, 17Hi, Switzerland Tourism and Cheers Wines.

We would like to thank everyone for coming to the gathering and we hope to see you again next year!

swissnex China Referral Sparks World-Class EHL-CEIBS Hospitality Executive MBA

On May 11, 2018, École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), the world's best ranked hotel management school, and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), China's leading business school, held a grand opening ceremony to mark the launch of their joint Hospitality Executive MBA (HEMBA) programme. Both Dr. Felix Moesner, CEO of swissnex China, and Mr. Alexander Hoffet, Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai, were among the VIP guests-of-honor at the ceremony, which was attended by leadership representatives from CEIBS and EHL.

The initial spark that ignited the successful collaboration between EHL and CEIBS was originally instigated by swissnex China, connecting Dean Ding Yuan of CEIBS and Director Michel Rochat of EHL. The HEMBA is the first of its kind in China, while also being CEIBS’ first dual degree EMBA and first joint EMBA. Upon graduation, the student enrolled in the programme will be awarded a double-degree from CEIBS and EHL, thereby gaining access to the pretigious alumni networks of both schools. Throughout the years, swissnex China has been hosting a number of exceptional EHL students as part of our internship programme.

VIP guests-of-honor (incl. Dr. Felix Moesner, CEO of swissnex China, and Mr. Alexander Hoffet, Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai) and EHL / CEIBS leadership representatives drink a toast to the programme's success. CEIBS© CEIBS, 2018.

“Two exceptional partners have come together to form a perfect match and offer a leading-edge programme that will position graduates for executive roles in a service sector that is hungry for the skills the programme will provide participants.”

— EHL’s Chief Academic Officer Professor Finbarr O’Mahony, representing EHL Group CEO Michel Rochat

EHL-CEIBS HEMBA Opening Ceremony © CEIBS, 2018.

About China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)

China Europe International Business School (www.ceibs.edu) is among the top international business schools in Asia, where it is the only b-school to have simultaneously made it to the Financial Times’ top 30 list of MBA, EMBA and Executive Education programmes. CEIBS’ world-class faculty – from both China and abroad – are experts in their fields. CEIBS, which has provided management education to over 130,000 executives both at home and abroad, has campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Zurich and Accra.

About Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL)

Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL, @EHLnews) is an ambassador for traditional Swiss hospitality and has been a pioneer in hospitality education since 1893. It has created and inspired a unique professional community of over 25,000 hospitality managers, united by the values and the legacy of EHL.

EHL is a leading university that provides learning solutions for enthusiastic, talented and ambitious students from 114 different countries. With undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, EHL offers its students a range of on-campus and online education opportunities at different stages of their professional journey.

EHL is regularly recognized as the best hotel management school in the world with the highest graduate employment rates in the industry. EHL is a member of EHL Holding SA, a Group dedicated to hospitality management education.