Sunday, May 26, 2019

15:00 – Meet at Hotel St Josef

15:00 – 16:45 – Group Seminar 1

17:00 – 18:00 – walk around UZH and ETH campuses

18:02 – 18:25 – tram/bus to Chäsalp

18:30 Dinner a Chäsalp

Accommodations at Hotel St Josef

Monday, May 27, 2019

Visit UZH

  • 09:15 Welcome & Introduction
    • Tiffany Merz-Cheok, International Welcome Services, International Relations Office
    • Prof. Karen P. DePauw, Vice President and Dean for Graduate Education
  • 09:30 Introduction to UZH
    • Tiffany Merz-Cheok, International Welcome Services, International Relations Office
  • 09:45 Graduate Campus: A platform for young researchers
    • Dr. Claudine Leysinger, General Manager, Graduate Campus
  • 10:10 University Politics – the role of VAUZ
    • Merlin Incerti-Medici, VAUZ International Higher Education Policy
  • 10:35 Short Break
  • 11:00 Introduction to the Swiss Education System
    • Prof. Dr. Philippe Gonon, Director Institute of Education
  • 11:25 Gender Equality and Diversity at UZH
    • Dr. Christiane Löwe, Head Office for Gender Equality and Diversity
  • 11:50 Discussion / Q&A
  • 12:00 End of Visit to UZH

Lunch at ETH Dozentenfoyer

Visit ETH

  • 13:15 Arrival at ETH Zürich – Meet at the entrance to the main building
    • Location – HG G 26.3
    • Welcome and introduction to ETH Zürich
    • Discussion on current issues in education and research in Switzerland Anders Hagström, Director Global Education Affairs
  • 14:15 Walk to building LFO (Schmelzbergstrasse 9)
  • 14:30 Meeting with Professor Laura Nyström
    • Location – LFO F 19
    • Laboratory of Food Biochemistry, Department of Health Sciences and Technology www.foodbiochem.ethz.ch
  • 15:40 Walk to Main Building
    • Location – HG F 50.3
    • Refreshments
  • 16:00–16.25 Meeting with Rector, Professor Sarah M. Springman
  • 16:34 Transfer to Campus Hönggerberg
  • 16.50 Meeting with Professor Daniel Hall
    • Location – HIL F 25.2
    • Assistant Professor of Innovative and Industrial Construction, Department of Civil Environmental and Geomatic Engineering
    • ic.ibi.ethz.ch
  • 17:30 End of visit

19:00 Dinner at Neumarkt

Accommodations at Hotel St Josef

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

  • Train from Zurich to Basel
    • 7:00 Depart Zürich HB – IC 760
    • 7:53 Arrive at Basel SBB
  • Bus to Hotel
    • Bus 30 (every 3 minutes)
    • Ride 3 stops to Spalentor
    • Walk 5 minutes to Hotel Bildungszentrum 21
    • Drop off luggage and get city travel card
  • Tram to Institute for European Global Studies
    • Walk to the Pilgerstrasse stop
    • Take tram number 3 (every 7 minutes) towards Birsfelden to the stop St. Alban-Tor (8 stops)
    • Follow Gellertstrasse for approximately 500m (towards Bethesda hospital).

Visit University of Basel

Preparatory reading:

Morning Session:

  • 09:15 – 10:30 Morning session
  • 15 min. break
  • 10:45 – 12:15 Morning Session (continued)

Topic

Overview of current topics and developments in Higher Education in Switzerland and Europe including the following: Higher Education Act, the Swiss higher & tertiary education landscape, types of institutions, Professional Education and Training (PET), public vs. private institutions, organization of the university, student body, position of Switzerland within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)

Afternoon Sessions

  • 13:15 – 14:45 Afternoon session 1
    • Workshop in mixed US/ Basel/ EUCOR groups of 4 – 5 participants about Swiss, European and US – Higher Education in a global context.
  • 15 min. break
  • 15:00 – 15:45 Afternoon session 2
    • Discussion about positioning and role in one’s own research institution; comparing own institution with exemplary institutions in Switzerland, Europe and the U.S.
  • 15:45 – 16:15
    • Reporting of group speakers to the plenary followed by discussion
  • 16:15 – 16:30 Closing remarks

Return to Hotel for check-in

  • Walk back to St. Alban-Tor stop
  • 16:43 – Take tram 3 towards Gare de Saint-Louis to the stop Pilgerstrasse
  • 17:00 – Arrive at Hotel

Travel to WWZ for the HEAR Global 2019 lecture

  • Take the tram 3 towards Birsfelden, Hard to the stop Aeschenplatz
  • Transfer to Tram 10 towards Dornach, Bahnhof to the stop Peter-Merian (he was an important philanthropist in Basel and his foundation still is today). 
  • 18:00 – 20:15 Attend the HEAR Global 2019 lecture
    • From autonomy to innovation: Swiss higher education between local and global challenges
  • 20:27 – Take Tram 11 towards St-Louis Grenze to the Johanniterbrücke stop

20:30 Dinner at Don Pincho

Return to hotel

  • Take tram 30 towards Bahnhof SBB to the Spalentor stop (every 15 min)
  • Walk 5 minutes to Hotel Bildungszentrum 21

Accommodations at Hotel Bildungszentrum 21

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

  • 7:49 – 9:09 – Train from Basel to Strasbourg
    • TER 96212
  • 9:29 – 9:41 — Tram C from Gare Central to the Université stop

Visit University of Strasbourg

  • 10.00 -10.30
    • Welcome to the delegation and coffee break
    • Visit of the doctoral college
  • 10.30-11.00
    • Presentation of the doctoral studies in France by Mme Véronique BULACH, Deputy Vice-President in charge of  research and Doctoral studies
    • Presentation of the International Doctoral Programme by Virginie Herbasch
  • 11.00 – 12.15
    • Discussion
  • 13.00 – 14.00
    • Lunch at the European Parliament
  • 14.40– 16.00
    • Visit of the European Parliament
  • 16.30
    • Visit of the University Palace
  • 17:15 Walk to Norte Dame de Strasbourg
  • 18:15 – Begin walking to Dinner (7 minute walk from the cathedral)

18:30 Dinner at Au Pont San Martin

Return to Basel

  • 21:21 – 22:42 Train from Strasbourg to Basel
    • TER 96241
  • Bus to Hotel
    • Bus 30 (every 3 minutes)
    • Ride 3 stops to Spalentor

Accommodations at Hotel Bildungszentrum 21

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Group Seminar 2 at Hotel Bildungszentrum 21

12:04 – 17:18 Train from Basel to Riva San Vitale

12:04 – 14:23 Basel SBB – Erstfeld — IR 2323

14:37 – 16:41 Ersteld – Lugano —RE 4329

17:05 – 17:18 Lugano – Capolago-Riva San Vitale — S 25129

Dinner and accommodations at Virginia Tech Steger Center

Friday, May 31, 2019

  • Train from Riva San Vitale to Milan
    • 7:18 – 7:34 Capolago RSV to Chiasso
    • 7:43 – 8:13 Chiasso – Camnago-Lentate
    • 8:25 – 8:58 Camnago-Lentate – Milano Bovisa

Visit Politecnico di Milano

  • 09h30: Meeting at the Wind Tunnel (via La Masa, 34 – BOVISA CAMPUS)
  • 09h30 ‐ 10h30: Introduction to Politecnico di Milano by Francesca Fogal (International Relations and EU Projects Office)
  • 10h30 ‐ 12h00: Meeting with Prof. Paolo Biscari, Director of the Politecnico di Milano PhD School
  • 12h00 – 13h00: Visit to the Wind Tunnel
    • The Politecnico di Milano Wind Tunnel (GVPM) has a dual aim, being designed to provide the highest technological standards for a wide range of applications. In addition, its location in the academic environment of the Politecnico di Milano denotes a strong commitment to the scientific approach. Thus the GVPM represents two things, being both a purely research tool and, secondly, a modern instrument for high‐technology industrial applications offering advantageous reciprocal synergies.
  • 13h00 – 14h00: Meeting with Politecnico di Milano PhD students and brunch
  • 14h00 – 14h30: Transfer to Bovisa Durando Campus
  • 14h30 – 16h00: Visit to the laboratories of Design
  • 16:21 – Train from Milano Bovisa to Stazione Cadorna (multiple trains every 3 minutes. Train options: R16, R17, S3, S4)
  • 16:36 – Metro M1(red line) from Cadorna FN to Duomo

Open return to Riva San Vitale

Accommodations at Virginia Tech Steger Center

Saturday, June 1, 2019

Train to Bellinzona

Lunch at Castle Grande

Accommodations at Virginia Tech Steger Center

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Seminar at Steger Center

Dinner at Grotto san Michele in Corona

Accommodations at Virginia Tech Steger Center

Monday, June 3, 2019

  • Travel to Manno
    • 8:39 Stazione Capolago-Riva San Vitale
    • 8:59 Stazione Lamone-Cadempino
    • 9:05 Bus nr. 449 to Manno Suglio, then 3’ walking to Via Pobiette 11, Manno

Visit SUPSI

09.30 Beginning of the meeting• Welcome and introduction to the Swiss Higher Education system and the UAS University of Applied Sciences and SUPSI.

Presentation of internationalization activities in SUPSI, its strategy 2017-2021 and our new campuses.

Relators:

Mrs Pamela Valeggia, Head of International Office
Ms Annick Catella, Assistant International Office• Presentation of the Start-up Garage model.

The Startup Garage is a space dedicated to students who want to give form and substance to their ideas in a welcoming place where they can meet their peers and teachers and develop their entrepreneurial spirit.

Relator: Prof. Mauro Citraro• Presentation of the Applied Research in SUPSI and example of some concrete projects

Relator: Prof. Giambattista Ravano, Director of Research and Innovation in SUPSI ​

12.00 Lunch (sandwiches and salads)
13.00 Departure of the delegation to the USI

13:11​BUS nr. 5 from Uovo di Manno to Lugano Ponte Madonnetta

13:41​arrival at USI

Visit USI

  • Meeting point at 2.15 pm at the main entrance
  • 2.20 pm
    • Some words about USI, Q&A
    • Dimitri Loringett
    • Media and Communication Service
  • 2.40 pm
    • New trends in 3D hand biometrics: utilizing modern computer vision and machine learning
    • Jan Svoboda
    • PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Michael Bronstein at the Institute of Computational Sciences at USI.
    • His main research interests are applications of Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning in the field of Biometric Security Systems.
    • In autumn 2017, Jan has spent 3 months as a research intern at Microsoft Research in Cambridge, UK. Since January 2018, he has joined swiss AI startup NNAISENSE as part of the deep learning division.
  • 3.20 pm
    • Q&A
    • Jan Svoboda
  • 3.35 pm
    • Campus tour, Coffee, Sweets
    • Géraldine Moretti
  • Study Advisory and Promotion Service
  • 4.00 pm
  • Good bye
  • Room: 321

Train to Riva San Vitale

Accommodations at Virginia Tech Steger Center

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

10:00 – 17:00 Global Seminar

10:00                     Welcome and introductions

10:15                     Opening session entitled Evolving PhD education: Trends and Priorities (U.S. and Europe). This session will provide the general background and framework for 

small group discussions which will follow

11:15                     break

11:30- 12:45       Group discussion (3) on selected topics (from EUA-CDE and U.S. NASEM report):  ethics and scholarly integrity, funding for doctoral students, career 

Development

1:00- 2:15            Lunch at the Steger Center (all)

2:15 -3:30            Group discussions (3) on topics: mental health issues, inclusion and diversity, teaching/mentoring

3:30                        break and preparation for sharing results

4:00-5:00              Share results (writings on the wall) 

5:00                        Photo 

5:30                        reception/dinner

Accommodations at Virginia Tech Steger Center

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Working day

Accommodations at Virginia Tech Steger Center

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Depart Virginia Tech Steger Center

(two week gap)

Friday, June 21, 2019

Summit at the Swiss Embassy in Washington D.C.