News (Archive 2011)

The Sextant - Spring 2011

A very interesting article about all three international student project's of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland was published in the 5th Edition of The Sextant (Spring 2011). Check it out, it's worth reading!

The Sextant - Spring 2011

New Article in the "Landanzeiger"

Another article has been published today in the "Landanzeiger" (in german). It can be found here in the media section.

Newsletter 2

We are proud to present our second newsletter. A special thank you goes to the PR-Team that has done exceptional work throughout this project!

Newsletter 2

Finance, Entrepreneurship and Goodbye

On Wednesday, we visited NASDAQ, the largest electronic stock exchange in the United States. We had the opportunity to attend the Opening Bell Ceremony and watch news reporters at work, which was very impressive. Furthermore, Jay B. Heller (Managing Director Market Intelligence Desk, NASDAQ) introduced us to the activities of NASDAQ and we also had the chance to ask him questions.

In the afternoon, we met Erica Dorn of the New York chapter of Accion USA (www.accionusa.org), a charity that provides microloans to entrepreneurs in the area. We were very impressed by the success of this charity and the entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants to the United States, who are the main receivers of these microloans.

We then headed towards the Yankee Stadium in the Bronx to watch a Baseball Game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox. Most of us didn't really understand the rules, but it didn't stop us from thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. It was a great experience in an unforgettable, electric atmosphere.

Thursday was our last full day in New York and the U.S. We ended our trip with a visit to Deutsche Bank, where Edward Comerford gave an insight into a day in the life of a trader. He stressed the importance of managing relationships when dealing with clients, especially in Europe. It was amazing to hear about his educational background and his experiences before he attained his current position.

Immediately after Deutsche Bank we visited the MOCA (Museum of Chinese in America, www.mocany.org). We learned about the history of Chinese immigrants and were at times shocked about the harsh realities of being an immigrant. Nonetheless, it was enlightening to see how entrepreneurial these Chinese immigrants were (and had to be) in order to survive in such difficult circumstances.

This is our last post from the United States. Today we fly back to Switzerland with our heads full of lasting impressions, incredible experiences and fond memories. It has been truly an awesome trip and we thank the whole delegation for their contributions toward making this project a resounding success!

New York - The Center of International Politics

After our daily briefing, we headed toward the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This time round we had the chance to listen to a presentation by Jonas Haertle (Head, Principles for Responsible Management Education, UN Global Compact Office) on Global Compact (www.unglobalcompact.org). He explained UN global initiatives in detail, including the core philanthropic objectives. We looked intothe impact of corporate social responsibility on businesses. It was especially interesting to learn how many global companies are part of Global Compact and how far the network of this initiative spans.

With little time to spare we rushed to our next meetings at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN, which took place quite close to the United Nations Headquarters. To begin the afternoon, we had a golden opportunity to meet Jens G. Korte, a top wall-street reporter for the news channels n-tv and SF DRS. He gave us an fascinating insight into the U.S. economy and politics and told us about his experiences as a journalist in New York. Unfortunately, the hour with him was over far too soon as he had to rush off to give his next news broadcast.

Following the meeting with Mr. Korte, Caroline Blaser, Representative North America OSEC gave us a presentation. She is responsible for Investment Promotion of Switzerland in the U.S. and Canada. This was a wonderful opportunity to deepen our insights into the diplomatic presence of Switzerland in the United States and to link the dots to our visit to the Swiss Embassy in Washington and Swissnex in Boston.

For a roaring finale to the day's business program Mrs. Pascale Baeriswyl, Counsellor for the Mission of Switzerland to the UN, introduced us to the activities and duties of the Mission. We discussed whether or not Switzerland should join the United Nations Security Council.

The remaining late afternoon and evening were used to explore the cultural diversity of New York further. Many participants opted for a trip to visit the Statue of Liberty. It was an unforgettable end to an awesome day.

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