Thanks to this study trip, participants gained an in-depth insight into the Swiss political system and the economy, and got to know many facets of Swiss culture. In addition to numerous meetings with Swiss experts from the fields of business, politics, administration and culture, the students were able to independently analyse fundamental questions concerning Switzerland.

The journey began in the afternoon of 26 May with a flight from Budapest to Basel. From there, the group travelled to Zurich by train, where they moved into their accommodation for the next few days. From Zurich, the 17 participants and three AUB lecturers who accompanied the group travelled to the various stops on the trip by train and bus using the Swiss Travel Pass.

The study trip was realised as part of the ‘Changing Orders Research Programme’ with funding from the Second Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Programme.

Day 1 - Bern

During the programme day in Bern, the participants gained an insight into Swiss municipal and cantonal administration at the General Secretariat of the Economic, Energy and Environmental Directorate of the Canton of Bern. Afterwards, they learned about Switzerland's direct democracy during a vivid presentation at the Federal Chancellery. After the official programme, the students took part in an informal tour of the city, led by Rector Zoltán Tibor Pállinger, who showed them the most important sights of Bern.

Day 2 – Geneva

On 28 May 2024, the students visited the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva. The GCSP is dedicated to promoting global security through training and applied research. DCAF strengthens security sector governance and reform worldwide by providing technical assistance, capacity building initiatives and dissemination of research findings, among other things. In both institutions, the students listened to exciting lectures, for example on targeted disinformation campaigns by states as a catalyst for radicalisation (GCSP), or the diverse projects to strengthen the security sector in North African states.

Day 3 – Heiden and St. Gallen

The third day of the excursion took the group to the north of Switzerland. In Heiden, the students were welcomed by the mayor Dr Robert Diethelm who gave an insight into how local politics work in a small Swiss municipality. This was followed by a guided tour of the Henry Dunant Museum, where participants could learn about the life of the founder of the International Red Cross (Henry Dunant spent the last years of his life in Heiden). The group then travelled to St. Gallen to get to know the University of St. Gallen under the guidance of Prof. Christoph Frei. Prof Frei also gave a critically reflected lecture on current Swiss foreign policy. The day in St. Gallen ended with an apero.

Day 4 – Zurich

On 30 May, participants started their programme at the association ‘Fussverkehr Schweiz’ in Zurich, which has been campaigning for pedestrian mobility since the 1970s. This was followed by a visit to the Zurich-based consulting firm ‘Ernst Basler + Partner AG’, which offers services worldwide in the areas of the environment, mobility and IT. Finally, the students explored the Zurich Finance Museum, where the development of the Swiss and global financial system was explained.

The trip ended on 31 May when the group returned to Budapest via Basel.

AUB thanks the representatives from Swiss business, administration, international organisations and culture who contributed to the success of the study trip with their lectures, presentations and guided tours for their exceptionally friendly welcome, cooperation and help during the whole trip. A special thank you goes to Dr Helen Oplatka-Steinlin, who made the guided tour of the Zurich Finance Museum possible.