A country of refuge, Switzerland appears to many parents as the ideal place to educate their children in a framework of peace and security.
By Philippe Gudin, Director General of Institut Le Rosey

Switzerland is a very special country; there are neither natural resources, nor is there any real national language; Switzerland only exists because very different peoples, in their various languages, cultures and mentalities, wished to unite their destinies. This balance rests on a very complicated political system, guaranteed by the most complete democracy in the world.

The only Swiss sovereign is the people. To survive the Swiss had to sell their qualities as mercenaries to foreign powers, and cultivate land clinging to steep mountain sides. This small nation became wealthy at the start of the twentieth century by developing unique abilities in the industry of precision mechanics, agriculture, banking, insurance and... education.

Intermingling of Cultures
International education differs from traditional educational systems in one simple principle: the community is made up of various cultures, religions and races living together, enriching each of its members. Schools that are supposedly international can be found anywhere in the world, but we are convinced that those which have an international reputation, like Le Rosey, Beau Soleil, Zuoz or Rosenberg could exist nowhere but in Switzerland. Every developed country in the world considers that its language and culture should be integrated into its school system. Switzerland has adopted and adapted the German, French and Italian systems. It is therefore almost genetically predisposed to an intermingling of cultures, without, however, seeking a melting pot of nationalities. In addition, Switzerland is the seat of a number of international organizations, which implies the presence of a diverse population living and educating their children in this country.

Switzerland is proud of its deliberate policy of armed neutrality, which makes it one of the safest countries in the world. Its people, so diverse, share a love of detail, of precision and of work well done; it has even won the oldest sports trophy in the world, the America’s Cup, without even having access to the sea, thanks only to the talent of its engineers! Its polytechnic schools and its universities have a reputation far surpassing the natural influence of a small country of only seven million inhabitants. Its riches rest on its abilities alone, the country has made education an absolute priority of its development and, following an example set by Jean- Jacques Rousseau, many Swiss have contributed to educational theory: Pestalozzi, Toepffer, Montessori, Piaget, to cite only the better known ones.

This genuine preoccupation with teaching naturally contributed to the flowering of numerous private schools on its soil. Moreover, this little country is beautiful, rich in lakes, mountainous landscapes and exceptional towns. How proud we are that Swiss Learning represent a dozen of the best campuses here, worthy mirrors of this beauty!