Group picture taken during the signing ceremony for the MoU on apprenticeships | From left to right: Marty Walsh, Secretary of Labor; Parker Horejs, apprentice Nagra; President Guy Parmelin, Noemi Cab
Secretary Walsh, President Parmelin, Secretary Cardona, Deputy Secretary Graves during the signing ceremony for the MoU on apprenticeships

Reinforcing Swiss-US government relations

Two bilateral memoranda of understanding on apprenticeships and research were signed during Swiss President Guy Parmelin's visit to Washington, D.C.

The highlight of 2021 for the Science Office at the Swiss Embassy in Washington was certainly the visit of President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, to the United States in November to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Vocational Education and Training (VET) with the U.S. government. On November 18, 2021, the Secretary of Labor, Marty Walsh, the Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, and the Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Don Graves met with President Parmelin and his delegation to sign the updated MoU. The signing ceremony was followed by a business roundtable hosted by President Parmelin and Deputy Secretary Graves to discuss best practices and experiences in the field of VET. Invited participants included Swiss and American company representatives interested in, or already sponsoring, an VET program, as well as other representatives of the US government. A particular concern of the companies was the interest in expanding apprentices’ mobility between the U.S. and Switzerland.

Group picture taken during the signing ceremony for the MoU on apprenticeships | From left to right: Marty Walsh, Secretary of Labor; Parker Horejs, apprentice Nagra; President Guy Parmelin, Noemi Caballero Rodrigez, apprentice Nagra; Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education; Alan Moreno, apprentice Stadler; Don Graves, Deputy Secretary of Commerce.
Group picture taken during the signing ceremony for the MoU on apprenticeships | From left to right: Marty Walsh, Secretary of Labor; Parker Horejs, apprentice Nagra; President Guy Parmelin, Noemi Caballero Rodrigez, apprentice Nagra; Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education; Alan Moreno, apprentice Stadler; Don Graves, Deputy Secretary of Commerce.

In addition to the MoU on VET, President Parmelin accompanied the signature of a MoU between the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The document was signed by the President of the National Research Council of SNSF, Prof. Matthias Egger, and the Director of the NSF, Dr. Sethuranman Panchanathan. The MoU aims at strengthening the agencies’ bilateral cooperation in the field of science and at facilitating the development of new science cooperation, by securing greater participation in workshops and conferences, fostering mobility of young scientists and easing bureaucratic restrictions in view of establishing a Lead Agency procedure for the funding of joint research projects.

Prof. Matthias Egger, President of the National Research Council of SNSF, and Dr. Sethuranman Panchanathan, Director of the NSF, signing the MoU.
Prof. Matthias Egger, President of the National Research Council of SNSF, and Dr. Sethuranman Panchanathan, Director of the NSF, signing the MoU.

You also have the opportunity to watch the signing ceremony of the MoU on apprenticeship: