Swissnex Day and Annual Meeting 2023

Innovation and health at Swissnex Day '23

With a focus on health, the international Swissnex Day '23 event in Lugano generated great public interest. Pushing the Boundaries in Health Innovation was the theme, with participants discussing the opportunities and challenges the health sector faces on a global level, as well as ways that research and innovation can contribute to a healthier world.

After a welcome message from Stefano Rizzi, Head of the Canton of Ticino Economics Division, State Secretary Martina Hirayama opened Swissnex Day '23 together with Rémy Hübschi, Deputy Director of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI. SERI organises the annual event, which was attended this year by around 300 representatives from the education, research and innovation sector.

Four national and international experts focused on the possibilities and limits of future health research. Topics included the 'silent pandemic' of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and how to ensure the validity of medical data for sustainable research. The panel discussion with Dr Katrin Crameri (Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics SIB), Dr Marc Gitzinger (BioVersys), Dr Anand Anandkumar (Bugworks Research Inc) and Dr Princess Nothemba Simelela (MD/obstetrician) emphasised the enormous potential of international collaboration in the healthcare sector.

Switzerland plays a key role in strengthening cooperation between research stakeholders in the field of public health, at both national and international levels. For example, some of Swissnex's main locations have placed health at the heart of their multi-faceted initiatives and programmes, which strengthen global networks and promote innovation. Swissnex Day also provided a platform for selected start-ups and spin-offs to present the diverse innovations they are working on to push the boundaries in health technology. The start-ups use robotics and artificial intelligence to develop innovative products and services aimed at maintaining and further promoting public health in the future.

Annual Meeting 2023

The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) with its Swissnex headquarters was happy to host the Annual Meeting 2023 from 22 - 26 May. During the joint week, we reconnected, shared ideas, scouted trends, and forged collaborations with colleagues and partners.
The week included:

• Workshops
• visits of university campuses such as Univesità della Svizzera Italiana (USI), University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) and Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
• Panel discussions
• Meetings with State Secretary Martina Hirayama, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin
• and much more

Click here for more information on the Annual Meeting 2023