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Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences a+

European Academies' Award goes to Helen Keller

Helen Keller is the first Swiss from Switzerland to be awarded the Madame de Staël Prize for Cultural Values by the All European Academies (ALLEA). This is particularly in recognition of her role as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights from 2011 to 2020, where she played a special role in shaping Europe's cultural values.

The ALLEA Award honours researchers or intellectuals whose work represents a significant impact on the progress of Europe. “At the European Court of Human Rights, Helen Keller established herself as a particularly active, independent and respected judge and had a significant influence on the development and consolidation of jurisprudence," says Dick Marty, who, as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, was present at her election as judge in Strasbourg. Helen Keller is Chair for Public Law, European and Public International Law at the University of Zurich, as well as a judge at the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina since December 2020.

  • Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences SAMS

    News

    The SAMS Senate grows by nine members

    As every year, the Senate’s spring meeting has offered an opportunity to expand its membership. On June 18, nine individuals representing various disciplines and institutions were elected as new ordinary members. We warmly welcome them and look forward to drawing on their extensive expertise.

  • Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences SAMS

    News

    Updates to the SAMS Executive Board

    At its meeting on 18 June, the SAMS Senate elected Professor Paul Hoff as Vice President and Professor Samia Hurst as a new member of the Executive Board. We warmly welcome both to their new roles and look forward to benefiting from their experience and perspectives.

  • Swiss Young Academy SYA

    Blog

    Risks and opportunities: The Swiss Young Academy is driving the AI debate forward

    The Swiss Young Academy has admitted six new members from a wide range of disciplines. They were officially welcomed at a ceremony in Bern on 12 June 2026. No sooner had they joined than they were actively contributing to a major debate on artificial intelligence (AI) in research. One key insight emerged: AI cannot replace scientific thinking.

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Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences

House of Academies
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3001 Bern