Scholars at Risk - Help for Afghan academics

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.

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.

The Swiss Young Academy has published its 2025 Annual Report, looking back on an eventful year marked by numerous interdisciplinary projects, new initiatives and growing networking. The report documents the Academy’s continued development, its thematic priorities, and the activities of joint projects on artificial intelligence, science policy, academic career paths and science communication. A particular highlight was the hosting of the European National Young Academies Meeting (ENYA) in Bern, where around 80 representatives of European Young Academies spent two days discussing the topic of science diplomacy.