Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences
European institute for AI in science, recommend European science academies
A new European institute for Artificial Intelligence in science and technologies of the future must be driven by people and communities, not only by profit: these are two key messages of renowned scientists. Nominated by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (a+), Andrea Emilio Rizzoli from the Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Lugano co-chaired the group of scientists that drafted these messages. The new institute would provide massive high-performing computational power, a sustainable cloud infrastructure and AI training programmes for scientists. “That means giving universities and research institutes across Europe fair access to state-of-the-art AI facilities”, Andrea Rizzoli says. Additionally, the advice is to promote research on the philosophical, legal, and ethical issues that arise when AI is used in science, and the impact this has on fundamental human rights, transparency and accountability. Based on a request from EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, the recommendations support the EU strategy for AI in research and innovation. They were produced in the context of the Scientific Advice Mechanism that provides independent scientific evidence and policy recommendations to EU institutions. This mechanism includes the Academies’ consortium SAPEA, which gathers expertise from more than 100 institutions across Europe, and the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, whose recommendations are informed by the SAPEA evidence.
Swiss Young Academy SYA
Innovative Teaching Formats at the Science-Society Interface: Reflections and Future Directions in Swiss Higher Education
Science-society dialogue is crucial for addressing pressing societal challenges. One important avenue for strengthening this link, in an inter- and transdisciplinary perspective, is teaching formats that encourage students to engage in the public sphere. However, an illustrative collection of best practices in Swiss higher education has been lacking so far. This practice-driven report draws on a non-exhaustive stocktake of existing courses in Switzerland and participatory workshops among lecturers. It features illustrative examples from Swiss higher education institutions and introduces a new typology of science-society teaching formats, offering educators a structured way to design and analyze courses across six dimensions. In addition, the publication discusses both the opportunities and challenges of implementing such teaching formats. To further advance science-society education, the report identifies three priority areas for action.
Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT
Strategy for natural history collections in Switzerland
Thirty-seven institutions, take a decisive step towards unlocking the full potential of natural history collections in Switzerland. Together, they publish and endorse a strategy based on 6 pillars and 52 key activities to better preserve collections, ensure their accessibility and promote their use for science and society.
