Exchange Week Switzerland 2019

Exchange Week Switzerland 2019

This year, the Exchange Week focused on two contrasts that flourish together in harmony and are equally represented throughout Switzerland: tradition and innovation. Both are crucial factors, which have significant effects on the different value chains in the agricultural and food sector. True to this year’s motto “Don’t Be So Cheesy – Green Revolution of Tomorrow”, the ExWeek showed the participants the traditions and innovations contributing to the green future of Switzerland through various excursions and activities.

The week started off with a visit to an exhibition called “Food Revolution 5.0”. Designers and researchers from all around the world have thought about our habits revolving around food and how they might change in the future. Questions such as “how will we eat in the future?” and “how can the ever-growing human population be fed sustainably?” were answered in fascinating, although often shocking models. From growing your own food by spitting in a bottle every day to “meat” made from algae, the exhibition covered a wide range of interesting approaches to face upcoming challenges in the agricultural and food sector. Sadly, we were not able to take part in a guided tour as traffic was our biggest enemy that afternoon. Nonetheless, we could still learn a bunch about our future.

On the second day of the ExWeek we went to Switzerland’s capital, Bern. We started the day with a visit of the Federal Palace, where the impressive halls and paintings left many of us speechless. After a quick lunch on the Münsterterrasse, the participants had free time to explore the beautiful city of Bern on their own. Some checked out sights like the Bärengraben, the Zytglogge or the Rosengarten, while others wandered around the old town and the market. Some lucky people even came back with a cow balloon! It seemed like the federal city was able to satisfy all of the participants’ bern-ing desires (sorry).

On Sunday, the day started off with the highly anticipated training from our new trainers Sophia, Stevan, Clara, Sofija and Katarina! They did a wonderful job at showing us how to speak and perform in front of an audience and how to properly use body language. In the afternoon, everyone was hyped to go to the chocolate factory of Chocolat Frey. We decorated our own chocolate bunnies before indulging in the chocolate buffet and the chocolate fountains. We learnt a lot about the process of making and distributing chocolate and about the fact that the higher your sugar high is, the more wrecked you will feel once it’s over. We still had a great time and took beautiful pictures of ourselves dressed as pralines.

After our throats were sore from all the chocolate the day before, the excursion to the Ricola factory was more than welcome. The guides showed us the herb storages, the big mixing machines and the distribution of the finished products. We got an interesting insight on how a company from a small town in Switzerland gained fame all over the world. Once everyone filled their pockets with candies in every flavor imaginable, we hit the road to the Jurapark Aargau to hike. Despite the hazy conditions, we were still able to catch sight of some mountains in the distance. After the “hike”, our participants deserved a lunch for real alpinists: Sausages, vegetables and bread were grilled over a campfire, while all of us started smelling like smoked sausages as well. In the evening, the traditional Development Fund took place, where we collected a whopping 732 euros!

The following morning, we visited the Syngenta HQ, where the day started off great with coffee and croissants while we were introduced to the doings of Syngenta. Later, they showed us around their greenhouses and their research facilities. They told us a lot about their plans to make agriculture more sustainable and crops more effective. After this very insightful excursion, we made our way to Zurich, where the participants had free time. All of them wanted to see the city, so we went on an impromptu tour visiting sights like the opera, the Grossmünster and the Lindenhof. Back at the ETH, Dylan gave us an interesting presentation about the insect startup essento. Although everyone was a little skeptical about the following PowerPoint-karaoke, we had a blast when each of us tried to make sense out of random topics and slides. After dinner at the ETH, the night went on at a jam session in Zurich before heading home to Aarau.

On the last full day of this year’s Exchange Week, we went to a very special farm: the farmers cared for their garden in a way that’s known as “permaculture”. They (re)used everything that they produced and built easy devices that facilitate a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. After fascinating discoveries about a very unique way of living, we rushed almost immediately to our next excursion. The employees of the food laboratory of the canton of Aargau gave us a tour around their lab. Their main goal is to provide food safety and hygiene standard for all the consumers. In the laboratory, food samples are examined concerning health hazards and deception by means of microbiological, molecular biological as well as physical and chemical analysis methods. In the evening, another legendary Trade Fair was held, where everyone brought amazing food and drinks from their respective countries. It was an amazing evening to end the ExWeek on.

We were able to spend a wonderful week with amazing participants from all over Europe and we can’t wait until next year when we get to add onto our list of awesome memories with the IAAS!