Update on the Evening Discussion, Wednesday
In Italy, Giorgia Meloni's government is set to introduce a new type of high school in 2025, the "Made in Italy" high school. The innovative educational institution aims to strengthen the connection between Italian culture, identity, and the labour market, by training skills tailored to the needs of businesses and promoting the iconic Made in Italy brand.
This initiative is part of a broader government effort to defend and enhance Italy's cultural and economic identity. For instance, Italian cuisine is being nominated for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage recognition. The Made in Italy high school could offer a meaningful example of integrating national identity, vocational education, and industrial policy in modern schooling.
The Swiss economy, like Italy's, benefits significantly from strong national brands and skilled labour aligned with its industries such as luxury goods, precision manufacturing, and gastronomy. Switzerland could find value in studying or adapting aspects of the Made in Italy high school model to enhance vocational education tailored to its key economic sectors, strengthen the link between cultural heritage and education to maintain and promote Swiss brand identity internationally, and facilitate closer cooperation between education and commerce sectors to better align skills training with labour market needs.
Closer economic ties and cultural similarities between Italy and Switzerland, especially in the Italian-speaking regions, make the Made in Italy high school scheme a potential source of inspiration for educational reforms or collaborations across borders in similarly industrialized and brand-conscious economies.
Meanwhile, in Switzerland, other significant developments are underway. The Zurich administrative court has rejected a building project for a 14-storey residential tower on the former industrial site of the Zahnradfabrik Maag. The A1 motorway between Luterbach and Härkingen is being expanded to six lanes, while the Bern-Freiburg railway line will be closed until August 25. The renovation of the Basel Osttangente is being pushed forward and will cost 40 million francs.
In other news, train traffic between Geneva and Lausanne is currently restricted, and Zurich Central Station is closed due to the relocation of tram tracks. The Zurich North bypass is being expanded to two times three lanes throughout.
On a sad note, Hans-Jacob Heitz, a Winterthur lawyer, politician, and federal administrative court judge, has passed away at the age of 81.
In international news, the EU Commission is considering breaking the rigid structures of the budget, focusing on investments in key areas instead of habitual subsidies. The negotiations for the EU budget will take place over the next two years. The negotiations will be tough due to the financial situation of many EU countries.
Elsewhere, the EU is planning to significantly increase its budget from 1200 billion euros to 2000 billion euros for the period from 2028 to 2034. Japan's ten-year bond yields have risen to 1.59 percent, the highest level since 2008, due to the upcoming upper house elections.
In other global developments, Indonesia has reached a trade agreement with the American government, imposing a 19% tariff on Indonesian products, lower than the originally threatened 34%. However, the mystery of the home advantage in sports remains unsolved, with no evidence that spectators directly influence the outcome.
Finally, professional mountaineer and geographer Jonas Schild consistently avoids certain tours due to the consequences of global warming.
[1] Source: Various online news outlets and government reports.
- The Made in Italy high school, a new initiative aimed at connecting Italian culture, identity, and the labor market, could potentially serve as a model for other countries, such as Switzerland, in integrating national identity, vocational education, and industrial policy in modern schooling, especially considering the strong national brands and skilled labor of both countries.
- While Switzerland is making strides in other areas, such as construction and transportation projects, it may find value in studying the Made in Italy high school model to further align education with its key economic sectors and facilitate closer cooperation between education and commerce, similar to Italy's efforts to defend and enhance its cultural and economic identity.
