Paula Reichenberg appointed to the HES-SO Strategy Council for 2025 to 2028

Planting trees so that future generations can harvest the fruit.

HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland has appointed our CEO Paula Reichenberg as a member of its Strategy Council from 2025 to 2028.

What is the HES-SO Strategy Council?

This advisory body brings together experts from varied backgrounds: academia, business, health, social work and culture. Its composition always reflects the fields studied at the university.

Why are universities of applied sciences essential to innovation in Switzerland?

Paula is honoured that HES-SO is giving her the opportunity to contribute to the education of future generations. Given the current geopolitical, societal and technological shifts, it is essential to prepare Switzerland for the future as an attractive playground and a thriving marketplace for start-ups and innovators.

EPFL and ETH Zurich work on deeptech and revolutionary technologies that make fundamental change possible. The role of schools of engineering and universities of applied sciences in Switzerland is just as fundamental: bringing technology from the lab to the market and winning over companies, listed corporations and SMEs alike, so that in the end the revolution reaches consumers and creates value for them.

As a mother of two, and chief executive and board member of several companies, Paula probably has little free time to spare.

Yet our CEO is convinced that having a say in the future of education will be energising, humbling and inspiring all at once. She will sit alongside expert figures, including:

• Pascal Crittin, director of radio and television at SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen;
• Emilie Dellecker, director of HackGroup;
• François Dubois, director of Pro Senectute Arc Jurassien;
• Annina Grob, co-secretary of AVENIR SOCIAL;
• Elisabeth Gutjahr, rector of the Mozarteum University Salzburg;
• Olivier Haegeli, managing director of Willemin-Macodel and vice-president of the CCI du Jura;
• Pierre-Henri Jaccaud, director of Skopia Art Contemporain, Geneva;
• Christian Leumann, interim CEO of Inselspital, Bern;
• Raphaëlle Luisier, group leader at the Idiap Research Institute;
• Brigitte Rorive, president of the Hôpital Riviera-Chablais;
• Patrick Rosset, senior director of operations strategy at Medtronic.