SUPSI, a professional university to design the future of Ticino

What have been the main milestones in the history of SUPSI over the course of these 25 years and what impact has it had on the economic and social development of Ticino?

«SUPSI was born in 1997, integrating pre-existing specialization schools and public and private research institutes. From the outset it qualified as a professional university capable of combining training and research, which was then joined by activity in the vast field of continuing education. Over the years the activities have developed with the birth of new training courses, research institutes and centers of expertise: just think, to name just a few of the most recent, the new Bachelors in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and in Leisure Management, the Institutes of Design or Microbiology, the Center for Climate Change and the Territory or, again, the Institute of Digital Technologies for Personalized Health Care. Without forgetting the role of the affiliated schools, the Accademia Teatro Dimitri and the University School of Music of the Conservatory of Italian-speaking Switzerland, realities that have allowed SUPSI to open up to the world of the arts. Among the important stages of this long journey, it is important to remember the demanding process that led us to the confirmation of institutional accreditation in 2021. A real quality check work from which excellent evaluations emerged regarding our structures, courses, to the services, laboratories and teachings offered. Finally, I would like to mention the opening of the new Campuses of Mendrisio and Viganello which today allow SUPSI to have functional buildings specifically designed and built to carry out training and research activities».

You have decided to combine the opening of the 25th anniversary celebrations with the presentation of a First Sustainability Report. What are the reasons for this choice?

«I don't think I'm far from the truth if I say that in the history of SUPSI there is a quarter of a century of respect for the environment. Now the publication of this Report offers an overview of the initiatives and good practices in favor of the various dimensions of sustainability promoted by the university, presenting a selection of concrete projects in basic and continuous training, in research and in the services carried out at within the Departments and affiliated Schools, at the same time promoting the diffusion of a new awareness of the need for a transition towards a more sustainable, attentive and aware society of planetary limits. The intent is that the good practices described within it can serve as inspiration to promote more responsible lifestyles. The publication is the result of the skills and experiences of the members of the internal interdisciplinary group on sustainability, assisted by the precious support provided by the services, departments and affiliated schools through a careful consultation process".

In a nutshell, what are the aims that SUPSI pursues?

«The profile of SUPSI is that of a university of applied sciences that stands out for its ability to weave collaborative networks and to ensure professional training, applied research and services, in different ways, declined with respect to the specific needs of each discipline and professional context . This means training mainly local people with professional profiles, highly qualified and immediately operational, capable of moving with competence and flexibility in regional, national and international contexts. At the same time, with research we offer innovative and rapidly applicable solutions, capable of improving both the competitiveness of businesses, organizations and local institutions, and the quality of life of people».

What are the specific objectives of SUPSI regarding its mandates?

«For basic training, our attention will be focused on further improving the quality of the offer, implementing measures identified in the context of the evaluation procedures to which all bachelor's and master's degree courses have undergone. We will also develop flexibility and individualization of study paths, taking into due consideration the aspects related to digitalisation. With respect to continuous training, we guarantee a broad and in-depth proposal of advanced, consolidated and successful study programs that are constantly updated according to the rapid changes caused by the acceleration in the world of work, by the reorganization of its models and by digitalisation. Applied research and the provision of services carried out in a university of applied sciences have the objective of pursuing close contact with a principal from the economy, services or the arts, achieving results that can be used by citizens. These activities are also essential to guarantee constant innovation in training, thanks to the development of skills, collaboration networks and updating of infrastructures and laboratories».

One of the most substantial investments made by SUPSI in recent years concerns the construction of new campuses. With what budget?

«I have to start by saying that the construction of a large building project always involves various bureaucratic and regulatory difficulties, even in Switzerland. Added to this is the fact that the long times of a construction (in our case about 15 years from the original idea to the completion of the works) are often overcome by the growth rates and by the client's emerging needs. In any case, the completion of the Mendrisio and Viganello campuses took place on schedule, also thanks to the full collaboration of the local administrations, and the new structures already today represent an element of dynamism and growth for those territories. As far as the Lugano-station project is concerned, the situation immediately appeared more complex, due to the physical conformation of the chosen site but also due to the presence of different responsibilities and competences, with the consequence of a delay in starting the works which I hope will be definitively overcome at the beginning of next year. From the moment the project is unblocked, we must therefore foresee about a year for the finalization of the definitive executive plan, the elaboration of which also has a significant impact on funding. Subsequently, another 2-3 years will probably be necessary for the realization of all the planned works».

What are the main requests and expectations that come to SUPSI from companies and the world of work?

«The transformations taking place in the economy profoundly modify professional profiles, requiring new ones and making others obsolete. Training must therefore adapt to these changes, introducing new methods and tools that allow adequate preparation to respond to the new demands and flexibility needs of tomorrow's labor market. A particular challenge in this transformation linked to digital skills concerns basic training, as well as continuous and internal training. This attention to the new skills, technical and otherwise, which are required by companies, also poses a problem of strategies to be implemented to keep young talents in our area, avoiding a dispersion towards other research and training centers in Switzerland or even abroad".

How and to what extent has the recent pandemic contributed to transforming SUPSI's work, research and teaching?

«I would say that it acted as a powerful accelerator of processes that were already underway but which in recent months have had an otherwise unthinkable diffusion. Smart working and remote teaching have revealed all their extraordinary potential and brought about great advantages for a population of students which is also made up of workers and commuters. At the same time we have understood its limits, above all from the point of view of sociality which, let us not forget, represents an important element of training. In any case, this period has put the whole structure and organization of the SUPSI faced with the need to compete with information technologies that were previously only partially used, rethinking the way of working, teaching, conducting workshops: new experiences around which a reflection is underway that will certainly bear fruit».

Ultimately, you have an exemplary career in banking and academia. What advice would you like to give to a young person who is about to embark on their own professional career?

«I believe that the first element to take into consideration is the need to acquire adequate basic training. Secondly, a warm invitation to acquire important language skills. It is not enough to "speak a little English", you need to have an excellent command of this language and furthermore, at least for us Ticino citizens, it is advisable to know the other national languages, French and German. The third piece of advice may seem trivial, but it is instead fundamental, and that is to dedicate a lot of time and, above all, a lot of effort to your work. Lastly, being able to have a balanced life where the centrality of work does not exclude other important areas such as family, free time, one's interests and passions».