12 Nov 2024
Pascal Wild gave an interview to Interface, the magazine of the Fédération Patronale et Économique. This is a professionnal translated version of the interview.
Pascal Wild is the new Director of the School of Management Fribourg (HEG-FR), effective July 1, 2024. He explains to Interface how the school is rooted in the realities of the field, as well as the many ways in which companies can collaborate with the institution.
The HEG-FR cultivates close relationships with regional companies. How would they benefit from working with your school?
First of all, there's the human side. Three-quarters of our students are employed, and this rate is one of the highest in Switzerland. Just this year, over 150 students completed a Bachelor's thesis in collaboration with a company. One of our objectives is to train employees for local companies, providing them with the necessary knowledge through an interdisciplinary curriculum. Then, there's the mandates and research aspect. A company might approach us with a specific need, which we will work on as part of a mandate, or, in the case of closer collaboration, as part of a research project.
How do you go about collaborating on a research project, for example?
Companies come to us with a wide range of requirements, and we are increasingly working on interdisciplinary projects. However, we are not a consulting firm. Our role is to conduct in-depth research based on reliable data, and we go as far as formulating recommendations. One of our major projects, for example, is the Housing Observatory. We work in close collaboration with the canton's real estate agencies to collect and process as much data on housing as possible.
What are some of the current challenges facing HEG-FR?
Over the last 5 years or so, we've had fewer students, particularly from the German-speaking part of Switzerland. This year, for example, we were unable to open a German-speaking class. While French-speaking students are interested in bilingual studies, Swiss-Germans tend to study in Bern or Zurich. The linguistic mix in our classes is important for our students, especially in a bilingual canton. We are aware of the interest of students from the French-speaking part of Switzerland in exchanging with German-speaking students. It is therefore vital for us to make our offering better known in the German-speaking market, and to help promote bilingualism.
How do you adapt your programs to include new technologies, such as artificial intelligence?
It's a major subject, and one that our teachers need to be up to speed on, but I'm not afraid of it. New technologies change the dynamic, of course, but that doesn't have to have negative consequences. As with all tools, it's essential to learn the basics and keep a careful eye on them. At the moment, a number of teachers are taking training courses on how to integrate AI into some of our courses. The idea is to integrate it, but with strict rules. Students need to understand that knowledge cannot be outsourced. AI is a new tool, like the calculator was at one time, but basic knowledge will always be essential. We're here to stimulate their cognitive flexibility and encourage their appetite for knowledge.
What do you expect from the companies?
They should not hesitate to send their part-time employees or trainees to us for training. We also offer courses for company managers who wish to train with us. Companies can also make themselves known to our students by speaking on a particular subject during a course, or by commissioning us for various types of project. We're really interested in small and medium-sized businesses in all sectors, and we'd like to offer them the opportunity to be more visible to our students.
HEG-FR is renowned for its high-quality dual training. What’s the secret?
Our professors are practitioners who work directly in the field, either in companies or in one of our four research institutes. This enables HEG-FR to keep up with the needs and current issues of the business world, which can give way to interesting collaborations.
HEG-FR has just been awarded the “Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business” accreditation. What does this certification mean for your school?
This new certification gives us more opportunities for international exchanges. It opens doors to other institutions abroad. A HEG-FR student, for example, will now have many more possibilities to spend a semester abroad or continue their studies there. What's more, it's an opportunity for our school to attract certain speakers from abroad who are at the cutting edge of their field.
Read the original interview in French on the FPE website