Sustainability and Leadership, Switzerland

Sustainability and Leadership is our popular vacation travel opportunity delivered in partnership with Lancaster University Global Experiences. Participants on the programme spend an intensive week learning and collaborating in the spectacular setting of the University of Lausanne and the Cantons Vaud and Valais (regions) of Switzerland. The programme includes travel to and from the UK by rail.

The information meeting for this years’ trip took place on 22^nd February. Follow this link to view the slides from the information meeting and find out more details about the workshops, itinerary and more: Sustainability and Leadership, Switzerland - Information Session February 2024.

Apply to take part in the 2024 programme

Applications for the programme are now open via the button below. Please note, you will need to create an account for the application system using your Lancaster University email address in the correct format. (Check your LU email address). The closing date and time for applications is 09:00 on Monday 18^th March 2024.

Apply to take part in Sustainability and Leadership

See below a sample itinerary of the 2024 trip.

Day 1: Travel from Lancaster to Lausanne by train via London and Paris.

Day 2: Leisure day for group to undertake individual or group excursions and activities around Lausanne and region. Explore museums, lakes, mountains and festivals from Geneva to Bern and everything in between.

Day 3: Group workshops day 1 at University of Lausanne (UNIL), campus tour, meet the University’s international and sustainability teams. Historical and Cultural tour of Lausanne city centre.

Day 4: Group workshops day 2 at UNIL. Afternoon excursion to Lavaux vineyards UNESCO World Heritage site, a remarkable heavily engineered and terraced south-facing hillside above Lake Geneva.

Day 5: Group workshops day 3 at UNIL. Afternoon excursion to Les Pléiades alpine meadow to explore alpine ecology, pastoral heritage and recreation.

Day 6 & 7: 2-day / overnight mountain hiking excursion. Subject to weather and conditions, we head into the high Alps of the Canton Valais. Nestled at the eastern (Swiss) end of the Mont Blanc massif, we climb seamlessly by train, bus and chairlift to the picture-postcard alpine village of Champex-Lac. Our hike begins at 2,200 m and we ascend via a mountain path to the Cabane d’Orny at 2,825 m for an overnight stay. The hut is surrounded by glaciated terrain and high alpine scenery. On day 2 we descend to Champex for leisure time and finally Lausanne for a final group meal (and to catch up on sleep before the journey home).

Day 8: return travel from Lausanne to Lancaster via Paris and London.