26.06.2024
Life of the Association

Conference of Mr. Frederic Borloz

On Wednesday March 13^th 2024, the HEC Lausanne Alumni Association held its annual conference following its general assembly. This year, it welcomed Mr. Frédéric Borloz, State Councilor and Head of the Department of Education and Professional Training (DEF) of the Canton of Vaud. We take a look at what he had to say about the challenges awaiting him during his term of office, in particular the introduction of the 4-year gymnasium and his vision of the various training options available in the canton.

HEC LAUSANNE: A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY EDUCATION

Mrs. Schmid Maast, Dean of HEC Lausanne, opened the conference with a reminder that the HEC Faculty has always been committed to offering diversified, high-quality education for all. During her term of office, she aims to develop exchange opportunities, both locally with Swiss universities and abroad, as well as partnerships with companies, to allow students to put into practice the knowledge acquired during their studies at HEC Lausanne. This approach aims to train students to provide innovative solutions to the complex challenges of today's professional world, helping them to become the pioneers of tomorrow.

She also put forth the Faculty's collaboration with the HEC Alumni, and in particular the mentoring program, which is a great success with students and highlights the values of sharing and mutual support within HEC Lausanne.

WHO IS FRÉDÉRIC BORLOZ?

Mr. Borloz was elected to the State Council in April 2022, and took over as head of his department in July of the same year. After obtaining his diploma of apprenticeship as a commercial employee (CFC d’employé de commerce), he worked in real estate and then in a fiduciary. He entered politics in 1996, when he was elected to the Communal Council of Aigle (VD). In 1998, he was elected to the Municipal Council and became Mayor in 2006. He will hold this post until 2021. In addition to this activity, he was a member of the Grand Council from 2002 to 2015 and President of the PLR Vaud from 2012 to 2018. He was elected to the National Council on October 18^th 2015.

Frédéric Borloz also has other commitments. He is a member of the Foundation Board of the World Cycling Center and Chairman of the Committee of the Swiss Winegrowers' Federation. He is also deeply involved in the transport sector and has been Chairman of Transports Public du Chablais since 2006.

THE GYMNASIUM IN 4 YEARS: THE MAJOR CHALLENGE OF M. BORLOZ'S TERM OF OFFICE

Mr. Borloz begins his speech by underlining the diversity of educational paths available in Switzerland, whether in public or private establishments, some of which are among the best in the world.

Economics is a central part of society, and the State Councilor thanked HEC Lausanne for bringing international recognition to education in the Canton of Vaud, thanks to its quality in this field. He takes as an example the mastery of numbers, an essential skill for understanding politics through the prism of economics. In this respect, he cites as an example the analysis of precariousness in Switzerland, which is very thorough, taking into account 34 criteria that provide a more accurate representation of citizens' needs than other countries that use fewer, vague criteria.

Right from the start of his mandate, Mr. Borloz had to analyze the Vaud education system in its entirety, with a particular focus on gymnasium education. At a time when 40% of students are repeating a year of high school, the question was not only how to better prepare them, but also whether they met the requirements for a university education. The decision to reform the gymnasium in the Canton of Vaud came from the federal level, with the compulsory introduction of a 4-year curriculum. The aim of this extra year is to consolidate young people's training and prepare them for the rest of their studies. The deadline for implementing this project is 2032.

Two variants are currently being considered. Either by simply extending the length of the gymnasium to 4 years, or by giving students with the best grades the possibility of completing only 10 years of compulsory schooling, and thus not extending the length of their studies. According to the politician, this change could also enhance the value of vocational training, as this is a path that is currently rarely considered, thus diversifying the future prospects of young people from Vaud.

Valentin Mermoud