Rigorous implementation of the mass immigration initiative could weaken the innovative strength of the Swiss economy, warns Wipo.

Good cooperation between universities, the private sector and government agencies contributes to Switzerland's success: Library of the EPF Lausanne.

Switzerland continues to be considered the most innovative country in the world. In the "Global Innovation Index 2015" of the World Intellectual Property Organization (Wipo), which was published on Thursday, Switzerland ranked first, as in the previous year, followed by the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United States. Switzerland owes its top position to the sustained high level of investment in research and development and the good cooperation between universities, the private sector and government agencies. According to Wipo, the high status of the various universities of applied sciences, the practice-oriented vocational training and the fact that companies operating in the high-tech sector in Switzerland not only conduct research, but also produce, also contribute to strengthening the location.

In the report, Wipo is convinced that Switzerland has the potential to maintain its leading position in the coming years, but at the same time warns of the negative effects that a rigorous implementation of the mass immigration initiative could have. Thanks to their good reputation, Swiss universities have attracted many leading scientists from a wide range of countries in recent years, and the openness and dynamism of the business location have led to the establishment of major international companies. A change in these important parameters would therefore inevitably have an impact on the innovation climate that currently exists.

Source:https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/die-schweiz-bleibt-das-innovativste-land-1.18614881