Expand Frontiers of Thought, Explore Alternative Perspectives, New Ideas and Solutions
Contemporary challenges and their interwoven complexity call for new ideas and new solutions. In times of radical uncertainty, like those we are living, critical thinking and the exploration of alternative perspectives have never been as necessary. The Institute has a long tradition of interdisciplinarity and open thinking. Still, we need to go further.
The nature of contemporary challenges implies that future leaders and decision makers will need to have an informed understanding of the technological turn. At the same time, the words of Rabelais ring more true than ever – ”Knowledge without conscience is but ruin of the soul”. While social sciences are an important instrument of critical thinking, they need to be complemented by philosophy, literature and the arts.
Moreover, as the world undergoes profound geopolitical changes and moves to become multipolar, the future of multilateralism is uncertain. In this context, the Institute must encourage a wide range of perspectives, rich and open interactions, and foster dynamics of mutual learning between different parts of the world.
The common mechanism we propose in order to expand our tradition of interdisciplinarity and open thinking is the Faculty Annual Chairs. This mechanism is flexible and can be used to bring into the Institute new disciplines, new topics, new regional foci.
Here are three themes that are clear priorities for the Institute.
Help us launch an Annual Faculty Chair to expand frontiers of thought! Please select which Faculty Chair you would like to donate to:
Chair holders will change every year – and the selection will follow a general thematic orientation common to the Institute for a particular year. This thematic framing will facilitate and foster interactions between Annual Chair Holders as well as integration in the intellectual life of the Institute.
Each Chair will call for CHF 300’000 per year.