EPFL takes part in Switzerland’s first-ever Digital Day

 Today, digitalswitzerland is holding the country’s first Digital Day with events in Zurich, Geneva, Lugano and Chur, as well as on EPFL’s campus. Over 40 supporting partners will be involved, along with Swiss President Doris Leuthard and Federal Councilors Johann Schneider-Ammann and Alain Berset.

What does digitization mean for Switzerland and the Swiss people? Today’s event, which is one of its kind in Europe, will attempt to answer that question. EPFL has teamed up with other Swiss universities – including the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and the University of Geneva – and more than 40 other companies and organizations in support of Digital Day, which aims to put digitization’s many impacts and repercussions into stark relief and remind the public how these technological advances are changing society, the economy and the way we live. People will also gain a better grasp of the digital revolution in its many forms through hands-on experience.

Digitization experts will engage with the public at the Zurich, Geneva, Chur and Lugano train stations. EPFL will participate through a number of demonstrations in Zurich and Geneva. Closer to home, EPFL’s Science Outreach Department will put together a series of on-campus activities for schoolchildren between the ages of 8 and 15. These include an introduction to visual programming with Thymio, programming an mBot robot and visits to the Bolo Museum and ArtLab.