FHNW launches executive education programme “Growth Market India”
The University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW is expanding its activities with India and is now offering the Executive Leadership Programme for Swiss SMEs “Explore & Discover Business Opportunities with Trade Partner INDIA” starting in August.
The course, which is based at the FHNW School of Business, enables participants to gain a first concrete impression of the Indian market and to network with stakeholders in Switzerland and India who have already gained experience in business relations between the two countries. In addition to webinars and on-site events in Switzerland, a nine-day study trip to India will give participants the opportunity to gain an in-depth impression of the opportunities and potential of the Indian market on site in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
“Thanks to the new trade agreement, India offers enormous business opportunities for Swiss SMEs!” says Prof. Pieter Perrett from the Institute for Competitiveness and Communication ICC and continues: ”The agreement provides for import duties on Swiss products and services to be significantly reduced or abolished in 95% of cases over the next few years. This will also make 'made in Switzerland' much more competitive in terms of price.”
“India is set to be a $100 billion opportunity for Swiss businesses thanks to the signed Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement TEPA,” says Marco Casanova, Co-head of the programme adding: “India is the most populous country, has a stable democracy, a steadily growing middle class and 50% of the population is under 25 years old. Above all, Switzerland enjoys an excellent reputation in India”.
The continuing education programme combines expertise from the fields of business, culture, society and politics. At the FHNW's ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of its India activities, National Councilor Nik Gugger (President of the Swiss-India Parliamentary Group) emphasized the importance of such initiatives; “I congratulate the FHNW as an academic ‘first mover’ for taking the trade agreement between Switzerland and India as an opportunity to give SMEs in Switzerland the opportunity to deal with the booming billion-dollar market of India in a concrete and conscientious manner!”
The programme developed in close cooperation with the Swiss-Indian Chamber of Commerce SICC also comes at the right time for its President Philippe Reich; “The trade agreement TEPA signed in March 2024 will most likely be ratified in parliament this summer and then India will become an absolute game changer for the Swiss economy! We at SICC are very pleased that such a programme is being offered to interested Swiss SMEs on the initiative of the FHNW and are happy to support it with full conviction.” Participants will leave the programme with a tailored roadmap to enter or expand in the Indian market, equipped with practical insights and key business connections.
State Secretary and Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) Helene Budliger Artieda emphasizes the importance of such coordinated initiatives: “As a state, we can create the framework conditions through agreements with other countries. It is then up to the local economy to fill these with life. Science can also make a significant contribution to representing Swiss interests.” This continuing education program was developed by the FHNW in close co-operation with the business community. It documents precisely Switzerland's strength by bringing together various stakeholders to provide important impulses for Switzerland as a business location, which serve to enable our prosperity through promising partnerships in growth areas.
The training programme will start on August28, 2025 with a two-hour webinar (online), followed by an on-site event on September 11, 2025 at the FHNW in Olten. The study trip to India is planned from October 5 to 13, 2025.
