Space Exchange Switzerland: a strategic opportunity for USI and students in Switzerland

Since 2022, the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) has participated in Space Exchange Switzerland (SXS) as a key partner for careers in the space sector. This collaboration has opened up new career opportunities for students and researchers, strengthened ties with Swiss institutions, and received significant recognition from the European Space Agency (ESA). The consortium has been confirmed to continue for an additional four-year term from 2025 to 2028.

USI is a partner in Space Exchange Switzerland (SXS), a consortium that includes EPFL, ETHZ, UZH and FHNW and operates under the mandate of the Swiss Space Office (SSO), part of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). This commitment has allowed the University to become a key reference for careers in the space sector, enhancing the professional development of students across Switzerland and strengthening strategic partnerships with leading institutions.

USI has actively promoted the careers of Swiss students and young professionals in the space sector through dedicated events, personalised consultancies and Movetia grants. Thanks to its career promotion activities, applications from Switzerland to the European Space Agency (ESA) in the first three years of its mandate at SXS grew by over 600%, with success stories such as those of two USI students Camillo Malnati (Master of Science in Software and Data Engineering) and Julia Stiz (Master in Communication, Management & Health).

The University has also fostered connections between young researchers and key players in the field, as demonstrated by the encounter between USI doctoral students and Claude Nicollier - Switzerland's first astronaut - in June 2022, as well as the Coffee Meeting with USI Professors - an opportunity for dialogue between professors, companies from Ticino and Space Exchange Switzerland - in 2023.

Promoting careers in space has also had a significant impact on Ticino. USI has given visibility to the space sector through appearances in the local media and has collaborated with Istituto ricerche solari Aldo e Cele Daccò (IRSOL), the Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence USI-SUPSI (IDSIA), the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) and L'ideatorio. The space sector has been introduced to USI students for four consecutive years through the presence of ESA at the Long Night of Careers.

USI's involvement in SXS has led to recognition by ESA as a case of excellence at the European level, becoming a model for other member states in attracting talent in the space sector.

The work conducted by the USI Career and Alumni Service within the Space Exchange Switzerland (SXS) program was recognised for its value and effectiveness. As a result, the Space Exchange Switzerland consortium has been reconfirmed for another four years, from 2025 to 2028. This extension includes funding of over CHF 1 million, provided by the Swiss Space Office (SSO) and Movetia, to support the management of space career activities.

This reconfirmation further strengthens the role of USI and its partners in fostering the development of highly specialised skills and consolidating the link between academia, research and the aerospace industry.