Dear Cornell Club of Switzerland,
I am writing on behalf of the NEXT Programme at the University of St. Gallen and its Executive School of Management, Technology and Law (USG). USG has long recognised that education can and should benefit people at various stages of their lives and careers, and has developed programmes accordingly. These include USG’s “Women Back to Business” programme which has grown successfully over the past 15 years, and the USG-supported Life Design Lab which aims to harness the power of design thinking, positive psychology, and behavioural economics to help people bring more fulfilment and meaning to their lives. As an age-friendly university, USG is building a growing portfolio of “education for life” programmes to address the various educational needs and interests of people at different stages of their lives.
Today many universities and other institutions offer undergraduate and graduate education, executive and continuing (adult) education programs, as well as career and outplacement support. All of these are valuable and important. However, USG believes there is a large (and growing) cohort of midlife individuals who, at pivotal points in their lives, are looking for something more: an intensive, later-in-life educational experience that would provide guidance on ways to navigate key midlife transitions. USG is working to address this unmet need by developing a new programme, a first of its kind in Europe, that will provide research-backed insights and guidance to accomplished professionals on how to:
1. Redefine a meaningful sense of purpose and related activities;
2. Build new communities with peers, professors, students, and others; and
3. Reassess approaches to health, wealth, and wellbeing.
In this regard, we are building on insights from midlife transition programmes that have been successfully launched at Harvard, Stanford, Notre Dame and other select leading institutions.
We have developed a new programme that is tailored to USG’s strengths and the needs of the community we serve. USG is excited to announce the launch of its NEXT Programme, kicking off with a three-day NEXT Summit on 26-28 June 2023 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The NEXT Programme will offer accomplished professionals a unique forum for Networking, Education, eXploration, and Transition (NEXT). Specifically, it will provide a unique later-in-life educational experience and practical guidance on ways to navigate key life and career transitions, interact with new communities, and define a meaningful path forward.
We are keen to ensure participation by accomplished professionals from across Switzerland, other parts of Europe, and around the world. We would be keen to communicate this program to members of the Cornell Club of Switzerland, and would appreciate your advice on what are the best ways we can do so.
Many thanks and best regards,
Herb Riband
Principal and Founder, InnAxx Consulting
Lutry, Switzerland
https://www.innaxxconsulting.com
Email: hfriband@gmail.com