Connect with Warsaw
Luca Laloli, the Science Counselor at the Embassy of Switzerland in Warsaw, explains his vision and role in connecting the dots in education, research, and innovation between Switzerland and Poland.
What is your vision as the Science Counselor in Poland joining the Swissnex network?
To build up on the important work done so far. Switzerland places great emphasis on international cooperation — especially with key partners like Poland. This close relationship is reflected in several impactful initiatives and joint efforts that continue to strengthen ties between the two countries. I can provide you one concrete example: in May 2025, Switzerland was the first-ever country partner of the largest innovation conference in CEE, and present with a centrally located Swiss House, the Dom Szwajcarski. The “Swiss Team” was composed of 11 leaders from science, business, and public administration sharing their visions of Swiss innovation and sustainability with an audience of around 6000 participants (among them Swissuniversities-President Luciana Vaccaro, ETH-President Joël Mesot, Professor Thomas Zurbuchen, S-GE CEO Simone Wyss-Fedele).
Impact provided an exceptional platform for our Swiss experts to engage in direct exchanges with Polish and international counterparts, fostering new connections between the innovation ecosystems of Switzerland and Poland. This project gained even more weight as it was during Impact that Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and Minister of Science and Higher Education Marcin Kulasek signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the areas of higher education, science, and innovation. The existing ties and strong mutual interest in cooperation are also exemplified through the variety of basic and applied research projects under the Research and Innovation Programme, which is part of the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. I am sure that joining forces with Swissnex will contribute to building further bridges to connect Switzerland and Poland.
Where do you envision the greatest potential for cooperation between Poland and Switzerland?
The bilateral cooperation in the field of research and innovation is very broad. For instance, if we look at the calls of the Research and Innovation Programme of the second Swiss Contribution, we have seen an overwhelming interest, particularly in the calls for applied research cooperation. Additionally, there are numerous instances of close cooperation in basic research between Polish and Swiss institutions at the bilateral and European level (such as the Paul Scherrer Institute and SOLARIS).
The 10th edition of the Polish-Swiss Innovation Day (PSID) in October 2025 – one of the Embassy’s flagship events in the domain of innovation – focused on the topic “Industry of the Future”. Each year, the PSID brings together Polish and Swiss stakeholders from government, academia, and business to exchange experiences and inspire new ideas. Considering Poland’s remarkable degree of digitalisation and know-how in AI technologies as well as Swiss initiatives, such as the first open large language model “Apertus”, there is great potential for further strengthened cooperation between industry and
academia. In fact, we hosted a panel discussion between the Academic Computer Centre (CYFRONET AGH) and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS); their common research interests and developing cooperation exemplifies the potential in this field.
In November 2025, Switzerland hosted a high-level delegation of Polish representatives from three different ministries, R&I institutions, and civil society participated for a study trip to explore the Swiss R&I ecosystem. The participants visited crucial Swiss stakeholders in the cantons of Bern, Zurich, Vaud, Geneva and Aargau. In particular after the exchanges in Geneva with representatives of the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) and CERN, I see great potential for further joint initiatives. We also observe many talented Polish students and researchers in the Swiss R&I ecosystem. Their important contributions not only show the close ties, but also the potential to sustain the development of new initiatives.
How can Polish-Swiss collaboration contribute to the network’s overall goal of #ConnectingTomorrow?
As I started my professional career in the public administration as an apprentice in a small village in Ticino, I have experienced first-hand the great potential of the Swiss vocational and educational training (VET). Here in Poland, particularly with the large interest we have seen for VET education as a topic under the Swiss Contribution’s Development of Towns Programme, I also see much potential for cooperation.
Lastly, how do you want your current and potential Swiss partners to be part of your journey?
One of the roles of the Embassy is to create platforms for people to meet and develop ideas and projects. We have flagship events in cooperation with partners such as the SwissCham and the regional Swiss Business Hub that take place every year: the Polish-Swiss Innovation Day and the Forum for Health Dialogue. The heterogenous team within the Embassy allows us to create many different synergies. We are therefore open to explore new initiatives that can contribute to further strengthening bilateral relations.
I believe that part of this Swissnex journey will be for Swiss partners to become even more curious about Poland. The seeds have been sown. Now, we have the opportunity to cultivate them by connecting with each other.
Connect with
Science Counselor at the Embassy of Switzerland in Warsaw
Embassy of Switzerland in Warsaw
Aleje Ujazdowskie 27
00-540 Warsaw
Poland