Le Rosey says that it pursues a holistic approach to education, with academic performance and success also lying at the heart of what it does. Which three qualities do you consider essential in order for your students to succeed in life?
We have identified six essential attributes for our students to succeed in life. I would like to highlight three of them today: The first is to be adaptable and not afraid to be imperfect. This is an interesting nuance to the typical notion of resilience that implies accepting changes rather than embracing them. It also shows that we only find our imperfections when our goals are challenging enough. Second, we encourage students to be critical and reflective, using their core knowledge to filter the information they receive. Finally, we want students to uphold our motto “Actis Virtus”, i. e. our actions define who we want to be and who we are.
In the last edition of this magazine, we spoke to geopolitical strategist Parag Khanna about his research. He said that Gen Y and Gen Z are the first in history to share more values horizontally across geographies than vertically within their own cultures, with them uniting around the values of connectivity, mobility and sustainability. You educate young people from all over the world. Have you also observed this “horizontal alignment” of values? If so, does it make it easier to create a programme that is relevant for all students?
On the contrary, we strive to nurture diversity among our students, since their different qualities are enriching. While connected teenagers across the globe tend to consume similar videos and content online, which undoubtedly influence them, we aim to take them offline to foster deeper connections between them and with their cultures. A key component of this strategy is to ensure that Roseans remain connected to their language and culture by offering literatures studies in over 20 languages. It would be easier to focus on shared interests like connectivity and mobility but this would limit the opportunities for them to learn from each other.
Le Rosey students typically come from wealthy backgrounds. How important is financial education within your curriculum?
At Le Rosey, we want to prepare our students to succeed independently in a changing world. In this context, many of our students recognise that a basic knowledge of finance is useful, and the financial workshop run by EFG has therefore proved very popular. Roseans are also eager to understand the broader levers of the finance world, and our bilingual “Philosophy, Politics and Economy” class attracts a lot of interest. Entrepreneurship has gained significant importance in our curriculum beyond the realm of finance over the past few years. With a dedicated teacher guiding multiple groups of students, Roseans delve into the practical application of Actis Virtus. They learn how to transform brilliant ideas, scientific projects or impactful initiatives into tangible realities, while understanding the related challenges.
Le Rosey’s Honour Code for students says that dreams, promises and commitments are meaningless unless translated into action. If you were asked to define an honour code for future leaders in the world of business or beyond, what would it be?
“Actis Virtus”, the virtue of action, transcends the boundaries of our school. St. Francis de Sales famously said: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” While possessing the right knowledge and thoughts is commendable, their true value lies in having the courage to put them into practice. What is right may not always be universally accepted, which is why ethics and integrity must be diligently cultivated at school – and beyond – by offering fundamental principles, engaging in discussions and fostering mutual learning.
Le Rosey was established more than 140 years ago. How has it stayed true to its original values and ethos while remaining highly relevant in today’s world?
Le Rosey was founded by Paul Carnal, a teacher from Jura who fled the Bernese “Kulturkampf”. The imposition of a single culture. He wanted to establish a school that was open to the world. At first, Le Rosey had four students from four different countries and Carnal nurtured a passion for learning from diversity that has endured for 140 years. Thanks to increased mobility, the school has grown and now has students from over 70 countries. Roseans are rarely “third-culture kids” as they have genuine roots in their home countries, allowing them to share their culture authentically.
Both Paul Carnal and his son Henri were visionary leaders. Carnal acquired a large area of land. However, with 100 times more students, Henri had the unconventional idea to move the campus to Gstaad in the winter to make the school community more adaptable and to enjoy the mountains in the stunning Bernese Oberland during the colder months. A century later, we still pursue the school’s forward-looking vision by, for example, emphasising the importance of the arts and establishing a start-up and tech centre on campus. Additionally, we plan to create ultra-modern, flexible learning spaces in both Rolle and Gstaad.
This interview was published in the spring 2025 edition EFG’s InTalks magazine.
