A captain for the EPFL Valais Wallis academic cluster

EPFL has appointed a captain at the helm of the new EPFL Valais Wallis cluster. Marc-André Berclaz will be this ambitious project’s COO from 1 July onwards. He will be responsible for the establishment and organization of Sion’s campus, for managing its transformation and construction phase, and for coordinating with the deans of the EPFL Schools involved. Finally, he will be an interface among EPFL, the political authorities in Valais and the training and research stakeholders. Details of the transition phase are discussed together with HES-SO’s steering Committee.

Currently, Mr. Berclaz is the President of the Executive Committee of the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO), based in Delémont. Born in 1955, he originates form Mollens (VS) and Randogne. He holds a degree in Economics from the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne (HEC Lausanne). He led the Senior College for Computer Science in Sierre before becoming councilor of the same city. From 2000 to 2003, he was the director of the University of Applied Sciences (HEVs that later became the HES -SO Valais Wallis) in Valais, Sion and Sierre. He founded TI-Informatique, an important software editor, and the Techno-Pôle hub, dedicated to host hi-tech activities in Sierre. He is also President of the Conference of the Swiss Universities Rectors and vice-president of Swissuniversities, an umbrella organization that groups Switzerland’s heads of Colleges, Universities of Applied Sciences and Universities of Teacher Education.

"His thorough knowledge of the canton of Valais and the Swiss academic and political environment, as well as the remarkable work he has done over the past ten years as head of the HES-SO, make Marc-André Berclaz the perfect candidate for the operational management of the EPFL Valais Wallis cluster," said Philippe Gillet, EPFL Vice President for Academic Affairs. On the other hand, the academic leadership of the project, that is the organization of the training and research contents within the cluster, will remain EPFL’s responsibility.

As for Marc-André Berclaz, he is very enthusiastic about tackling this new challenge. "This is a project of great importance for Valais and EPFL, which will evolve throughout the years, he says. It is not only about constructing buildings in the heart of the city of Sion, but also and especially about organizing the life and activities that will develop around them, in harmony with the local economics and politics. It will bring two very distinctive universities together in one campus, and it shall be vital to preserve their identities since their interaction provides continuity between basic research and applied sciences.

An agreement signed between the State of Valais and EPFL on 19 December 2012 endorsed the creation of a new campus in the city of Sion, within the framework of the EPFL Valais Wallis cluster. From 2014 onwards, this campus will gradually be hosting up to 11 research chairs on energy and health as well as the HES-SO’s School of Engineering. The project also entails the construction of an energy testing infrastructure open to all Federal Institutes of Technology’s researchers. Last but not least, it includes the construction of an Innovation Square to promote technology transfer towards industry.