The French-speaking Swiss are open to the outside world, but that does not make them unrealistic dreamers. According to 84% of those surveyed, pupils finish their compulsory schooling with a poor knowledge of English. In other words, before jumping onto planes to seize job opportunities worldwide, they need to get much better at English. Being candid about what learning a foreign language involves, the French-speaking Swiss want it to be taught from a young age, and at a sustained pace. 88% of them are in favour of bilingual French-English schooling. Finally, when it comes to the magic ingredient for success, 62% of respondents think the capacity to innovate is the key to success in working life.
These results are from a survey carried out in the Interne between 17 and 24 February 2016 by the M.I.S. Trend economic and social research institute, which interviewed 512 people aged 18 and over in French-speaking Switzerland (statistical margin of error: 4.4%). For Wendy Ellis, Principal at La Côte International School, "learning a new language also means opening up to a new culture and a new way of seeing the world. The French language is both an art that nourish your soul and an excellent investment for anyone's professional future, whether in Switzerland or abroad. "