Graduation · Switzerland
From Geneva to Lichtensteig — the living classroom of Switzerland
Five days inside one of Europe's most studied small-city transformations. You will walk the streets of Lichtensteig with the mayor and the civic leaders who lived this work — learning on the ground from a legendary case of what is possible when a city aligns with life.
Switzerland is more than a destination — it is proof. Across five days and multiple cities, you will encounter governance not as theory but as lived reality: in the institutions, streets, and people that shaped one of the world's most civic-minded countries.
This in-person immersion is an optional add-on. It is not included in the £6,000 City Leaders Program fee. The on-the-ground cost starts from £1,500 per participant; flights and additional accommodation are arranged separately.
A multi-city journey through some of Switzerland's most significant places:
Connect with your cohort and engage in meaningful conversations about governance, urban life, and leadership across cultural contexts.
Experience Swiss governance not as theory but as practice — through site visits, civic dialogues, and encounters with the people shaping these communities.
Space is built into the journey for walking, writing, and integrating everything you encounter before your graduation.
Your program concludes with a graduation ceremony and Circle of Celebration in the remarkable town of Lichtensteig — a small Swiss municipality that has become internationally recognised for its bold approach to community renewal.
"We want to bring people together, moderate and motivate. In the end, it's about self-realisation."
Matthias Müller — City President, Lichtensteig
"Switzerland has 4 languages, many cultures... They make Bern great, again and again, every single day."
Alec von Graffenried — Mayor of Bern, 2017–2024
On-the-ground cost: Approximately £1,500 (accommodation, Swiss travel, meals, site visits)
Excludes: International travel to/from Switzerland
Full tuition note: The £6,000 program fee includes immersive costs — no additional on-ground cost for full-tuition participants
Capacity: 50 spaces, first-come-first-served
Booking deadline: 60 days before event start
Questions about the Swiss graduation journey? Contact contact@globalmayors.academy