Digital dialogue: six podcast episodes on the digital transformation in Switzerland

Digital technology is shaping our lives, having an impact on how we work, communicate and make decisions. How is the digital transformation changing our labour market, democracy and schools? The podcast ‘Dialog Digital – Dialogue numérique’, which was produced as part of the National Research Programme NRP 77, explores these questions. Journalists Hannes Hug and Patricia Michaud sit down with decision-makers from the spheres of policymaking, education and the business community to discuss the findings from the 46 NRP 77 research projects and to shine a light on current topics such as artificial intelligence, the shifting media landscape and the future of political participation.

What do we need to learn today to equip ourselves for a different world tomorrow?

Andreas Klausing from Educa, the specialist agency for the digital educational landscape, talks to Hannes Hug about lifelong learning, digital skills and EdTech – and why we are digitalising education in the first place (in German).

How much screen time do schools need?

Sylvie Bonvin-Sansonnens, Cantonal Councillor and Director of Education for the Canton of Fribourg, explains the new cantonal digital education strategy to Patricia Michaud (in French).

How good is the digital transformation for workers?

Daniel Lampart, Chief Economist at the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions, explains to Hannes Hug how automation, new job profiles and lifelong learning fit into the broader context from a trade union perspective (in German).

Will AI become my new co-worker?

Jérôme Cosandey, Head of the Labour Directorate at SECO, talks to Patricia Michaud about new job profiles, digital skills and the gig economy (in French).

Can algorithms serve our democracy?

Angela Müller, Executive Director of AlgorithmWatch Switzerland, talks to Hannes Hug about the interaction between humans and machines, and the involvement of AI algorithms in democratic processes (in German).

How do you maintain the public’s trust?

Federal Chancellor Viktor Rossi explains to Hannes Hug how the Federal Chancellery is running e-voting and e-collecting – and what it takes to build trust in the digital age (in German).

All episodes are available free on podcast platforms, or on the newly created website featuring the results of NRP 77. As well as the podcasts, the new website also includes videos in which researchers provide a tangible insight into their projects and therefore into Switzerland’s digital transformation. A chatbot – trained on all the publications from NRP 77 – provides evidence-based answers to all your questions.