Connecting in Berne: you need not wonder long--nor wander far--to discover why Berne is such an attractive place to live and do business.

Expats who have been living or working in Berne can attest to the extraordinary progress that has been made in recent years in the creation of an environment that fosters both business and social networking.

Strong cluster organisations made up of resident companies, research and education institutions, clubs, organisations and the public sector have joined forces to help one another create a balanced and supportive lifestyle.

In our sidebar we hear the candid observations of one expatriate--American senior executive Val Romberg--whose family has met the challenge of language and cultural differences while enjoying their Swiss neighbours in Berne:

"The people are friendly and easy to get along with. They are very quick to accommodate our lack of knowledge of the local language(s)," he says. For more on the expat experience, see page 40.

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Well-connected

Among the web-based resources for Berne's English-speaking expat community is www.living-in-berne.Ch. This popular umbrella portal provides news and information on the basics needed for easy assimilation into the local community. There is a guide for shopping, dining and regular features on interesting topics for the tens of thousands of expats who call Berne home, as well as those who may be planning to move to the area.

The site is a public-private venture based on three pillars--information, service and communication--which contributes to the overall high quality of life for the expat community. You will find links to clubs and organisations such as the International Club of Berne, Toastmasters, American Women's Club, Upstage Theatre Group, sports clubs and many more.

The monthly, English-language magazine Hello Bern is another important communication vehicle written by expats for the expat community. It contains practical articles on diverse subjects such as history, culture, shopping, day trips and legal matters. You will also find an event calendar, listings of area clubs and places to worship, as well as a classified section for personal ads of all types.

The magazine is the brainchild of Network Relocation Ltd. one of the Switzerland's leading relocation companies. You can request a free subscription at www.hello-magazines.ch.

Other ways to remain up-to-date on what matters to expats in Berne include the website http://berne.carrick.ch, which also lists events and other topics. To receive regular announcements of interest to the local community, request a free subscription to the email group, swisscc @yahoogroups.com.

Connecting with education

Berne is fortunate to be blessed with unique educational institutes. Expat families are assured of finding the right school for their children and companies have an abundant pool of educated students who are eager to work.

The British School in Gumligen offers classes for kindergarten through grade six while the International School of Berne offers all three IB programmes Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma--and provides an international education in English for over 280 students from 40 countries. The canton of Berne also has schools that use French as their main language of instruction.

Thanks to the Berne University of Applied Sciences, the University of Berne and many private institutes, it is a simple task to find locally based employees with the necessary qualifications to guarantee the success of research, development and business projects.

The magazine Times Higher Education (THE) continually ranks the University of Berne among the top 200 universities in the world for its emphasis on research.

Professional connections

A solid business network is another reason Berne has become increasingly popular not just for small- and mid-sized businesses but also for multinationals such as Swatch Group, CSL Behring, eBay and PepsiCo, who have all chosen to base their European or global headquarters and competence centres in the canton.

Companies benefit from the know-how accumulated in key sectors such as the precision industry, ICT information and communication technology, medical technology, services, environmental and energy technology and design. They make use of both the abundant supply of highly qualified staff and the advanced technology established in Canton Berne.

Manufacturers, suppliers, companies, schools, industry associations, research centres and other players form networks or clusters, which create both competitiveness and fruitful cooperation.

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Newly formed this year are the Expat Club and Expat Table under the auspices of the Berne Economic Development Agency (BEDA). These platforms aim to foster closer social and business contacts among expats, local business and NGO leaders.

The Expat Table brings together top managers and opinion leaders from all around the canton for lunch and discussions. Occasionally, special events will also be planned.

The International Business Cocktail, hosted annually by BEDA, celebrates the canton's foreign business community. The evening offers an excellent opportunity to meet with representatives from dozens of international companies, embassies, international schools and institutes as well as Swiss federal and cantonal offices. This year it will be held in the Berne Historical Museum on November 3, at 18:00.

"Being involved in networks is very useful, everything you give is returned ten-fold. Everyone has skills they can pass on. We are all part of a community ... you are not alone."

--Graham Tritt, local networker and IT specialist

"From my point of view the challenge of being an 'outsider' is a competitive advantage. You see and think differently about a business need, a problem, a niche, and have good chances to come up with an 'out-of-the-box' approach and be original, unique, competitive. I think of it as an opportunity that enables integration."

--Gabriela MuIler Mendoza Personal Coach & Communications Trainer

Berne Economic Development Agency

The Berne Economic Development Agency (BEDA) is your official partner for relocations in Canton Berne. It conveys useful business information to potential investors, offers active support on establishing a company and assists with setting up your project.

Munsterplatz 3, CH-3011 Berne

Telephone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

www.berneinvest.com