The Ecole d’Humanite, an international boarding school in the Swiss Alps, announces the launch of Learning in Action for the 2025/26 school year. The new educational concept enables students to learn well, grow, and succeed through experiential learning, hands-on exploration, and real-world application.
The Ecole d’Humanite has introduced Learning in Action, an educational concept rooted in the school’s core values of curiosity, courage, and creativity. The initiative brings the curriculum to life through experiential learning, hands-on exploration, experimentation, and practical application.
“Learning in Action reflects our belief that education should not only equip students with knowledge, but also with the mindset and skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” said Sarah Schnack, Academic Dean of the US High School Program at the Ecole d’Humanite. “By merging academic structure with discovery and creativity, we give students the tools to become confident, adaptable, and joyful learners.”
A Unique Approach to Learning
At the heart of Learning in Action is the principle of learning by doing. Students engage in projects, experiments, and explorations that connect theoretical learning with practice. This progressive approach to education in Switzerland ensures that, while mastering the required curriculum, learners also develop critical thinking, resilience, and a love of learning.
The Ecole offers both a US university-preparatory high school diploma with Advanced Placement courses and a Swiss Secondary and Matura program. In both tracks, students benefit from small classes, thematic teaching, and personalized guidance.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
What makes the Ecole an outstanding choice among Swiss boarding schools is its strong emphasis on holistic growth:
- Academic Excellence: Internationally recognized pathways through both the US high school diploma and the Swiss Matura.
- Co-Curricular Program: Arts, music, handcrafts, dance, theater, and sports are part of every student’s week. Students might be found composing music, blacksmithing, skiing, or filmmaking.
- Outdoor Program: From multi-day hikes in the Alps to skiing and snowboarding in winter, students connect deeply with nature while building perseverance and teamwork.
- Intensive Week: Each fall, the community devotes a full week to immersive projects such as composing music with professional artists, exploring Switzerland’s cave systems, or building mathematical sculptures.
- Service and Community Life: Every student participates in daily service groups, reinforcing responsibility, collaboration, and shared ownership of campus life.
Why Learning in Action Matters
As society and the workplace evolve, traditional education often lags behind. Learning in Action represents the Ecole’s response – preparing young learners not just to keep pace with change, but to lead it. The concept empowers students to see learning as a joyful, lifelong journey rather than a checklist of subjects.
Key Highlights of Learning in Action
- Hands-on and Experiential Learning: From labs to hikes, theory meets practice.
- Holistic Growth: Students cultivate creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills alongside academics.
- Values in Practice: Curiosity fuels exploration, courage drives experimentation, and community makes learning meaningful.
- Multiple Pathways: Whether in the US high school program or the Swiss Matura, students graduate ready to succeed at excellent universities worldwide.
- Learning Outcomes and Advancement: Students achieve an average pass rate of 95% on AP exams (global average about 70%) and an average Matura exam score of 5.04 out of 6.00. The graduating class of 2025 received an average of four university offers and USD 160,000 in merit scholarships per student.
“Children learn best when they can connect knowledge with real life,” said Andreas Kramer, Academic Dean of the Swiss Matura Program at the Ecole d’Humanite. “With Learning in Action, the Ecole d’Humanite is reimagining education as a dynamic process that prepares students for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.”
Discover More
Families, educators, and the wider community are invited to explore Learning in Action and see how the Ecole d’Humanite is shaping the future of progressive and holistic boarding school education in Switzerland.