Leading Swiss Technology University and Yunus Centre to Collaborate
13 Dec, 2017  
Fig: Leading Swiss Technology University and Yunus Centre to Collaborate

Yunus Centre Press Release (13 December, 2017)

Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus gave a public lecture in a packed hall at the prestigious Swiss University École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Professor Yunus was at the university for formal launching of the Yunus Social Business Centre (YSBC) at the university.

EPFL is a university in Lausanne, Switzerland, that specializes in natural sciences and engineering funded by federal government. It is widely regarded as a world leading university.

Four hundred participants including President of the university, faculty members and students defied cold rainy weather and attended the lecture inside the packed auditorium. More were waiting outside and trying to get in to hear the lecture of Professor Yunus. About 100 copies of Professor Yunus's book ‘A World of Three Zeroes’ were given as prizes to students.

In his speech Professor Yunus emphasized that all technology must define their social mission before they are designed. The idea of technology for technology's sake or solely for the sake of making money should be changed into a purpose driven one. It would need a system of social scrutiny. Social gatekeepers must keep a watchful eye on them and time bound permission to apply them to justify their positive social impact. Governments must formulate social guidelines for designers of technology. It should not be allowed as a "free for all" zone.

Professor Martin Vetterli, President of the university had a meeting with Professor Yunus to discuss the potential of collaboration between the university and Yunus Center. They decided to collaborate on all technology applications. Yunus Centre will undertake field trials of all technologies developed by EPFL through social business applications. The university agreed to make the PhD students of EPFL to be encouraged to apply their technology to solve concrete social problems.

The President invited Professor Yunus to be the guest of honour for their event on sports and athletics next year.

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