10 Years, Two MOUs, Two Continents: How Parul University Students Solve Real Swiss Industry Problems in Bern While Swiss Students Learn Indian Startup Culture at PIERC and Why BFH Faculty Said This Year’s Cohort Was on a Different Level.

Parul University has been associated with the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) from Switzerland from an academic point of view for a decade now. The first MOU was signed from 2016 to 2020, then it was renewed in 2021 till 2026. It began as a student exchange program, and now the collaboration has made the relations strong between the two universities.

Mr. Hutesh Baviskar, PIERC Incubation Manager at Parul University, describes the purpose:

“The reason we started this was exchange, real exchange. Their students learn how our ecosystem works. Our students see how innovation happens in Europe. Every year, both sides come back with something they could not have learned anywhere else.”

When Parul University students travel to Switzerland, they are placed into multicultural teams, two Indian students and two Swiss students per team, and handed a real problem statement from a Swiss industry or organisation. The teams have 15 to 20 days to move from problem identification through solution design, prototype development, and a final competitive pitch to an expert jury. Five teams competed in the 2026 program through presentations culminating in a full business pitch: problem statement, solution, market analysis, financial projections, and execution strategy.

“Every presentation built on the last. And the final one, you had to be real: problem statement, solution, market growth, financials, go-to-market. You could not fake it. It had to be genuine.”

The standout project from 2026 involved waste segregation: how different waste materials could be collected and transformed into commercially viable products. A student from Rajasthan applied traditional artisan patterns, the kind used to create sherwanis, to the waste material problem. The team developed a concept for sustainable footwear from reclaimed materials: shoe soles and biodegradable plates with design elements drawn from India’s craft heritage. The BFH Swiss students had a full academic year to take the concept into prototype development.

During the 2026 certification ceremony, BFH program trainers Jane and Martin spoke about the Parul University cohort:

“The students you have sent this year, they are on a different level. Your kids are very excited, very hard-working. Compared to what we have seen in previous years, something is different about this group.”

This is an academic assessment from Swiss faculty who have seen multiple cohorts from multiple countries over multiple years and chose to single out this group as qualitatively different.

200 students received information about the opportunity. 34 to 35 expressed real interest. Each was individually interviewed. 11 were selected. 1 faculty member (Mr. Hutesh Baviskar) accompanied them.

“Some told us they had a startup idea and wanted to see how it would work at a global level. Some said their family had a business and they wanted to learn how to take it forward. We selected those who had an entrepreneurial connect, those who were sharp, who had something to offer.”

The exchange operates in both directions. BFH students visit Parul University for the Young Entrepreneur Exchange Project (YEEP), a summer school focused on India’s startup ecosystem. They engage with PIERC (254 startups incubated, Rs 20 crore+ funding, Rs 40 crore+ revenue), interact with student founders, and develop practical understanding of how startups are born, nurtured, and scaled in the Indian and Gujarati context.

Switzerland brings structured innovation methodology and European market perspective. India brings startup velocity, resource-constrained innovation, and entrepreneurial ambition. Both systems have something the other lacks.

The program cost is Rs. 2.30 lacs per student for the 2026 year. This includes travel, accommodation, and academics for 15-20 days at the BFH in Bern University.

Students receive a BFH certification or academic credit mapping. For an international program that includes immersive coursework at a Swiss university, multicultural team experience, and prototype development for real industry challenges, this is significantly more affordable than most study abroad options.

The collaboration now includes a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program: a semester-long hybrid course titled Affordability in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Postgraduate students from both universities connect through virtual and on-campus sessions, shared learning cycles on Moodle, and a joint final project. This provides international collaborative experience to a larger number of students than the in-person program can accommodate.

The BFH partnership operates within a broader global infrastructure. 120+ foreign university partnerships across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. 800+ students in global programs. Rs 6.3 crore EU-funded capacity-building grant. Rs 2 crore+ in scholarships for global exposure. 100+ faculty were sponsored for outbound mobility. 6,000+ international students from 75+ countries on campus. Parul University is the first private university in India to establish a Centre of Excellence with 7 New Zealand universities under Inspire New Zealand. Program types: semester exchange, summer schools, pathway programs, visiting professor programs, International Week, and global internship programs. NAAC A++ (CGPA 3.55). QS World University Rankings 1001-1200 band (Asia 2026).