The 28th Swiss Prize was celebrated at a special ceremony at the Embassy of Switzerland in Canberra last Thursday evening (29 October), bringing together students, academics and diplomatic representatives to recognise excellence in the study of Swiss languages and culture. 
 
A longstanding joint initiative between the Embassy of Switzerland and the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS), the Swiss Prize has been running since 1998 and celebrates the achievements of ANU students studying German, French and Italian. 
 
Hosted by His Excellency Nikolas Stürchler Gonzenbach, Ambassador of Switzerland to Australia, the evening featured an address by CASS Dean, Professor Bronwyn Parry, who highlighted the importance of the enduring partnership between ANU and Switzerland and the University's commitment to strengthening educational and research connections between the two countries. 
 
This year's competition invited students to explore the theme of Resilience, with contributions examining topics including linguistic resilience, innovation in the age of artificial intelligence, individual and institutional resilience, and responses to climate change. 
 
Congratulations to the 2026 prize recipients: 

 
German 

• Winner: Sam Doherty 
• Highly Commended: Luka Krajina 

 
French 

• Winner: Lucy Gibson 
• Special Mention: Molly Flanders 

 
Italian 

• Winner: Matilda Ross – La resilienza nell'era dell'IA 
• Highly Commended: Ayesha Chopra – La resilienza della lingua romancia 

 
The Swiss Prize provides an important opportunity to recognise the talent, creativity and dedication of students learning Swiss languages, while celebrating the cultural connections fostered through language education. 
 
Congratulations to all our winners and highly commended students, and sincere thanks to the Embassy of Switzerland for its continued partnership and support of this valued initiative.