The Villars Institute was established in 2022 as a nonprofit foundation to accelerate the transition to a net zero and nature positive economy and to restore the health of the planet. Located in the Swiss Alps, the Villars Institute is a platform for systemic change and a place for intergenerational collaboration. It is also a curator of artistic, cultural, and educational activities that promote biodiversity, planetary health, and sustainable development.

As one of the most resource-intensive sectors, the steel industry sits at the nexus of these boundaries from carbon emissions and freshwater use to air emissions and resource consumption. Notably, iron and steel production accounts for around 8% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making decarbonizing this sector a core focus in mitigating climate change. To align with global climate goals and achieve a net-zero energy system, the sector needs to reduce its emissions by at least 90% by 2050.

A Catalyst for Systems Change: Steel Standards Principles

For the award-winning ecological artist, Thijs Biersteker, art really can change the world. Biersteker collaborated with the Villars Institute on his new work, Memories of the Melted which was previewed at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

The Art of Science: How an Artist Is Helping to Save Glaciers

From pollen paper, to weather-predicting umbrellas, bringing together deep learning from nature and machines can augment human intelligence and show the possibility of systems thinking, and why it matters for our future.

How Deep Learning from Nature and Machines Matters for Our Future

Learning to Become a Systems Leader in a Complex World

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Achieving prosperity within planetary boundaries requires innovative approaches to systemic challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change, energy transition and food security.

These systemic challenges are interdisciplinary problems that require intergenerational solutions by engaging experts, educators, and entrepreneurs.

Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a nature-positive, net-zero economy by advancing Systems Leadership through interdisciplinary, intergenerational, and entrepreneurial collaboration.

Explore Knowledge Tools

Strategic Intelligence provides “Transformation Maps” developed by the World Economic Forum that deliver insights, analysis, and data on more than 250 topic areas.
EarthTime enables users to interact with visualizations of the Earth's transformation over time. It combines huge data sets with decades of images captured by NASA and European Space Agency satellites.
Global Issues Survey 2024 reveals that today's youth recognize the profound impact of global challenges on their future work and daily lives.
Villars Framework for a Sustainable Global Trade System – designed to revitalize the trade system to make it more sustainable, people-centered, effective, inclusive, transparent, and digital.

View Strategic Intelligence

View EarthTime

Download Global Issues Survey 2024 (PDF)

Download VILLARS FRAMEWORK FOR A SUSTAINABLE GLOBAL TRADE SYSTEM (PDF)

Villars Fellows

Solution-oriented young people aged between 13 to 19 years old nominated by Talent Partners to participate in the Villars Institute Fellowship program, a life-long learning program to empower young people to respond to global challenges through intergenerational collaboration and systems leadership.

Download Fellowship PDF

Villars Councils

Communities of practice working across disciplines and supported by Knowledge & Project Partners to accelerate systemic change, entrepreneurial solutions, and scientific innovation for the benefit of the planet and future generations. The Villars Institute is the secretariat of the Global Learning Council focusing on the effective use of technology to discuss and to facilitate systems-level solutions and pathways that enhance access to education and improve learning outcomes for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Global Learning Council Website

We believe events are essential for community building, creating knowledge, and catalyzing change. The Villars Symposium and Villars Summit are designed to foster intergenerational collaboration and to promote trans-disciplinary collaboration. The Villars Institute also organizes artistic, cultural, educational and wellness activities that encourage biodiversity, planetary health, and sustainable development with partners from across Switzerland and from around the world.

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Villars Summit

The aim of the Villars Institute Summit (“Villars Summit”) is to address the climate and biodiversity crises holistically through interdisciplinary cooperation to accelerate systemic change in key interlinked areas such as the energy transition, nature restoration, earth observation, agrifood production, and international trade.

19-21 March 2025

View the 2024 Program

DOWNLOAD 2024 SUMMIT REPORT (PDF)

DOWNLOAD 2023 SUMMIT OVERVIEW (PDF)

Villars Symposium

The aim of the Villars Symposium is to accelerate intergenerational collaboration and systems leadership by convening experts, educators, and entrepreneurs from our partners to work together with the Villars Fellows and solutions-oriented youth.

16-20 June 2025

View the 2024 Program

Download 2023 Symposium Overview (PDF)

Download 2022 Symposium Overview (PDF)

Global Learning Council Annual Meeting

The aim of the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Global Learning Council is to convene leaders and innovators to collaboratively address challenges in global education by discussing and advancing the nurturing and strengthening of access to content and quality learning experiences.

24-25 June 2024

2024 Annual Meeting of the Global Learning Council

Villars Music Academy

The aim of the Villars Music Academy is to introduce an interdisciplinary and intergenerational approach to help talented young musicians to reach their full global potential through masterclasses given by leading soloists, public performances with members of the Berliner Philharmoniker, and group coaching from experts in nutrition, fitness, and psychology.

11-18 August 2024

Visit Villars Music Academy Website

Villars Intensive Program on Ecopreneurship (VIP-e)

The Villars Intensive Program on Ecopreneurship (VIP-e), takes young aspiring sustainability and regenerative entrepreneurs (or “ecopreneurs”) on a journey from inspiration to acting on their entrepreneurial ambitions. This 5-day experience is tailored to high-achieving high school and undergraduate university students eager to become pioneers in sustainability, regeneration and innovation.

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Talent Partners

Secondary Education, Leadership Development and Award Giving organizations that nominate solution-oriented young people as future systems leaders.

Knowledge Partners

Major Universities, Research Institutes, Scientific Foundations and Media Organizations that share content, expertise and networks to accelerate systemic change.