The Villars Institute was established in 2022 as a nonprofit foundation to accelerate the transition to a net zero economy and to restore the health of the planet for all of its inhabitants. 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 sports activities that promote biodiversity, planetary health, and sustainable development.

Rethinking Excellence: The Villars Music Academy

EAT-Lancet 2.0 Commission: Rethinking Planetary Health

Villars Institute x Minerva Project: Systems Leadership Program

Five traits to look for in a Systems Leader

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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.

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We combine the creativity of talented young people with the proficiency of experienced professionals and provide the group with insight, tools and techniques for rapid and effective systemic change.

GOALS: The institute was created to accelerate the transition to a Net Zero Economy and restore the health of the planet for all its inhabitants.

STRATEGIES: We change the system through Systems Leadership, Intergenerational Collaboration, Transdisciplinary Collaboration and Lifelong Learning.

DIMENSIONS: We focus on Energy Transition, Nature based Solutions and Emerging Technologies.

Villars Fellows

Solution-oriented young people nominated each year by educational and leadership organizations.

Download Fellowship PDF

View 2023-2024 Villars Institute Fellowship Program

Villars Councils

Experts willing to work across disciplines for systemic change in the areas of energy transition, nature-based solutions, and emerging technologies.

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 Symposium

The Villars Symposium brings together the Institute’s partners and leading experts with the Villars Fellows to begin their life-long development as systems leaders.

25-28 June 2024

View the 2023 Program

Download 2022 Symposium Overview (PDF)

Download 2023 Symposium Overview (PDF)

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.

20-23 March 2024

View the 2023 Program

DOWNLOAD 2023 SUMMIT OVERVIEW (PDF)

Villars Music Academy

The one-week Villars Music Academy offers a holistic philosophy to selected young musicians though interdisciplinary courses, workshops and conferences.

13-20 August 2023

Visit Villars Music Academy Website

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.