The country’s huge banking and financial sector needs a constant supply of smart, numerate people who know which way up to hold a balance sheet and where to place a decimal point.
“We have the Alps, we have tourism, but we have no resources. Financial services are very important and we need people who understand mathematics,” said Urs Moser, a professor of educational science and the director of the Institute for Educational Evaluation at the University of Zurich.
“Maths is a subject where we have really high expectations. The kids have to aim high. This is now a knowledge economy and everyone here knows that we need to be a knowledge-based country.” Could the Swiss talent for maths even be part of the national character for a people who are known not just for their banking skills but also for their punctuality and precision? … Full Article