Switzerland might be among the most generous countries in terms of spending on research and development. But newly-released official data show that the human know-how devoted to science and technology is only average in European terms.

The English language information magazine for the French speaking part of Switzerland, Swisster, is taking to the air late next month with a weekly roundup of news and issues plus expatriates from the Lake Geneva region discussing relevant topics.

Although church attendance in Switzerland is falling, religion became a factor ahead of the 2007 federal elections, especially with an increasing Muslim population. swissinfo's dossier takes a close look at Switzerland's changing religious landscape.

The online learning environment in Touch with Health is designed for teenagers who want to look into the subject of skin and sexual health. It is the result of an interdisciplinary project between medical and educational professionals.

A 'popular university' planned for the city has a twin-tracked goal. It aims to teach people about the history of Africa while offering legal advice and a resource centre to help immigrants from the continent better adjust to life in Switzerland.

Young people in Switzerland are drinking less alcohol, as well as smoking less tobacco and cannabis than four years ago, according to a study released on Tuesday - even though some young take sleeping pills or illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin.

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) has announced a new joint venture with information technology giant IBM to share a 90-million dollar research facility on the shores of Lake Zurich - infrastructure for nanotechnology research.

Recognized by Business Week as one of the best design schools in the world, the Lausanne University of Art & Design, known as Ecal, was just a local graphic and industrial design college less than 15 years ago.

About 300 young people with ties to Switzerland from all over the world are preparing to descend on the country this summer. They will stay in eight holiday camps all over the country, from southeast Graubünden to the French-speaking west.

Junior high school students of both sexes learn about playing by the rules and cultural differences as part of a unique competition linked to Euro 2008. In four-a-side soccer games in Geneva, pupils learn to play fairly and reach a final in Austria.

On 17 June 2008, 15 school classes from all over Switzerland presented their website projects in the Kongresshaus Zurich. All the projects submitted for the 2007 and 2008 competitions can be seen on the JuniorWebAward website.

The first all-Swiss satellite is due for launch early in 2009, designed entirely by students from universities in western Switzerland. The project is one of nine CubeSats accepted by the ESA for the first mission of the new European rocket Vega.

The Swiss government is launching a nationwide prevention campaign against alcohol addiction as it pursues efforts to promote its health policy. Cabinet aims to reduce within four years the number of teenage binge drinkers by ten per cent.

After a student was beaten to death by a group of youth, a study by the canton Ticino proclaimed that Tough measures are needed to tackle the rise in gang culture and brutal youth violence. It also calls for greater parental responsibility.

The primary objective of the eLearning Awards is to recognise excellence in the eLearning industry - programmes, projects, and strategies that have enjoyed the greatest success this year. The deadline for entries and submissions is Monday 30 June.

The list of big firms that have signed partnership deals with Lausanne's Federal Institute of Technology EPFL continues to grow. Mobile phone giant Nokia and the EPFL inaugurated a long-term research programme to "invent the services of the future".