Everyone is welcome. Please note that the main language of this event is German.

W Open The annual event with an eye on the future

«W Open» is a series of events by the Lucerne School of Business where HSLU students and employees and the public come together to discuss the latest trends around living and working spaces. The event is designed to offer information, networking opportunities and shared experiences, and to showcase the focal points of the School’s four Institutes. 

Everyone is welcome. Please note that the main language of this event is German.

W Open 2026

The Lucerne School of Business invites you to the W Open on Thursday, 24 September 2026. For the first time, the event is hosted as an open university festival on the new Perron campus. From 17:00, the School will be a vibrant meeting point boasting interactive workshops, insights into research and innovation, student projects, and HSLU start-ups.  Music and a buffet reception will set the scene for inspiring encounters. The 2026 W Open offers a variety of perspectives and personal insights – open, inspiring and accessible. 

Neues Gebäude des Departements Wirtschaft im Perron

Programme

16:30

Arrival

17:00

Guided tours around projects and mini workshops

18:00

Event starts with welcoming remarks, keynote and chaired open discussion

19:15

Guided tours around projects and mini workshops as well as drinks and buffet reception

Keynote: Cooperation between business and civil society? Perspectives on a transformation towards sustainable quality of life.

Antoinette Hunziker-Ebneter

Antoinette Hunziker-Ebneter, Co-Founder and Vice President of the Supervisory Board, Forma Futura Invest AG

Projects and mini workshops

1-2-4-all: Discovering future skills together

What skills do employees and organisations need to succeed in a dynamic, digitalised future? Using the 1-2-4-All method, we will quickly collect, refine and prioritise varied perspectives on the topic of future skills. From individual reflection to discussions in pairs and groups of four to an open group discussion a broad, practical picture emerges of the skills that will really matter in future. With Prof Dr Ulrich Egle and Prof Dr Imke Keimer.

World leader in innovation: Which canton outperforms the others?

Switzerland is the most innovative country in the world – but how do the individual cantons fare? Innovation and creativity are extremely important for the economy. Learn how the Cantonal Innovation and Creativity Index (KIKI) interprets these abstract concepts and what your canton’s specific profile looks like. With Prof Dr Christoph Hauser and Lia Lüdi.

Building an audience through podcasting

The number of people who regularly listen to podcasts is growing. How can we leverage this medium in organisational communication? Pop in at our stall for a peek behind the curtain of a professional podcast studio. A highlight will be a live recording of the “Voll Psycho” podcast hosted by the Business Psychology programme.

Go Global

Experience the extensive international network of the Lucerne School of Business. Explore our international partner network, learn more about our exchange programmes for students, employees and lecturers, and discover our range of global continuing and executive education programmes. A series of brief discussions with exchange students offers a first-hand account of how an exchange can shape your studies and future career. With Dominic Thoos.

Harnessing immersive data for better decision-making

How do neighbourhoods develop? How and where do future requirements emerge? The «public planning cockpit» makes spatial and social developments accessible through visualisation. In an instructional, interactive and practice-based setting, visitors gain insight into key issues such as neighbourhood development and housing for older people. Experience how data-based planning helps to find better solutions. With Ivo Willimann.

Nudging: Changing behaviours with small suggestions.

How can we encourage people to make more sustainable choices without imposing bans or applying pressure? In this session, you will gain insights into a research project by the Institute for Tourism and Mobility and discover how nudges work in the tourism industry. Through real-life examples, you will see how even small incentives can effect behavioural changes in tourism and beyond. You will also learn simple approaches that allow you to use nudging in your own professional setting. With Malin Wenzke and Prof Dr Jörn Basel.

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The boss is always right! Right? Team-based decision-making

Supervisors who fail to promote open decision-making processes in meetings often simply decide according to their own preferences unless their co-workers explicitly object. Using a real-life example, we discuss ways to boost participation among employees, facilitating well-informed decisions in the process. With Sylvia Bendel Larcher.

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Smart-up – Entrepreneurship at the HSLU

Smart-up fosters an entrepreneurial spirit at the HSLU and gives you an opportunity to experience innovation. Learn more about our varied formats to boost start-up ideas, our coaching activities, workshops and networking opportunities, and discover how we support students, alumni and employees on their journey towards self-employment. Representatives from the HSLU start-ups BenefitRadar and Humbl Cycles will talk about their companies and offer exciting insights into their mission and day-to-day work. With Marisa Conzinu.

W-OPEN-Customer-Support-der-Zukunft

Using AI in Customer Support

Building leading-edge customer support: How do AI, voice bots and automated processes transform interactions between companies and clients? What is the role of synthetic personas, intelligent assistance systems and AI-supported service processes in the customer journey of tomorrow? Together, we will investigate the latest AI-related developments and areas of application in customer support, from voice bots to process automation to data-based customer interactions. The focus is on practical examples, chances, limitations, and the question of how companies can make customer experiences more efficient, personal and scalable. With Dr Andreas Lucco.

Application-Vibecoding

From idea to app in ten minutes

Programming without prior programming skills? The latest AI tools can make it happen. In this workshop, we develop small web apps for your day-to-day life, family and workplace to demonstrate how a working prototype can be built in a matter of minutes. With Alexander Boll.

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AI-Powered Materiality Analyses for SMEs

Materiality analysis forms the foundation of an effective sustainability strategy. At the same time, many SMEs lack the resources to conduct extensive surveys and data analyses. This presentation shows how artificial intelligence can support the materiality analysis process. Using a real-world example, it demonstrates how SMEs can establish a sound basis for decision-making with minimal effort. With Dr. Timo Heroth.

Dev Center

Discover Instead of Test: The Development Center

How can you recognize a person’s potential? A resume doesn’t reveal it. Actions do. At the Development Center, students in initial training as well as experienced specialists and managers in continuing education tackle practical, challenging tasks. As they do so, they are observed and, with professional guidance, discover strengths and areas for development that often remain hidden in everyday life. An Assessment Center selects candidates. A Development Center opens up new perspectives. In our workshop, you’ll experience what these exercises look like, what can be observed during them, and what insights you can take away for your own development. With Dr. Alexander Götmann and Prof. Anja Zimmermann.

Generationensalat

A Mix of Generations in the Workplace

Demographic change is profoundly altering the age structure in the workplace. It is important to make the best possible use of age diversity in the workplace. This workshop focuses on the question: How can companies successfully bring different generations together, keep employees in the workforce longer, and develop targeted measures for a workplace that is fair to all generations? In doing so, we will delve into findings from the HSLU Generational Barometer, among other topics. With Dr. Anina Hille.

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The potential of AI that doesn't hallucinate, but actually «knows» what it's doing.

Large language models are the technological foundation behind the current AI hype. At HSLU, we are collaborating with several companies to investigate the potential of «Active Inference-based AI agents (AIF),» an alternative approach that offers a whole range of very interesting advantages (faster, more cost-effective, and, above all, transparent learning without the need for training data). In this workshop, we’ll share our experiences from AIF projects in the areas of crisis management, management support, and community management. And we’ll discuss with you whether AIF holds potential for your organization as well...

Watch this space for more projects and mini workshops.