Spring 2012 Study Tour
Fall 2011 Study Tour

Study tour participants will travel to San Francisco to benefit from a series of visits and events with social media leaders in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.

The first study tour took place the week of September 26, 2011, and a second one was held in Spring of 2012.  Study tours are open to a maximum of 15 participants who demonstrate a basic knowledge of social media and a commitment towards actively using the tools. The trips will appeal to those seeking more knowledge and insight into current social media practices and future trends.

******The Fall 2013 Study Tour will be held in September 2013. Stay tuned for details.******

What you can expect from the study tour:

• A thorough introduction to the history and business culture of Silicon Valley
• Discussions with social media leaders on strategy, campaigns, and best practices
• Gain insight into the future of social media from leaders in social media companies in the Bay Area
• Experience how an event is run at swissnex San Francisco and the role that social media plays in it
• Opportunity to attend a mixer in Silicon Valley to experience first-hand networking at its best (subject to availability)

Application process

No additional study tour is planned for this year. We don’t take any applications at this point.

Selection process

The objective is to have a diverse group of no more than 15 participants who are knowledgeable, active social media users from a variety of institutions and regions throughout Switzerland. To achieve this balance we plan to select no more than two participants from each institution per study tour. Study tour participants must be active members in our program.

Logistics

Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from San Francisco, transportation to/from airport, and all accommodations during the trip. swissnex San Francisco will provide some guidance and recommendations, and will cover all ground transportation related to the tour along with welcome and closing meals.

Costs

Participants are responsible for the costs associated with travel, accommodation, and meals during their stay in San Francisco. We estimate an average cost of $2,700 (USD) for airfare, hotel, basic meals, and taxis to/from the airport. Limited financial aid is available on a need basis for 2-3 individuals.

Equipment

Participants must bring a laptop to work with during the study tour. It is also recommended that participants purchase prepaid mobile data plan to interact through mobile devices of their choice.

Who will benefit the most from a Study Tour?

Everyone can benefit from the study tours. However, they make the most sense for beginning to intermediate level social media users who are already somewhat comfortable with social media but looking to learn more about how to implement the tools in their organization and how to further develop their social media strategy. The study tour might be overwhelming for those who are completely unfamiliar with social media, and not challenging enough for those who consider themselves experts and have already fully integrated social media into their organization’s communications strategy.

Sample Study Tour Program

The below is a tentative schedule subject to change.

Date	Time	Activity	Location
Sunday	PM	Welcome dinner	San Francisco
Monday	AM	Introductory session at swissnex San Francisco	San Francisco
	PM	Visit to local university	San Bruno, CA
Tuesday	AM	Visit to local university	Palo Alto, CA
	PM	Visit to a start up/social media company	Palo Alto, CA
Wednesday	AM	Speaker at swissnex San Francisco	San Francisco
	PM	Visit to local university / start up	SF Bay Area
Thursday	AM	Social media workshop	San Francisco
	PM	Visit to local university/ social media company	San Francisco
Friday	AM	Social media workshop	San Francisco
	PM	Wrap up at swissnex San Francisco	San Francisco
	PM	Goodbye dinner	San Francisco