Born in Switzerland of Hungarian origin, Andreas Jean-Pierre Földényi can look back on a 25-year career as a CEO, chairman and entrepreneur. A university graduate in Education and Business Administration, Andreas has lectured in Switzerland and Vietnam, and been involved in education projects which required regular travel to China, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, UK, and all over North and South America. It’s no wonder that he has been able to gain in-depth insight into the life and culture of these countries.
A private school accredited by the Ministry of Education, allegra! is currently the only school offering a comprehensive, full-time “integration program”. “We cover Swiss culture, everyday culture, moral concepts and rules in an environment which fosters trust and respect.”
“It is my firm belief that allegra!’s contribution is adding high value to the Swiss economy and Swiss society» says Andreas, «as language skills alone may open doors for our students, but are not sufficient to ensure a full and durable integration of an individual into our society.”
“Teaching migrants and refugees does bring its own special set of challenges. Our mission is to ensure the integration of our culturally diverse students into the public school system within 20 to 30 weeks. Some students have never learnt to read or write, others refuse to be taught by women and some students have mental disorders tied to their personal experiences in the war zones.”
“It is no secret and it has been proven many times in the past already, that diversity is an asset for every society. Diversity not only strengthens the cohesion of a society but also brings out better and more sustainable solutions and ensures peace and stability between cultures and countries in the long run.”