Networking through Network Thinking (Vernetztes Denken, Vernetzte Menschen) – ACIT is a project launched to connect open-minded people with interdisciplinary interests. The aim of this project is the establishment of a network between students from different Swiss universities and different academic backgrounds.
ACIT seeks to enable insightful discussions that expand the attendee’s knowledge beyond his or her particular subject of study and aspires to provide students with a platform to present their critical reflections over a topic of interest. These learning experiences are implemented through systematic inquiries into relevant topics of science, philosophy and politics. In order to gain different aspects on those questions, ACIT thus covers a wide range of students from diverse academic backgrounds.
Besides the main meetings, consisting of internally organized talks followed by group discussions, social events like hiking or dining together take place. ACIT further organizes excursions to museums or historical places and debates that are open to public. The organization is currently also working on publishing the “Journal for Critical and Interdisciplinary Thinking”, which combines selected articles written by members. The guiding principle of this association is a combination of the willingness to question one’s own beliefs, intellectual curiosity and human equality. That is, neither ethnicity, nor gender, nor socioeconomic status influence the way people are treated in the discussions. Instead, ACIT regards these differences of personal backgrounds as invaluable enrichments and opportunities to broaden one’s mind. It is thus evident that ACIT neither acquires a unified political position nor a clear ideology. A wide spectrum of opinions and a flexible way of thinking are the essence of this network that aims for intellectual exchange and not for dogmata.
“To provide motivated students with a platform to discuss relevant topics of our time is a great privilege for us as an association. Personally, it is also a great privilege for me to learn from those people and to get to know fascinating students who help me to reflect and nurture my beliefs and arguments over and over again. I am more than happy to contribute to this society of thinkers and I am greatly looking forward to its further development.” Benjamin Bargetzi, ACIT Club President und Geförderter der Schweizerischen Studienstiftung.
