Head of International Relations, State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, Switzerland

Jacques Ducrest is the Head of  the International Relations Division at the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation and member of the Management board, overseeing bilateral agreements in education, research, and innovation, as well as Swissnex, the global network connecting Switzerland and the world in education, research and innovation.

Prior to this, he served as Deputy Head of the Prosperity and Sustainability Division, advocating for a cross-disciplinary approach to sustainability. In 2019, he was appointed Delegate of the Federal Council for the 2030 Agenda and chaired its Steering Committee. Since joining the federal government’s diplomatic service in 1998, he has held various roles including postings to Manila, Prague, and Vienna, and positions in the Directorate of International Law and the Prosperity and Sustainability Division PSD at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.