The city of Sion is on the verge of a healthcare revolution with the groundbreaking construction of the Pôle Santé campus. This promising initiative focuses on merging the domains of health, social work, and sports into one comprehensive hub.
This project is the culmination of collaboration between several prestigious institutions. It brings together the expertise of HES-SO Valais-Wallis, EPFL, The Ark Foundation, Valais Health Observatory, and SpArk, the center of excellence in movement sciences and technologies. Strategically located near the Valais Hospital and the SuvaCare Rehabilitation Clinic, it offers an unparalleled opportunity to bolster interdisciplinary approaches in education and research.
The location not only facilitates the confluence of knowledge but also strengthens synergies among various health hub participants. The clear objective is to enhance knowledge transfer, research, and innovation. By integrating education and medical practice, the campus aims to nurture a new generation of specialized and highly skilled health professionals, addressing the current shortage of healthcare staff.
The comprehensive blueprint of the Pôle Santé campus
The Pôle Santé campus provides optimized educational infrastructure. From the media library to the daycare center, through labs and classrooms, everything is designed to foster learning and research. It will also provide direct patient access for certain activities, thus ensuring high-quality practical experience.
Spanning over 17,000 square meters of usable space, the campus will host a variety of educational programs and institutions. This includes an incubator from The Ark Foundation, health-focused researchers from EPFL, and the Valais Health Observatory, to name a few.
Financially, the project, initially estimated at CHF 85.9 million francs. The financial backing mainly comes from the canton of Valais and the City of Sion, with a significant contribution from the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SEFRI). Coupled with the Pôle Ingénieur near the train station, the Pôle Santé reinforces the city’s long-term vision in innovation, research, and job creation in the healthcare sector.
