The ongoing crisis in Afghanistan has blocked many people from fleeing the dangerous situation. One of these such people, an SIT student and promising IT-professional and bright-minded person, was blocked upon her attempt to return to Switzerland to continue her studies and be safety. Her safety, particularly following the news of the Kabul airport explosions, became not only a priority for SIT and subject of concern the Swiss Foreign Ministry, but a symbol of hope for all the young, inspiring persons.

Thanks to the quick reaction of the SIT team and the immense support, work and empathy from the Swiss Foreign Ministry, our student, an Afghani woman, has finally been confirmed safe. After speaking with representatives of the Swiss Foreign Ministry and other involved parties, the student finally received a ‘pass’ allowing her to stay in a special center until she can be brought back to Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

After several days of working alongside the Swiss Foreign Ministry, we are relieved to know of her safety and honored to have been able to support the process in her being brought back to Switzerland where she can not only be safe from the ongoing crisis but continue to establish her promising future as a local industry leader in the ever-growing IT field.

One of the core differentiators of SIT from other universities is the focus on developing entrepreneurs in science in technology. Successful entrepreneurs require an opportunity, strategy, and ability to execute. The execution is often a challenge, and to prepare students for it, SIT teaches 11 core entrepreneurial values that guide the most successful entrepreneurs. The values are:

1. Ambition - desire to achieve something beyond immediately possible
2. Initiative – doings things without being told or forced
3. Empathy - understanding others, taking into account their feeling and emotions, not only the actions
4. Being alert - looking for the changes in the situation, understanding the underlying reasons and cause-effect chains.
5. Being responsive - quickly providing answers, not delaying communications and ensuring fast information flow.
6. Being details oriented - attending to small details, improving whatever is possible at every step.
7. Making decisions - making the best decision possible given the information available, assessing risks and then moving forward at full speed when the decision is made.
8. Never giving up - always trying one more time and finding creative ways to achieve a goal.
9. High frequency - working fast, making multiple iterations and constantly improving at every possibility.
10. Passion - believing in what you do and spreading the information about it with passion and conviction.
11. Care - caring for themselves, for the business and the others - ensuring long-term success of all people involved.

"The student's return to Switzerland is an example of being true to the entrepreneurial values promoted by SIT. It was making decisions, never giving up and taking the initiative to bring authorities from multiple countries to make this possible. Working with empathy, passion and care, to understand the situation, and bring onboard multiple supporters that make this challenging task possible to complete", said Serguei Beloussov, Founder of SIT and Chairman of the Board, Founder of Acronis

The quick reaction and support allowed our student to escape from the trenches of the Kabul crisis and make her way back to her new life. This message, one of supporting and uplifting others in need, holds true to SIT values and aligns with those of our partners. We encourage all those who can, to support those affected by the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.