The University of Lausanne (in French: Université de Lausanne) or UNIL in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of theology, before being made a university in 1890. Today about 10,000 students and 2200 researchers study and work at the university. Approximately 1500 international students attend the university, which has a wide curriculum including exchange programs with several American universities.
Before 2005, the University applied the French education model with some minor differences. The academic degrees were the Demi-Licence, Licence, DEA / DESS, Doctorate. The University now follows the requirements of the Bologna process.
Together with the Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) the university forms a vast campus at the shores of Lake Geneva.
CampusThe Campus is presently situated outside the city on the Lakeside in Dorigny adjacent to the EPFL. The location is made up of individual buildings with a park and arboretum in between. The library also serves as eating hall and is centrally located. The view from the library across the sports fields to the lake of Geneva and the French and Swiss Alps. On a clear day, Mont Blanc can be seen
History
The Academy, the forerunner of the UNIL, was founded in 1537. Its vocation at that time was to train ministers for the church. The university enjoyed a certain renown due to the fact that it was the only French-language Protestant school of theology.
As the centuries passed, the number of faculties increased and diversified until, in 1890, the Academy received the name and status of a university.
In 1970, the university moved progressively from the old city of Lausanne, around the Cathedral and the Château, to its present site at Dorigny. The end of the 20th century witnessed the beginnings of an ambitious project aiming at greater co-operation and development among the French-speaking universities of Lausanne, Geneva and Neuchâtel, together with the EPFL. In 2003, two new faculties were founded concentrating on life and human sciences: the Faculty of Biology and Medicine; and the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment.
Research
International scope of research at the UNIL
World-wide, the UNIL collaborates academically with more than 200 partner universities. A majority of the exchange agreements between the UNIL and these universities concerns not just students but primarily research workers and professors. Many UNIL departments collaborate closely with partner institutions abroad, either on an individual basis or, as in the case of Swiss and European universities, in the context of well-defined research projects.
For many years now the UNIL has been able to claim international status, a trend that is destined to continue and which is reflected in the high proportion (33%) of non-Swiss among its professors and research workers.
International cooperation at the National level
Research on the National level is coordinated by the State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).
- SER: Priority countries
The State Secretariat for Education and Research has signed (or will sign soon) agreements for fostering scientific collaboration with the following countries: India, China, South Africa (including Côte d'Ivoire and Tanzania), Russia and Japan.
In preparation:
South Korea (contact person Dr Margrit Leuthold)
Brazil (contact person Dr Siamak Rouhani)
Chile (contact person Dr Markus Leitner)
The collaboration programme with India is coordinated by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) as Leading House, and the University of Lausanne as Associate Leading House. You will find general information about this programme on this website. For more detailed information including selection criteria and application procedures, please see the web site of the programme.
- Swiss National Science Foundation: Funding for international research
The SNSF provides various funding programmes to encourage international collaboration which strengthens the profile and competitiveness of Switzerland as a location for research, especially:
Bilateral programmes:
- Exchanges for scientists (all countries);
- Scientific seminars (China, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan);
- Research projects in selected regions;
- SCOPES Eastern Europe;
- ESTROM Romania;
- Developing countries;
- Programmes for specific disciplines;
- Careers abroad.
Faculties
The Faculties and Schools of UNIL
Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies
Faculty of Law and Criminal Justice
School of Criminal Justice (ESC)
Faculty of Arts
School of French as a Foreign Language (EFLE)
Vacation Courses (CVAC)
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (SSP)
Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC)
Faculty of Geosciences and Environment (GSE)
Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM)
Section of Pharmacy
Université de Lausanne or The University of Lausanne was ranked 161th in the 2008 THES-QS World University Ranking.
