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University of Zurich

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The University of Zurich (in German: Universität Zürich) is the largest university of Switzerland, in the city of Zürich. It was founded on April 29, 1833 with faculties of theology, law, medicine and philosophy. Currently, the University has faculties of arts, economics, law, medicine, science, theology and veterinary medicine.

History

The University of Zurich was founded in 1833 with existing colleges of theology (founded by Huldrych Zwingli in 1525), law and medicine merged together with a new faculty of Philosophy. This University was the first University in Europe to be founded by the state rather than a monarch or church. The university allowed women to listen in on philosophy lectures from 1847, and it admitted the first female doctoral student in 1866. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was added in 1901, the oldest such faculty in the world. In 1914, The University moved to new premises on Rämistrasse 71, designed by the architect Karl Moser.

Faculties

Its best-performing faculties in terms of research quality are the Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science, all of which rank in the top ten of Europe's universities. The University of Zurich as a whole also ranks in the top ten of Europe and in the top fifty worldwide. Notably in the fields of bioscience and finance, there is a close-knit collaboration between the University of Zurich and the famous ETH (Federal Institute for Technology, just across the road).

Admission

Prospective Students

Except for medicine, the University pursues an admission policy as follows. Having a Matura or an equivalent secondary school qualification, all qualifying students can study for a year. After this assessment year, only those passing the exams may proceed their studies. On average, about one half passes the assessment year (differing across faculties and particular program). To study medicine, even to be granted permission to enter the assessment year, exams need to be passed. Admission to the a masters degree naturally requires a bachelor. Admission to a PhD programme requires a Masters degree with honours and clear affiliation for research.

Languages

General language of courses is High German (Schriftdeutsch). Notably in some highly competitive and international programs, like the Master of Advanced Studies in Finance MAS Finance, all lectures are taught in English. There is an increasing use of English observed in many faculties.

Future

There has been a steady increase in the number of international professors and students in recent years. Given all faculties offer their lectures in English and the university or individual faculties pursue a more vigorous marketing strategy, one can expect a clear increase in the number and intensity of high-achieving faculties.

Some sectors also call for an increased selectivity of some programs and more efforts towards financing from the private-sector.

Nobel Prize winners

The University of Zurich has produced several Nobel Prize laureates. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all time, Erwin Schrödinger, one of the founder of quantum mechanics, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, the first person to win the Nobel Prize in Physics and others were affiliated with the University.

Alumni

Faculty

Famous Fellows of the University

Museum

References

  • P. Stadler (ed.), Die Universität Zürich 1933-1983, Verlag Neue Zürcher Zeitung (1983), ISBN 3-85-823-086-3.

See also

External links



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