University of Geneva
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Université de Genève | |
File:University of Geneva.png | |
Latin: Schola Genevensis | |
Motto | Post tenebras lux (Latin) |
---|---|
Motto in English | Light after darkness |
Type | Public university |
Established | 1559 [1] |
Rector | Jean-Dominique Vassalli [2] |
Students | 14,489 |
Location | , |
Campus | Urban |
Affiliations | Coimbra Group LERU EUA IFPU |
Website | www.unige.ch |
The University of Geneva (French: Université de Genève, informally known as Geneva University or UNIGE) is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school.[1] It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it dropped its religious affiliations and became officially secular.[3] Today, the university is the second-largest university in Switzerland by number of students.[4] In 2009, the University of Geneva celebrated the 450th anniversary of its founding.[5]
UNIGE has programs in various fields but has academic and research programs in international relations (with Geneva being hostess to an agglomeration of international organizations), law, astrophysics, astronomy, genetics (with a record of contributions to the fields of planetary science, genetics, developmental psychology, neuroscience, and theology). The university holds and actively pursues teaching, research, and community service as its primary objectives. In 2011, it was ranked 73rd worldwide by the Academic Ranking of World Universities, and 69th in the QS World University Rankings.[6]
UNIGE is a member of the League of European Research Universities, the Coimbra Group and the European University Association.[7]
History
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Location
The University of Geneva is located in several districts in the eastern part of the city and in the near-by city of Carouge (on the left bank of the Lake Léman and the Rhône), and the different buildings are sometimes very distant from each other (the Battelle buildings are for instance more than three kilometers away from the Bastions). Lectures are given in six different main locations, Les Bastions (the oldest part), Uni Dufour, Sciences I, II and III, Uni Mail and Uni Pignon, Centre Médical Universitaire (CMU), and Battelle;[8] as well as in other less important locations (for instance the Mathematics Section is located at the second and (partly) third and sixth storeys rented by the university in an office building in Carouge).[9]
Uni Bastions
Built between 1868 and 1871, Uni Bastions is the symbol of Geneva's academic life. It located in the middle of a park and is host to the faculty of Protestant Theology and to the Faculty of Arts.[10]
Uni Dufour
Its architecture was inspired by Le Corbusier. It hosts the Rectorat and the administration of the University.[11]
Uni Mail
It is Switzerland's biggest building dedicated to social sciences. Uni Mail symbolizes the modernity of the University of Geneva. Its architecture is defined by a great transparency and open spaces. It currently hosts the Faculty of Law, of Economics and Social Sciences, of Psychology and Education and the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation.[12]
Organisation
Faculties
The University is composed of eight faculties:[13]
- Faculty of Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Law (Geneva Law School)
- Faculty of Protestant Theology
- Faculty of Psychology and Education
- Faculty of Translation and Interpretation
- Geneva School of Economics and management
- Geneva School of Social Sciences
The university has a partnership with the nearby Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, and students at the university may take courses at these institutes.
Interfaculty centers
- Art-Law Centre[14]
- Institute for Reformation History (the Reformation)
- Computer Science Department (computer science)
- University Centre for Study of Energy Problems (energy policy)
- The European Institute of the University of Geneva (European studies, European integration)
- Interfaculty Center of Gerontology (gerontology)
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (affective science)
- Center for Environmental Studies
- Geneva Finance Research Institute
- Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
Associated institutions
- Campus Biotech
- Swiss National Supercomputing Centre
- Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM)[15]
- University Centre of Legal Medicine (CURML)[16]
- Institut universitaire romand de santé au travail (IST)[17]
- École romande de santé publique (ERSP)
- Kurt Bösch Institute (IUKB)
Finances
The University of Geneva had for 2013 a budget of CHF 558,211,000. It mostly comes from the cantonal subventions, the other notable contributors being the federal state and the tuition fees.[18]
Libraries and press
Libraries
UNIGE's library facilities are spread across four sites.
Uni Arve is host to seven libraries: the Bibliothèque Ernst & Lucie Schmidheiny, the Bibliothèque d'Anthropologie, the Bibliothèque du Centre universitaire d'informatique, the Bibliothèque Georges de Rham (Mathematics), the Bibliothèque de l'Institut des Sciences de l'environnement (ISE), Bibliothèque de l'Observatoire (Astronomy) and the Bibliothèque des Sciences de la Terre et de l'environnement.[19]
Uni Bastions hosts the language libraries, as well as the university's libraries focused on history and musicology.[20]
Uni CMU is home to an extensive collection of medical issues. Besides, it is also hosts the Centre de documentation en santé (CDS) and the Bibliothèque de l’Institut de la médecine et de la santé et de l’Institut d’éthique biomédicale (IHMS - IEB).[21]
Uni Mail's collection is focused on the following themes: Economics and social sciences, Law, Psychology and Learning Sciences, Translation and Interpretation, European studies, French as a foreign language and Musicology. Besides, it also hosts UNIGE's multimedia library.[22]
Press
The journal de l'UNIGE is released biweekly. Its purpose is to ease communication inside the university, to inform the students about the research being carried at UNIGE, to convey new opinions and to inform students and teachers of upcoming university events via l'Agenda.[23]
Campus is released monthly with the objective to ease communication between the scientific community and the citizens and to be a "bridge between science and city".[24]
Academics
Admission and fees
To be enrolled in a bachelor programme, one must hold a Swiss maturity diploma or a secondary diploma considered by the University of Geneva to be equivalent.[25] If the degree was not pursued in French, applicants must pass an eliminatory French language test at the beginning of September, which consists of an oral and a written comprehension test and of a piece of argumentative writing.[26] Tuition fees are of CHF 500 per semester.
Academic year
UNIGE's academic year runs from mid-September to mid-June. It is divided in two semesters, each one being concluded by an examination session, held respectively at the beginning of January and at the beginning of June. An examination session is held at the end of August and beginning of September as a retake for students who failed their January or June examinations.[27]
During the three days before the start of the new academic year, the Journées d'accueil (Welcome Days) are organized by the University to introduce the new students to the city and the facilities, tips are also given on how to succeed at university. A second chapter including city tours, outdoor concerts and animations is also organized by the student association UniAccueil (AUA) to celebrate the new academic year.[28]
Teaching and degrees
Before 2005, the University applied the French education model of granting academic degrees, with some minor differences: demi-licence (two years), trois-quarts de licence (three years), licence (four years), diplôme d'études approfondies and diplôme d'études superieures spécialisées (DEA/DESS) (1–2 years), and doctorate (3–5 years).
The University now follows the requirements of the Bologna process: bachelor's (three years), master's (1–2 years), Master of Advanced Studies (1–2 years), doctorate (3–5 years).[29]
UNIGE offers more than 240 types of diplomas: about 30 bachelor degrees,[30] 70 masters and 78 doctorates. It also provides more than 200 programmes of continuing education in various sectors.[31]
Bachelor programs
Faculty of Sciences
- Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
- Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
- Bachelor of Science in Physics
- Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
- Bachelor of Science in Biochemestry
- Bachelor of Science Biology
- Bachelor of Science in Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Bachelor of Arts in Pharmacy
Faculty of Medicine
- Bachelor of Science in Medicine
- Bachelor of Science in Dentistry
Faculty of Humanities
- Bachelor of Arts
Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration [32]
- Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Service Science [33]
- Bachelor of Science in Economics
- Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Environnement
- Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
- Bachelor of Arts in economic and social History
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Sciences
- Bachelor of Arts in Socioeconomy
Faculty of Law
- Bachelor of Laws
Faculty of Theology
- Bachelor of Arts in Theology
Faculty of Psychology and Learning Sciences
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
- Bachelor of Arts in Learning Sciences
Faculty of Translation and Interpretation
- Bachelor of Arts in Multilingual communication
Master programs
While all bachelor programs are taught in French, many master are programs are held in English, mostly in the fields of business and of science.[34]
International partnerships
Students at UNIGE have the possibility to study abroad for a semester or a year during their degree. Partner universities include Free University of Berlin, Harvard Law School, École Normale Supérieure, Trinity College Dublin, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Université Libre de Bruxelles, King's College London, McGill University, HEC Montreal, University of Oxford, Uppsala University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan, UCLA, University of Sydney, University of Tokyo.[35]
Research
The key sectors of research at the University of Geneva are sciences (molecular biology, bio-informatics, etc.), elementary physicis, astrophysics, economics, social sociences, psychology, chemistry, biochemestry and biophysics.
UNIGE is home to six national research centers: in genetics (Frontiers in Genetics), in material sciences (MaNEP), in study of emotions (Affective Sciences), in chemical biology (with EPFL), in study of mental illness (Synaptic, with EPFL and Unil), in study of life path (with Unil). UNIGE also carries research in international studies since the creation in 2013 of the Global Studies Institute, in finance with the Geneva Finance Research Institute,[36] and in environemental studies, with the creation in 2009 of the Institut des sciences de l'environnement.[37]
Famous discoveries have been made by researcher working at UNIGE including the discoveries of extrasolar planets by Michel Mayor, of genetics by Denis Duboule, or of quantic teleportation by Nicolas Gisin.
Rankings
The University of Geneva is constantly ranked one of the top universities in the world.
Global rankings
In 2012, the University of Geneva was ranked 69th overall in the world according to the Shanghai Ranking, 74th overall according to the QS ranking and 133rd overall according to the THE ranking. In 2006, Newsweek ranked the university 32nd in the world.[38]
The QS World University Rankings [39] ranked the University of Geneva as follows:
Year | In Switzerland | In Europe | In the World |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | - | - | 74th |
2011 | - | - | 69th |
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings[40] ranked the University of Geneva as follows:
Year | In Switzerland | In Europe | In the World |
---|---|---|---|
2012-2013 | 5th | 52nd | 133rd |
2011-2012 | 7th | 46th | 116th |
2010-2011 | 5th | 34th | 118th |
Subject rankings
In molecular biology, the impact of the research carried in Geneva was ranked 4th in Europe by Times Higher Education for the period 1999-2009, directly behind the University of Oxford.[41] In physics, UNIGE was ranked sixth.
The QS 2013 subject ranking placed the University of Geneva at the 21st place in the field of Pharmacy and at the 49th place in Philosophy. In every subject, the University was ranked in the world's top 200.[42]
Other rankings
In the 2013 QS ranking, the University was ranked 24th in world for most international faculty and 20th in the world for most international student body.[43]
Student body
In 2009-2010, 13,667 students were studying at UNIGE (14,489 students with the IHEID and IEB), of whom 61% were female, the highest female percentage in any Swiss university. 36% of the students were non-Swiss, originating from 131 countries. 3,574 teachers and collaborators, of whom 1,451 are female, are working for UNIGE.[44]
Student life
Sports
The Bureau des sports organizes all the sports related activity at UNIGE. Free sports lessons are given everyday and it suffices to show one's student card to access. Other lessons organization with the university's partners demand a small fee.[45] UNIGE is home to the Geneva university championships in basketball, indoor football, rowing, badminton, outdoor football.[46] The university also sends teams to the Swiss university championship in badminton, indoor football, skiing, basketball, fencing, football, golf, ice-hockey, table tennis and volleyball.[47] UNIGE also provides special schedules for students wishing to pursue their high level sporting career and to study at the same time.[48]
Associations
Alumni UNIGE is the alumni association of the University of Geneva, it offers a network of several thousand people to its members, as well as other advantages, such as discount prizes, special events, access to the official networking platform.[49] Atout-lettres is the alumni association of the literature students of the University, founded in 1997. Its purpose is to prepare the professional insertion of the literature students, to establish links between literature student and the working world and to promote the formation given by the Faculté de Lettres.[50]
Alumni
Over the course of its history, a sizeable number of UNIGE alumni have become notable in their fields, both academic, and in the wider world. Affiliates of the University of Geneva have won 10 Nobel prizes. Graduate alumni (Martin Hairer and Vaughan Jones) have won 2 Fields Medals.
The University has hosted several Nobel laureates as students, researchers and/or professors: Norman Angell (1872–1967), Nobel Peace Prize 1933; Karl Gunnar Myrdal (1898–1987) Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 1974; Daniel Bovet (1907–1992), Nobel Prize in Medicine 1957; Niels Kaj Jerne (1911–1994), Nobel Prize in Medicine 1984; Maurice Allais (1911–2010), Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 1988; Edmond H. Fischer (1920–), Nobel Prize in Medicine 1992; Martin Rodbell (1925–1998), Nobel Prize in Medicine 1994; Alan Jay Heeger (1936- ), Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2000; Werner Arber (1929– ), Nobel Prize in Medicine 1978; Kofi Annan (1938– ), Nobel Peace Prize 2001.
It has also hosted or graduated three Fields medal laureates: Vaughan Jones (1952– ), Fields Medal laureate in 1990, Stanislav Smirnov (1970– ), Fields Medal laureate in 2010 and Martin Hairer (1975- ), Fields Medal laureate in 2014.
Notable scholars
Notable alumni
Literature and popular culture
- James Bond has briefly studied at the University of Geneva, as Ian Fleming did.[52]
Notes and references
- ^ a b "University of geneva". http://www.mastersportal.eu.
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- ^ "Welcome, from Rector Jean-Dominique Vassalli". http://www.genevasummerschools.ch.
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- ^ "University of Geneva". http://talloiresnetwork.tufts.edu.
{{cite journal}}
: External link in
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- ^ "University of Geneva (UNIGE)". http://www.studyinginswitzerland.ch.
{{cite journal}}
: External link in
(help)|journal=
- ^ "University of Geneva honors LHC project leader at 450th anniversary ceremony". http://press.web.cern.ch. 5 June 2009.
{{cite journal}}
: External link in
(help)|journal=
- ^ QS World University Rankings - 2011. Top Universities (2012-12-19). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ "University in the Spotlight: University of Geneva". http://www.globalinksabroad.org.
{{cite journal}}
: External link in
(help)|journal=
- ^ "L'Université de Genève a fêté ses 450 ans en 2009". http://www.schenk-photos.ch.
{{cite journal}}
: External link in
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- ^ UNIGE - Plan d'accès aux bâtiments. Unige.ch. Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ UNIGE - Plan d'accès aux bâtiments. Unige.ch. Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ UNIGE - Plan d'accès aux bâtiments. Unige.ch. Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ UNIGE - Plan d'accès aux bâtiments. Unige.ch. Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Facultés, école, UPER - Archives - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2009-09-03). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Webpage of the Art-Law Centre, http://www.unige.ch/cda
- ^ Center for Biomedical Imaging (page visited on 2 October 2011).
- ^ Centre universitaire romand de médecine légale (page visited on 3 June 2012).
- ^ Institut universitaire romand de santé au travail (page visited on 1 October 2011).
- ^ http://www.unige.ch/rectorat/static/budget-2013.pdf
- ^ Uni Arve - Bibliothèque - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-06-25). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Uni Bastions - Bibliothèque - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-07-08). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Uni CMU - Bibliothèque - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-06-25). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Uni Mail - Bibliothèque - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-08-20). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Journal n°77 - SERVICE DE COMMUNICATION - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-05-30). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Perspectives - Service De Communication - Unige. Unige.ch (2010-09-07). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ http://www.unige.ch/dife/sinscrire/conditions-admissions/201314conditions_immatriculation.pdf
- ^ Examen de français - Division de la formation et des étudiants - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-06-18). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Studying/Doing research - International - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-02-08). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Programme des Welcome Days 2013 - Accueil et intégration - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-08-12). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Réforme de Bologne et système de crédits ECTS - Secteur Formation & Évaluation - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2010-10-13). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Fiches Bachelors - Futurs étudiants - UNIGE. Unige.ch (2013-03-11). Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Au service des professionnels - Formation continue - UNIGE. Unige.ch. Retrieved on 2013-09-05.
- ^ http://www.hec.unige.ch/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=159&Itemid=467&lang=en
- ^ http://www.hec.unige.ch/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=1694&Itemid=1087&lang=en
- ^ http://www.unige.ch/international/Futuretudiant/etudiantregulier/whygeneva/Programmes_taught_in_english_dec.pdf
- ^ http://129.194.40.25/fmi/iwp/cgi?-db=RI_Panorama&-loadframes
- ^ http://www.unige.ch/gufri/index.html
- ^ http://www.unige.ch/environnement/index.html
- ^ http://monet.knu.ac.kr/~cktoh/Newsweek-top-100.pdf
- ^ "QS World University Rankings 2010 Results".
- ^ "Times Higher Education World University Rankings".
- ^ http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/411576.article
- ^ http://www.topuniversities.com/node/2453/ranking-details/university-subject-rankings/2013
- ^ http://www.topuniversities.com/node/2453/ranking-details/world-university-rankings/2012
- ^ http://www.unige.ch/dadm/stat/index/1.1_Stat_univ_12-13_complete2.pdf
- ^ http://www.sports.unige.ch/index.php/calendrier-a-horaires
- ^ http://www.sports.unige.ch/index.php/championnats/20-championnats-universitaires-genevois
- ^ http://www.sports.unige.ch/index.php/championnats/38-championnats-universitaires-ch
- ^ http://www.sports.unige.ch/index.php/sport-etudes
- ^ http://alumni.unige.ch/services-avantages.html
- ^ http://www.asso-etud.unige.ch/atouts-lettres/pres.html
- ^ "Dominique Levy". Dominique-levy.com. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ * Pearson, John (2008). James Bond: The Authorised Biography. Random House. ISBN 978-0-09-950292-0.
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See also
- List of early modern universities in Europe
- List of largest universities by enrollment in Switzerland
- International Academy of Sport Science and Technology (AISTS)
- myScience.ch