Medical Universities in Switzerland

Universities in Switzerland

Eight universities in Switzerland are featured in the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, all of which rank in the top 350. ETH Zurich and EPFL, both within the global top 15, are joined by five more Swiss universities ranked among the world’s top 200. This is even more impressive when you consider that the population of the entire country is just 8.2 million (for comparison, that’s about the same as that of the US state of Virginia).As well as having a strong presence in the international ranking tables, universities in Switzerland are also very international in terms of their student and academic communities. Four of the eight ranked Swiss universities make the world’s top 60 for their percentage of international students, and the country's performs equally well when comparing the percentage of international academic staff members.The following four universities in Switzerland are all ranked in the world’s top 100:

ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)

Switzerland’s highest ranked university, is currently placed 9th in the world and is the only non-UK European university to rank within the global top 10. The university was founded in 1855, and is well established as a leader in scientific and technical fields, with connections to an impressive 21 Nobel laureates. Today more than 18, 600 students study at ETH Zurich, studying at two campuses – one in the center of Zurich, and one on the outskirts. In the QS World University Rankings by Faculty, ETH Zurich is currently ranked fifth in the world for engineering and technology subjects, and sixth for natural sciences. Teaching at undergraduate level is mainly in German, while most master’s courses are English-led.

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

The second of the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) was established slightly earlier than ETH Zurich, in 1853, and follows close behind in the international rankings tables. It’s placed 14th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and in the QS World University Rankings by Faculty comes 17th for engineering and technology and 13th for natural sciences. Since Lausanne is in a French-speaking part of Switzerland, most courses offered are in French, though there are also some programs in English. About half the size of ETH Zurich, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne currently teaches about 9, 900 students.

University of Zurich

With around 26, 000 students, the University of Zurich is the largest university in Switzerland, and lays claim to the country’s largest selection of study programs. Currently ranked joint 85th in the world, it conducts teaching and research across a broader subject spectrum than the more specialized ETH Zurich and EPFL, with facilities spread throughout the city of Zurich. With public outreach at the heart of its mission, the University of Zurich runs an impressive selection of museums, public libraries, collections, events and educational programs, including a “Children’s University” and “Senior Citizens’ University”.