University of Geneva

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University of Geneva
Université de Genève
Latin: Schola Genevensis
Established: 1559
Type: Public university
Rector: Prof. Jean-Dominique Vassalli
Students: 14,685
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Affiliations: Coimbra Group
LERU
EUA
Website: http://www.unige.ch

The University of Geneva (French: Université de Genève) is a university in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded by John Calvin in 1559. Initially a theological seminary, it also taught law. It remained heavily theological into the 17th century, at which point it began adding other disciplines as it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873 it dropped its religious associations and acquired the secular status of University. Today The University of Geneva is the second largest university in Switzerland and it plays a leading role in many fields–its location in Geneva gives it a prime location for diplomatic and international affairs studies, and it is also considered among the top scientific research universities in Europe, making notable discoveries in planetary science and genetics, among other fields. It pursues three missions: teaching (classes are taught in French), research, and service to the wider community.

It was ranked number one generalist university in continental Europe by Newsweek’s “Top 100 Global Universities” in 2006 and is a member of the League of European Research Universities, which includes academic institutions such as Amsterdam, Cambridge, Heidelberg, Helsinki and Milan.

University of Geneva
University of Geneva

Before 2005, the University applied the French education model with some minor differences. The academic degrees were the Demi-Licence (2 years), Licence (4 years), DEA / DESS (1-2 years), Doctorate (3-5 years). The University now follows the requirements of the Bologna process as following: Bachelor ( 3 years), Master ( 1-2 years), Master of Advanced Studies ( 1-2 years), Doctorate (3-5 years).

The University of Geneva, comprising the following nine Faculties :

  • 1- Faculty of Sciences
  • 2- Faculty of Medicine
  • 3- Faculty of Arts
  • 4- Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences + HEC department
  • 5- Faculty of Law / Geneva Law School
  • 6- Faculty of Protestant Theology
  • 7- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
  • 8- School of Translation and Interpretation
  • 9- Institute of Architecture

The University has also developed its continuing education programme over the past few years, having more than 100 programmes for people who are employed. Moreover, students at the University, profiting from its close relations with the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, may attend courses at these institutes.

Interfaculty Centers:

  • Institute for Reformation History
  • Computer Science Department
  • University Centre of Human Ecology and Environmental Sciences
  • University Centre for Study of Energy Problems
  • The European Institute of the University of Geneva
  • Interfaculty Center of Gerontology
  • Swiss Center for Affective Sciences


[edit] Geneva Law School

The University’s law school has an ongoing student and professor exchange program with Harvard Law School and is also part of the Strategic Alliance of Research Faculties of Law, together with twelve other prestigious European law schools. The law school hosts several research centers, including the Centre for Banking and Financial Law, the Centre for European Legal Studies and the Art Law Centre, and offers a wide variety of academic courses covering all areas of law, with a strong focus on international and comparative law. Among others, it proposes a program of transnational law which attracts students from some thirty countries to Geneva each year and has been selected by the German Academic Exchange Service as part of its European Excellency Program, alongside a program run by the Oxford law faculty.


[edit] Study programmes with other institutions

(project, to be approved by certain instances within the University of Geneva) Geneva Master in International Dispute Settlement (http://www.mids.ch), to be jointly provided by the Law School and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, will be a one-year full-time graduate degree programme covering various approaches to the subject-matter, including private and public international law, and therefore topics such as international commercial and investment arbitration, WTO dispute resolution and proceedings before the International Court of Justice.


[edit] External links

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League of European Research Universities