ONE OF EUROPE’S BEST
The largest and best known Swiss university has a lot to offer international students. By Sonali Acharjee
Founded in 1833, the University of Zurich ( UOZ) traces its origins back to 1525 when the colleges of theology, law and medicine were founded by Huldrych Zwingli. These colleges later merged together along with a new college of philosophy to form the current university. Home to 2,000 faculty members in 140 different special institutes, the university today offers students the widest range of subjects and academic specialisations available at any Swiss institute of higher education. These are delivered through the university’s seven faculties of study which include the faculty of theology, law, economics, medicine, arts, science and veterinary sciences. With 24,000 students and 1,900 graduates each year, UOZ is also the largest university in Switzerland. “I was first attracted to the university after reading about the 12 Nobel Laureates that graduated from the institute,” says Priyamvada Nath, 32, a medical student from Delhi who will be applying to UCZ this year.
The faculty of medicine at UOZ has 2,600 students enrolling yearly with 220 of them completing federal examinations in human medicine and 40 in dentistry. More than 700 dedicated academic staff are involved in teaching activities at the faculty, making it one of the largest in mainland Europe. Together with the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH), the faculty also produces some of the most noted research work. “I am particularly interested in neuroscience so was happy to note that UOZ has nearly 100 re- search groups in the field and 440 scientists working in its Competence Centre for Neurosciences ( CCN),” adds Nath. Aside from providing research opportunities for leading scientists, the CCN’s three- year doctoral programme is immensely popular amongst beginners and students.
Aside from its academic heritage, the university also offers students a range of different services, from its very own network of hospitals and clinics to a main library that holds a collection of two million books and a one- of- a- kind zoological museum. The university also conducts special events for prospective students as well as first year students every year to answer any doubts and queries. Students are also taken on special visits to major Zurich attractions such as the opera house, the theatre ( Schauspielhaus), the concert hall ( Tonhalle) and art museum ( Kunsthaus). Club nights, bar crawls and café meet- ups are also part of life here. Another perk of studying at UOZ is getting access to over 100 different student societies and sporting activities. Be it Indology, Motion Picture Sciences, Business Information Systems or Social Think Tanks, the university has a diverse range of interest and study groups.
So if you’re looking to pursue your higher studies in Europe, the low tuition fees, hi- tech infrastructure, easy accessibility and faculty reputation of UOZ is well worth keeping in mind.