University of Basel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of Basel

Universität Basel
Latin: Universitas Basiliensis
Type	Public
Established	4 April 1460; 565 years ago (1460-04-04)
Budget	CHF 768 million (2020)
President	Andrea Schenker-Wicki
Academic staff	4,700
Students	13,139
Location	Basel , Basel-City , Switzerland 47°33′31″N 07°35′00″E / 47.55861°N 7.58333°E / 47.55861; 7.58333
Colours	Mint, Red, Anthracite
Affiliations	Utrecht Network, EUCOR

The old main building of the University of Basel. Its design is similar to the first Italian university in Bologna.

The University of Basel is a public research university located in Basel, Switzerland. It was founded on April 4, 1460. This makes it Switzerland's oldest university. It is also one of the oldest universities in the world that is still open today. Many people consider it one of the top places for learning in Switzerland.

The Basel University Library is connected to the university. It is the biggest and most important library in Switzerland. The university has many different study areas, called faculties. These include theology, law, medicine, humanities, social sciences, science, psychology, and business and economics. There are also special centers like the Biozentrum for medical research. In 2020, over 13,000 students attended the university. About 27% of these students came from other countries.

Over its long history, many famous people have studied or taught here. These include Erasmus of Rotterdam, Paracelsus, Daniel Bernoulli, Leonhard Euler, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Carl Gustav Jung. Ten Nobel Prize winners and two Presidents of the Swiss Confederation have also been part of the university.

History of the University of Basel

A picture showing the opening ceremony of the University of Basel in 1460.

The University of Basel started because of the Council Of Basel. This was a big meeting of Catholic leaders. A temporary university was set up in Basel between 1432 and 1448. During this time, teachers gave lessons on subjects like law and Greek language.

In 1439, a new Pope was chosen by the council, named Felix V. He officially opened a "University of the Clergy" in November 1440. But in 1448, this temporary university closed. After it closed, former teachers wanted a regular university to be created.

A special paper from Pope Pius II officially founded the university on November 12, 1459. The university officially opened on April 4, 1460. It began with four main study areas: arts, medicine, theology, and law. In 1501, Basel joined the Swiss Confederation. At that time, it was decided that the university would stay open.

In the 1700s, Basel became more focused on business. The university, which was once a center of learning, became less important. The number of students dropped a lot. Many professors were from important families in the city.

Basel: A Center for Books and Learning

Over many centuries, Basel became a key place for printing books and for humanism. Humanism was a way of thinking that focused on human values and achievements. The Basel University Library was started around the same time as the university. Today, it holds over three million books. It is the biggest library in Switzerland.

The university's journey was often affected by local politics. Events like the Reformation and the split of the Basel region changed things. These events impacted how many students attended and how much money the university had. In 1833, the Basel region split into two parts. The university's books had to be divided. The city had to buy back its share, which made the university very poor. It had to offer fewer courses.

Growth and New Study Areas

The number of students grew when the university updated its courses. For example, Latin was no longer the official language for course lists in 1822. More study areas were added, especially in humanities and sciences. The Faculty of Liberal Arts was created in 1818. Later, new faculties like Philosophy, History, Natural History, Science, Business and Economics, and Psychology were added.

In the 1900s, the university grew very fast. It went from 1,000 students in 1918 to 8,000 in 1994. The first woman student, Emilie Frey, started studying medicine in 1890.

After 1933, many famous German professors moved to Basel. They came to work at the University of Basel. This happened after the Nazis came to power in Germany. Important scholars like the theologian Karl Barth and the philosopher Karl Jaspers joined the university.

On January 1, 1996, the University of Basel became independent. This meant it could manage itself without direct government control. In 2007, the Basel-Landschaft region also agreed to help support the university.

University Seal

Since 1460, the university's official seal has shown a Virgin Mary. She is surrounded by sun rays and stands on a crescent moon. This image comes from the Book of Revelation. Below the moon is the coat of arms of Basel. This religious symbol showed the university's strong connection to religion when it first started. The seal was used until 1992.

University Rankings and Reputation

The University of Basel is well-known around the world for its academic performance. Different ranking systems show its high standing:

• Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THE) (2021): Ranked 92nd globally.
• CWTS Leiden Ranking (2019): Ranked 53rd globally.
• Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) (2019): Ranked 87th globally.

How the University is Organized

University Leadership

Since 1996, the University of Basel has been independent. This means it can make its own decisions. The University Council is the main decision-making group. It has eleven voting members.

Below the Council are the Senate and the President's Board. The Senate has about 80 members. These include professors, students, and staff. The President's Office leads the daily work of the university. It includes the President and her team.

Study Areas and Departments

• 

  Institute of Musicology

• 

  Biozentrum and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

• 

  Faculty of Law

• 

  Bernoullianum, Department of Environmental Sciences

• 

  University Hospital of Basel

The University of Basel has seven main faculties, which are like big departments:

• Theology
• Law
• Medicine
  • [Department of Biomedicine] (works with the University Hospital)
  • [Department of Biomedical Engineering]
  • [Department of Public Health]
  • [Department of Clinical Research]
  • [Department of Sport, Exercise and Health]
• Humanities and Social Sciences
  • [Department of Ancient Civilizations]
  • [Department of History]
  • [Department of Social Sciences]
  • [Department Arts, Media, Philosophy]
  • [Department of Languages and Literatures]
  • [Digital Humanities Lab]
• Science
  • Biozentrum
  • [Department of Mathematics and Computer Science]
  • [Department of Physics]
  • [Department of Chemistry]
  • [Department of Environmental Sciences]
  • [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences]
• Business and Economics
• Psychology

Special Study Centers

The university also has several special centers that bring different subjects together:

• Institute for European Global Studies
• [Center for Philanthropy Studies (CEPS)]
• [Institute for Biomedical Ethics (IBMB)]
• [Institute of Education]

Partner Institutes

The university works with other institutes too:

• Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH)
• Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI)
• Basel Institute on Governance
• [Swiss Centre for Rescue, Emergency and Disaster Medicine (SZRNK)]
• [Swisspeace]

Famous People from the University

The University of Basel has been home to many important politicians, scientists, and thinkers from all over the world. Here are some of them:

• 

  Paracelsus, a famous physician and alchemist

• 

  Jacob Bernoulli, a brilliant mathematician

• 

  Leonhard Euler, a key mathematician and physicist

• 

  Friedrich Nietzsche, a well-known philosopher

• 

  Friedrich Miescher, who first found nucleic acid

• 

  Karl Gustav Jung, a physician and surgeon

• 

  Carl Gustav Jung, a famous psychiatrist

• 

  Karl Jaspers, a philosopher and psychiatrist

• 

  Tadeus Reichstein, a chemist and Nobel Prize winner

• 

  Werner Arber, a microbiologist and Nobel Prize winner

• 

  Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, a biologist and Nobel Prize winner

• Werner Arber (born 1929), Swiss microbiologist and geneticist, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1978.
• Karl Barth (1886–1968), Swiss Protestant theologian.
• Daniel Bernoulli (1700–1782), Swiss mathematician and physicist.
• Jacob Bernoulli (1655–1705), famous Swiss mathematician.
• Johann Bernoulli (1667–1748), Swiss mathematician.
• Jacob Burckhardt (1818–1897), Swiss historian.
• Jacques Dubochet (born 1942), Swiss biophysicist, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017.
• Leonhard Euler (1707–1783), a very important mathematician and physicist.
• Rudolf Eucken (1846–1926), philosopher, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1908.
• Albert Gobat (1848–1914), Swiss politician, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1902.
• Jeanne Hersch (1910–2000), Swiss philosopher.
• Karl Jaspers (1883–1969), German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher.
• Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961), Swiss psychiatrist and founder of Analytical Psychology.
• Friedrich Miescher (1844–1895), Swiss physician and biologist, first to find nucleic acid.
• Alice Miller (1923–2010), Swiss psychologist and author.
• Paul Hermann Müller (1899–1965), Swiss chemist, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1948.
• Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), German philosopher, taught at the university at age 24.
• Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard (born 1942), German biologist, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1995.
• Paracelsus (1493–1541), Swiss philosopher, physician, and botanist.
• Tadeus Reichstein (1897–1996), Polish-Swiss chemist, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1950.
• Otto Stich (1927–2012), former President of the Swiss Confederation.
• Kurt Wüthrich (born 1938), Swiss chemist, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2002.
• Rolf Zinkernagel (born 1944), Swiss physician, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1996.
• Mirjana Spoljaric Egger (born 1972), Swiss diplomat, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Student Life at the University

The university offers many services to help its students. The Student Advice Center helps with choosing study programs and future jobs. Student Services provides information on applying, getting grants, and exchange programs. They also help students with disabilities.

Student Groups and Clubs

There are many groups for international students, like Toastmasters and AIESEC. Some groups help the community, such as Beraber, which offers extra lessons to young immigrants. There is also a foreign affairs club (Foraus) and a Model United Nations team. Students can join various choirs and orchestras. There are also different religious groups.

Some older student groups are called "Studentenverbindungen." These traditional groups started in the 1800s. They organize social events and sometimes wear special uniforms. Some focus on hobbies like sword fighting. Examples include Akademische Turnerschaft Alemannia zu Basel and Helvetia Basel. Many of these groups are only for men, but A.V. Froburger accepts women too.

University Sports

University Sports offers a gym and fitness classes. They also organize sports and dance camps for students and staff.

Student Union

The Studentische Körperschaft der Universität Basel (skuba) is the student union. It speaks for the students and works to meet their needs. It is an official student representative group and does not have political or religious ties.

Alumni Association

The university has a general alumni association called AlumniBasel. Alumni are former students. There are also specific alumni groups for different study areas. These include groups for Medicine, Law, Business and Economics, and Nursing.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Basilea para niños

• Biozentrum University of Basel
• List of largest universities by enrollment in Switzerland
• List of medieval universities
• Basel University Library