University of Geneva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of Geneva

Université de Genève
Latin: Schola Genevensis
Motto	Post tenebras lux (Latin)
Motto in English	Light after darkness
Type	Public university
Established	1559; 466 years ago (1559)
Rector	Yves Flückiger
Administrative staff	approx. 6,500
Students	17,271
Location	Geneva , Switzerland 47°22′35″N 8°32′53″E / 47.37639°N 8.54806°E / 47.37639; 8.54806
Campus	Urban
Language	French English
Affiliations	Coimbra Group LERU EUA IFPU
Website	www.unige.ch

The University of Geneva (French: Université de Genève) is a big public university in Geneva, Switzerland. It was started in 1559 by a French thinker named John Calvin. Back then, it was a school mainly for studying theology (religion).

For a long time, it focused on religious studies. But in the 17th century, it became a place for new ideas and learning during the Enlightenment. Today, it is the third largest university in Switzerland, with many students.

In 1873, the university became officially non-religious. In 2009, it celebrated its 450th birthday! A lot of its students, almost 40%, come from other countries.

The university has three main goals: teaching, doing research, and helping the community. It is part of important groups like the League of European Research Universities, which includes famous schools like Cambridge.

The university has students from over 150 countries. It also has many research centers. These include the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and the Global Studies Institute.

History of the University

The university began in 1559 as the Academy of Geneva. It was founded by John Calvin, a French theologian. It was a seminary (a school for religious studies). Its goal was to be the main public school in Protestant Geneva.

The academy wanted to teach not only pastors but also leaders for the republic. So, in 1565, it started teaching Law. Later, during the time when France controlled Geneva (1798–1813), the school changed. It started offering degrees and was divided into different faculties (departments).

Where the University Is

The University of Geneva has buildings in different parts of Geneva. Some are also in the nearby city of Carouge. The buildings can be quite far from each other. For example, the Battelle buildings are more than three kilometers from the Bastions.

The oldest building, from 1559, is the Collège Calvin. But it is no longer part of the university. Classes are held in six main places. These include Les Bastions, Uni Dufour, and Uni Mail.

Uni Bastions

This building was built between 1868 and 1871. Uni Bastions is a well-known symbol of academic life in Geneva. It is in the middle of a park. This building is home to the Faculty of Protestant Theology and the Faculty of Arts.

Uni Dufour

Uni Dufour

The design of Uni Dufour was inspired by a famous architect named Le Corbusier. This building holds the main offices of the university. It is where the Rector (the head of the university) and the administration work.

Uni Mail

Uni Mail

Uni Mail is the largest building in Switzerland for social sciences. It currently houses several faculties. These include Law, Economics and Management, Psychology and Education. It also has the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting.

How the University is Organized

The University of Geneva is made up of different faculties and centers. These groups handle teaching, research, and helping society in various subjects.

Faculties

The university has nine main departments, called faculties:

• Faculty of Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Humanities
• Faculty Geneva School of Economics and Management (GSEM)
• Faculty Geneva School of Social Sciences (G3S)
• Faculty of Law (Geneva Law School)
• Faculty of Theology
• Faculty of Psychology and Education
• Faculty of Translation and Interpreting

Special Centers

The university also has fourteen special centers that work across different faculties. Some of these include:

• Institute for Reformation History (about the Protestant Reformation)
• Interfaculty Center for Informatics (about computer science)
• Institute for Environmental Sciences (about the environment)
• The Global Studies Institute
• Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (about emotions)

Partner Institutions

The university works with other nearby institutions. Students can take courses at these places too. Some partners include:

• Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID)
• Bossey Ecumenical Institute
• Wyss Center for Bio- and Neuro-engineering
• Swiss National Supercomputing Centre

Libraries and News

Libraries

The University of Geneva has libraries in four main locations. Each location has different collections of books and resources.

• Uni Arve has libraries for sciences like Anthropology and Astronomy.
• Uni Bastions has libraries for languages, history, and music.
• Uni CMU has a large collection of medical books.
• Uni Mail's collection focuses on subjects like Economics, Law, and Psychology. It also has the university's multimedia library.

University News

The journal de l'UNIGE is a newspaper released every two weeks. It helps people at the university stay informed. It shares news about research and upcoming events.

Campus is a magazine published once a month. It aims to connect scientists with the public. It acts as a "bridge between science and the city."

Academics

How to Join and Fees

To study for a bachelor's degree, you need a Swiss high school diploma. Or you need a diploma that the University of Geneva considers equal. If your studies were not in French, you must pass a French language test. This test happens in early September.

The tuition fees are CHF 500 (Swiss Francs) for each semester.

School Year

The school year at UNIGE runs from mid-September to mid-June. It has two semesters. There are exams at the beginning of January and early June. If students fail an exam, they can retake it in late August or early September.

Before the new school year starts, there are "Welcome Days." These days help new students get to know the city and the university. They also get tips on how to do well in their studies.

What You Can Study

The university offers more than 240 types of degrees. This includes about 30 bachelor's degrees and 70 master's degrees. It also offers 78 doctorate degrees (the highest level of study). Plus, there are over 200 programs for continuing education.

Studying Abroad

Students at UNIGE can study abroad for a semester or a year. The university has partnerships with many universities around the world. These include Harvard Law School, University of Oxford, and University of Tokyo.

Research at the University

The University of Geneva is known for its research in many areas. These include molecular biology, physics, and economics. They also research social sciences, psychology, and chemistry.

UNIGE has six national research centers. These centers focus on areas like genetics, materials, and emotions. They also do research in international studies and environmental studies.

Scientists at UNIGE have made important discoveries. For example, Michel Mayor discovered planets outside our solar system. Nicolas Gisin discovered quantum teleportation.

University Rankings

The University of Geneva is often ranked as one of the best universities in the world.

Global Rankings

In 2023, the university was ranked 49th in the world by the Shanghai Ranking. It was 125th by the QS ranking. In 2006, Newsweek ranked it 32nd globally.

Here's how the QS World University Rankings has ranked the University of Geneva:

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings has ranked the University of Geneva:

Subject Rankings

In molecular biology, the research done in Geneva was ranked 4th in Europe. This was for the years 1999–2009.

In 2013, the QS subject ranking placed the university 21st in Pharmacy. It was 49th in Philosophy. The university was in the world's top 200 for every subject.

Other Rankings

In 2013, the university was ranked 24th in the world for having the most international teachers. It was 20th for having the most international students. In 2023, it was ranked the 26th best university in Europe overall.

Student Life

In 2016, there were 16,530 students at UNIGE. About 61% of them were female. Also, 37% of the students were not Swiss. They came from 151 different countries.

There are 4,449 teachers and staff working at UNIGE. About 49% of them are female.

Sports

The Bureau des sports organizes all sports activities at UNIGE. Free sports lessons are offered every day. Students just need to show their student card to join.

The university also holds championships in sports like basketball and indoor football. UNIGE sends teams to Swiss university championships too. Special schedules are available for students who are high-level athletes. This helps them study and play sports at the same time.

Student Groups

Alumni UNIGE is a group for former students. It helps members connect with thousands of other past students. They also get discounts and access to special events.

Atout-lettres is a group for literature students. It helps them prepare for jobs after graduation. It also helps connect students with the working world.

Famous People from the University

Many people who studied or taught at the University of Geneva have become famous. They have achieved great things in their fields. People linked to the University of Geneva have won 10 Nobel Prizes. Two graduates have also won Fields Medals (a top math award).

The university has been home to several Nobel Prize winners. These include Kofi Annan, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2019.

It has also hosted or taught three winners of the Fields Medal. These include Vaughan Jones and Martin Hairer.

• Some Nobel Prize winners connected to UNIGE
• 

  Karl Gunnar Myrdal, won the 1974 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences

• 

  Werner Arber, won the 1978 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

• 

  Edmond H. Fischer, won the 1992 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

• 

  Kofi Annan, won the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize

• 

  Didier Queloz, won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics

Notable Scholars

Notable Alumni

In Stories

• The famous spy James Bond briefly studied at the University of Geneva. His creator, Ian Fleming, also studied there.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Ginebra para niños

• List of early modern universities in Europe
• List of largest universities by enrollment in Switzerland