University of Zurich

Infobox University
name =University of Zurich
native_name =Universität Zürich
latin_name =Universitas Turicensis


motto =
established =1833 (1525)
type =Public University
president =Prof. Dr. Andreas Fischer
students =24,195
faculty =c. 2,700
city =Zurich
state =Canton of Zurich
country =Switzerland
coor =coord|47|22|29|N|8|32|54|E|region:CH-ZH_type:edu|display=inline,title
campus =Urban
website = [http://www.uzh.ch www.uzh.ch] The University of Zurich (German: "Universität Zürich"), located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 24,000 students. [cite web |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/15/06/data.Document.80560.xls|title= Studierende an den universitären Hochschulen: Basistabellen |accessdate=2008-04-18 |date=2008 |publisher=Bundesamt für Statistik BFS |format=xls ] It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy. Currently, the University has faculties of arts, economics, law, medicine, science, theology and veterinary medicine, offering the widest range of subjects and courses at any Swiss higher education institution. [cite web |url=http://www.uzh.ch/about/portrait/portrait_en.html|title= Profile: At a glance |accessdate=2008-04-26 |date=2008 |publisher=University of Zurich]

History

The University of Zurich was founded on April 29, 1833, when the existing colleges of theology (founded by Huldrych Zwingli in 1525), law and medicine were merged together with a new faculty of Philosophy. It was the first university in Europe to be founded by the state rather than a monarch or church. The university allowed women to attend philosophy lectures from 1847, and admitted the first female doctoral student in 1866. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was added in 1901, the oldest such faculty in the world. In 1914, the University moved to new premises designed by the architect Karl Moser on Rämistrasse 71.

Faculties

Its best-performing faculties in terms of research quality are the Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science, all of which rank in the top ten of Europe's universities. The University of Zurich as a whole also ranks in the top ten of Europe and in the top fifty worldwide. Notably in the fields of bioscience and finance, there is a close-knit collaboration between the University of Zurich and the ETH (Federal Institute for Technology, just across the road).

Facilities

There are several libraries available for use by members of the university, including Zurich Central Library, with over 5 million volumes.

Student life

The university's Academic Sports Association (ASVZ) offers a wide range of sports facilities to students of the university.

Admission

Except for medicine, the University pursues an admission policy as follows. All students who have a Matura or an equivalent secondary school qualification can study for a year. After this assessment year, only those passing the exams may proceed their studies. On average, about one half passes the assessment year (differing across faculties and particular program). To study medicine, even to be granted permission to enter the assessment year, exams need to be passed. Admission to a Masters degree naturally requires a Bachelor. Admission to a PhD programme requires a Masters degree with honours and clear research orientation.

Language policy

The general language of courses is Standard German (Hochdeutsch). Notably in some highly competitive and international programs, such as the Master of Advanced Studies in Finance [http://www.msfinance.ch MAS Finance] , all lectures are held in English. There is an increasing use of English observed in many faculties.

Nobel Prize winners

The University of Zurich has produced several Nobel Prize laureates. Albert Einstein, Erwin Schrödinger, one of the founders of quantum mechanics, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, the first person to win the Nobel Prize in Physics and others were affiliated with the University.

Alumni

*Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (Physics, 1901); also worked on the faculty
*Carl Spitteler (Literature, 1919)
*Albert Einstein (Physics, 1921); also worked on the faculty
*Walter Rudolf Hess (Medicine 1949); also worked on the faculty

Faculty

*Theodor Mommsen (Literature, 1902)
*Alfred Werner (Chemistry 1913)
*Max von Laue (Physics 1914)
*Erwin Schrödinger (Physics 1933)
*Peter Debye (Chemistry 1936)
*Paul Karrer (Chemistry 1937)
*Lavoslav Stjepan Ružička (Chemistry 1939)
*Walter Rudolf Hess (Medicine 1949)
*Karl Alex Müller (Physics 1987)
*Rolf M. Zinkernagel (Medicine 1996)

Famous Fellows of the University

*Rolf Pfeifer, Artificial Intelligence Lab, IFI

Museum

* [http://www.mhiz.uzh.ch/ History of Medicine]

References

See also

*

External links

* [http://www.uzh.ch/studies_en.html Information for prospective students]
* [http://www.uzh.ch/ Official homepage]
* [http://www.uzh.ch/index_en.html Official homepage in English]
* [http://www.uzh.ch/about.html About the university] (in German)
* [http://www.uzh.ch/about_en.html About the University] (in English)
* [http://www.stura.uzh.ch/ Union of students' associations of the University of Zurich]