University of Geneva

Infobox University
name =University of Geneva
native_name =Université de Genève
latin_name =Schola Genevensis


image_size =175px
motto =
established =1559
type =Public university
staff =
rector = Prof. Jean-Dominique Vassalli
students =14,685
city =Geneva
country =Switzerland
coor =coord|46.19889|N|6.14449|E|region:CH-GE_type:edu|display=inline,title
campus =
affiliations =Coimbra Group
LERU
EUA
website = [http://www.unige.ch www.unige.ch] |

The University of Geneva ( _fr. Université de Genève) is a university in Geneva, Switzerland.

Founded by John Calvin in 1559 as a theological seminary that also taught law, it remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873 it dropped its religious affiliations and became officially secular. Today, the university is the second-largest university in Switzerland. It has programs in many fields but is especially noted for its programs in international relations (with Geneva being a center for many international organizations), scientific research (with a record of notable discoveries in planetary science and genetics, among other fields)

Classes are taught in French. The university pursues three missions: teaching, research, and service to the community. It was ranked number one generalist university in continental Europe among the "Top 100 Global Universities" by "Newsweek" in 2006. The university is a member of the League of European Research Universities.

Degree system

Before 2005, the University applied the French education model of granting academic degrees, with some minor differences: "demi-licence" (two years), "licence" (four years), "diplôme d'études approfondies" and "diplôme d'études superieures spécialisées" (DEA/DESS) (1-2 years), and doctorate (3-5 years). The University now follows the requirements of the Bologna process: bachelor's (three years), master's (1-2 years), Master of Advanced Studies (1-2 years), doctorate (3-5 years).

Organization

The university is composed of nine faculties:
*Faculty of Sciences (natural sciences)
*Faculty of Medicine (medical school)
*Faculty of Arts (arts)
*Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences and Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) department (social sciences including economics; business school)
*Faculty of Law (Geneva Law School) (law school)
*Faculty of Protestant Theology (Protestant theological school)
*Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (psychology and education)
*School of Translation and Interpretation (translating and interpreting)
*Institute of Architecture (architecture)

The university has also developed a continuing education programme. The university has a partnership with the nearby Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, and students at the university may take courses at these institutes.

Inter-faculty centers:
*Institute for Reformation History (the Reformation)
*Computer Science Department (computer science)
*University Centre of Human Ecology and Environmental Sciences (human ecology, environmental science)
*University Centre for Study of Energy Problems (energy policy)
*The European Institute of the University of Geneva (European studies, European integration)
*Interfaculty Center of Gerontology (gerontology)
*Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (affective science)

Geneva Law School

Geneva Law School is the university's law school. It has an ongoing student and professor exchange program with Harvard Law School. It is also a part of the Strategic Alliance of Research Faculties of Law, a consortium of 13 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.

The schools 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 30 countries to Geneva each year. This program has been selected by the German Academic Exchange Service as part of its European Excellency Program, alongside a program run by the Oxford Faculty of Law.

External links

* [http://www.unige.ch Official website]