Swiss Magic
October 28, 2007 – 11:30 pm
COUNTRY PROFILE
STORIES BY KAREN CHAPMAN
LOCATED in Europe between France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Italy, Switzerland is known for many things including its beautiful scenery, chocolates, cuckoo clocks, cheese and humanitarian tradition.
It is a confederation comprising 26 cantons (states), and its culture is characterised by the diversity of its geography, languages and religious affiliation.
Apart from Romantsch, which is spoken by 0.5% of its population, its three major languages are French, German and Italian.
Switzerland is also a neutral state; its neutrality allows it to act as a mediator and has made it a place of refuge for those persecuted for political reasons.
The Swiss education system can be divided into primary, secondary and tertiary.
According to Swiss Embassy deputy head of mission Christian Winter, higher education in Switzerland comprises academic studies at “traditional” universities, federal institutes of technology or universities of applied sciences (known as fachhochschulen).
“Students who want to study in Switzerland should contact the university of their choice,” he says.
Masters in Biomedical Engineering student Tan Chia Huei advises those interested in studying in Switzerland to look at the websites of the institutions.
But she cautions them not to be discouraged by non-English websites.
“There are translator-engines on the Internet that can help.
“Students can also e-mail the department secretaries or programme coordinators for more information,” she adds.
The higher education system
Apart from the 10 cantonal universities and two federal institutes of technology, there are also universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education.
Although the cantonal universities have their own special characteristics, they all basically have the same structure. They are divided into faculties or departments such as theology, law, economics and social science, arts, natural science and medicine.
The language of instruction depends on which part of the country the universities are located in, says Winter.
As an example, the universities of Basle, Berne, Lucerne, St Gall and Zurich and the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich are located in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.
On the other hand, the universities of Geneva, Lausanne and Neuchâtel and the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne are in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, while the university in Fribourg is situated in a bilingual canton, so courses are offered in German and/or French.
Since the founding of the Università della Svizzera italiana in Lugano in 1996, the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland also has its own university.
The two federal institutes of technology produce highly qualified engineers, architects and scientists while the universities of applied sciences offer degrees in engineering and IT, chemistry and the life sciences, business, management and services, and applied psychology.
Hotel management is another popular programme offered in Switzerland. Swiss hotel schools have been offering such programmes since the 1800s.
The academic year is divided into two semesters – autumn and spring.
According to Winter, Swiss universities have been busy adjusting their curricula to comply with the Bologna Declaration since the winter semester of 2001/02.
Under the new two-tiered system, the first grade awarded is the bachelor’s degree (three years full-time study) while the second is the master’s degree (one-and-a-half years full-time study).
English widely spoken
To be admitted to a university as an undergraduate, candidates must possess either a state-recognised Swiss matriculation certificate or another foreign certificate recognised as equivalent by the university.
The prerequisite for admission to a master’s programme is a bachelor’s degree in the same course of studies.
The university will also inform candidates if there are other specific admission requirements for a master’s, PhD or Executive Master Studies programme.
Malaysian passport holders need to have a letter of acceptance from the university or college in Switzerland.
“The institution will then apply for a student visa from the cantonal immigration and police authorities when the student is already in Switzerland,” says Winter.
Students also have to apply to the police department for a residence permit after their arrival in Switzerland.
International student support and programme coordinators will also be able to provide advice on these procedures.
To gain admission to a Swiss university, students need to have a good command of the language of instruction, be it German, French or Italian. However, at master’s level, universities are offering more courses in English.
“Students need not worry as English is widely spoken everywhere,” adds Winter.
High quality research
Although Switzerland has a reputation for being an expensive country to live in, Chia Huei feels the high cost of living is offset by the tuition fees, which are cheaper than those charged in the United Kingdom.
According to Winter, the cost of tuition fees for international students varies, depending on the 10 cantonal universities and two federal institutes of technology.
“For the 2007/08 year, the fees range from CHF1,266 (about RM3,500) to CHF8,000 (about RM23,100),” he notes.
Living expenses also depends on the location of the institution, he says.
In general, they range from CHF18,000 (about RM52,000) to CHF28,000 (about RM80,900) a year.
Foreign students are allowed to work up to 15 hours a week as long as the duration of the studies is not prolonged.
Chia Huei believes Switzerland is a great option for higher education.
“The quality of education and research is outstanding.
“Living and studying here is a really unique and enjoyable experience. I like it so much here.
“I hope I can carry on with my PhD here too,” shares the Petaling Jaya-born student.
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Copyright (c) The Star Education. Click here for full article. Tan Chia Huei is a DECC committee currently studying in ETH Zurich. Contact us to explore on education in Europe.
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