University of Lugano

Università della Svizzera Italiana Lugano or University of Lugano (abbreviated as USI) is a state-type educational institution in Switzerland, which has been actively engaged in scientific and academic work since the distant 1996. The university has a small campus in Lugano.

The Faculty of Biomedical Sciences offers a Master degree of Medicine program, doctoral programs, postgraduate education programs, and programs in biomedical entrepreneurship.

The Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) is a growing research unit that regularly offers internship, doctoral, clinical, and postdoctoral fellowship positions. Together with IOR, the university runs the International PhD Program in Cancer Biology and Oncology, which includes a series of 10 lectures known as the IOR Lecture Series.

The Career and Alumni Service, together with the management of the Master in Digital Fashion Communication program, organizes the Career Mentoring in Digital Fashion Communication program.

• The Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) was founded in 2000 to advance the study of human immunology, with a focus on the body's defense mechanisms,
• the university's research office hosts the regional Euresearch office, a non-profit organization funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) that supports researchers' participation in European research programs.

This is a higher education institution that is in the list of TOP-20 of the best in Switzerland, and every year it is also on the list of the TOP of the best in the world.

The university hosts a UNESCO Chair, which is preparing to host the second international conference of the University Network for Cultural Routes in Lugano.

This is a relatively small higher educational institution, where about 3000 people successfully pass the educational course annually. The teaching staff of the university is about 900 teachers of the highest category. The university maintains close collaboration with other institutions of the same type.

University Infrastructure

As part of their studies at the university, students have the right to use the large student library. The educational institution is traditionally a member of the elite scientific groups and communities, willingly exchanging experience and replenishing its own.

The main campus, Campus Ovest, in Lugano brings together the university's rectorate, faculty lecture halls and offices for the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, the Faculty of Economics, and the Faculty of Theology, as well as administrative offices, event halls, and the university library. The campus grounds include green areas, a cafeteria, study spaces with computers and internet access, an ATM, a print shop, and a bike-rental station. The campus is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and around the clock for members of the academic community.

Campus Ovest includes several buildings:

• Palazzo principale — the main building, constructed in 1909 and renovated in 1993, which became the center of the campus in 1996,
• Palazzo rosso — 12 lecture halls on three floors with a total capacity of 900 seats,
• Palazzo nero — a metal-frame building with 7 lecture halls seating 300, 80 open-space workstations, and 30 offices with 50 workstations,
• Palazzo blu — a building with offices for academic staff providing 120 workstations,
• Lab — offices for academic and administrative staff providing 150 workstations,
• Aula magna — an amphitheater seating 450, two-thirds of which is underground,
• Auditorio — an amphitheater seating 230 with a 240-seat student cafeteria,
• the Lugano university library — 5 floors with more than 300 workstations for users.

The campus in Mendrisio, home to the Academy of Architecture, consists of the Villa Argentina building (housing the management, administration, secretariat, and research institutes), the Palazzo Canavée and Palazzo Turconi teaching buildings, a library, and the Vignetta building with research institutes. Near the campus is the Archivio del Moderno foundation, which supports research in architectural history, and the Casa dello Studente student residence. A new Teatro dell'architettura building is under construction next to Palazzo Turconi.

The university stays in touch with its graduates through the Visiting Alumni program, in which former students return to campus to share their post-graduation career experience with current students.

Each academic year is traditionally divided into semesters. All students can choose the most convenient form of study for themselves - full-time or distance.

Tuition at USI

All the most diligent students can get back part of the tuition fees, receiving a scholarship for good grades. Among other things, students can also apply to participate in international exchange programs.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision